Willis McGahee Carrying Broncos On His Back

With 117 yards on the ground against the Chargers, Willis McGahee now has five 100-yard games this season. He is averaging 77.5 rushing yards per game which is good enough for 12th in the league.

That’s the reason why Broncos running back coach Eric Studesville strongly urged the Broncos front office to pursue McGahee this off season.

“They [McGahee and Studesville] had a past together in Buffalo so he came strongly recommended, and he’s come as advertised,” John Fox said.

Not only has he helped the Broncos lead the NFL in rushing with 159.7 yards per game, but he’s a leader for his younger teammates. The 8-year veteran took over Kyle Orton’s captaincy when Orton was released last week. Not bad for a guy who is in his first year on this Broncos team.

“He’s a real pro,” Fox said. “He made a real fast impact in that locker room, and you can see statistically what he’s impacted on the football field.”

McGahee’s teammates voted him into the position this summer. He had the next most votes on the offensive side of the ball so when Orton left, he was next in line.

McGahee may be 30 years old (some might consider him old for a back), but he shared carries with Ray Rice during his four year career in Baltimore which may have saved him a year or two of wear on the body.

This week the Broncos face a Minnesota team that is ranked 9th against the rush, but the Broncos haven’t cared much about who they face on the ground this season.

McGahee took a team that just early last season was ranked 31st in rushing to the league’s leading rushing team.

He doesn’t care about the rankings and his stats. At this point in his career, all he’s looking to do is win. That’s the most important stat of all.

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