This is tough because each guy has a different advantage going his way. Knowshon is more likely to be the featured guy for the Broncos this year and is the better overall athlete amoungst the two, but Beanie has considerably more size to go along with decent speed that will get him in the endzone easier. Don't get me wrong, Knowshon should be able juke around linebackers and jump over piles like Walter Payton, but the simple fact that Wells is about 30 pounds heavier than Knowshon with better speed.
Now aside from the physical tools of each guy, it's not clear whether Denver and Arizona will use an equal timeshare with other backs on each team: Hightower for Arizona, Buckhalter and LaMont Jordan for Denver. It looks like Knowshon will be more featured than Beanie because Wells is competing against a guy who knows the playbook better and had 10 rushing touchdowns last season in Hightower. So, by just a hair, I would put my money on BRO-SHON!
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2 comments:
Forgive me, been on vacation for a week and just now reading this.
You pose a good question and a lot depends on the passing compliment. For example in goaline situations I could see Fitzgerald getting a lot of fades as Beanie's presence will bring the safeties closer to the line. Conversely he should be able to break long runs when teams play the deep zone. As for the Broncos I think we will see Bro-shon used as a short yardage reciever and Hillis as the short yardage back, which is the Patriot Way.
One thing there is no debate about is which back will deliver the most debacling stiff arms. Around Cbus it was known as the "Varsity Club".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f718Ei0TAck
Why would you think that Moreno would be the featured guy more than Wells? Moreno is the one in the more crowded backfield with Buckhalter, Torian, Jordan, Hillis, and Walker, and he's playing for a timeshare happy coach/team. Jordan has experience with McD and Buckhalter was brought in and paid to be the 3rd down guy. Hillis is a goal line runner and Moreno is the smallest back on the roster.
Wells is playing for a coach who likes to feature one guy and his only competition was benched in the playoffs for an over-the-hill Edgerrin James who himself had already been benched once. That is a bad sign when you have to go back to the guy you already benched because the replacement plays worse. Hightower only had 3 TD's after week nine and he averaged less than 2 yards per carry in 5 of those last 8 games (part of the reason he was benched). Hightower's 10 TD's over the season were due to the fact that he was bigger than James and used in goal line situations. Wells is bigger, faster, and stronger than Hightower.
All that stuff aside, Wells will simply be in a more high powered offense in Arizona, which equals more chances at the endzone.
And where the playbook is concerned, running back is the easiest position on the field, especially on the first two downs. Moreno and Wells will both be acclimating in that regard.
In the long term I like Moreno as much as you do, but it's hard to make the argument that he'll have more opportunities than Wells this year, especially at the beginning of the season. Moreno could easily end up splitting carries and being this year's Jonathan Stewart if a Buckhalter/Jordan/Torain steps it up in camp/preseason. Wells has a much better chance of the split falling in his favor.
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