Ronnie Hillman, Montee Ball Injury Updates

Denver Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman Wally Pipped Montee Ball when the second-year Wisconsin product went down with a groin injury earlier this year, but it looks like he could find himself in the same situation after leaving yesterday’s game in the fourth quarter with a foot injury. Hillman was already losing his grasp on the starting job to C.J. Anderson, who blew open the Oakland Raiders on the ground and through the air. While Hillman is certainly no slouch as a pass-catcher, Anderson looked even more lively in that regard yesterday.

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The Broncos tried to downplay the effects of Hillman’s injury, but he was spotted limping around after the game with some sort of a sprain. Per an “NFL source” close to the Denver Post’s Mike Klis, Hillman will have to miss at least two weeks with a mid-foot sprain, and that gives Anderson plenty of time to establish himself as the new starting back, though he will have to prove that his big day against the Raiders wasn’t just a flash in the pan.

Anderson will have competition from Montee Ball, who practiced last week after being out since Week 5 with a significant groin injury. He was probably healthy enough to play yesterday, but he didn’t since the Broncos like to give their players extra practice. I mean, it’s not like they needed him out there against the Raiders either, and his absence gave Anderson a chance to shine.

According to the Denver Post’s Troy E. Renck, Ball is expected to return next week to face the St. Louis Rams, and he’ll look to take back his place on the Broncos pecking order over Hillman after slimming down. It would be a surprise for him to miss yet another game, so I would fully expect him to be the No. 2 guy to the evidently rising Anderson.

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