Broncos recap

Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 31, 2007 at midnight

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Scary collision

In the swirl of the game, safety Hamza Abdullah heard a sound that made him forget all about football.

When cornerback Karl Paymah lowered his head to tackle Arizona running back Steve Baylark midway through the second quarter, one of Baylark's knees struck Paymah squarely on the back of the head. Abdullah began signaling for medical help from the sideline before the play was over.

"I heard it. It sounded like a car crash," Abdullah said. "I was just trying to get the trainers over there as fast as possible. It was scary."

Paymah, who suffered a concussion, left the field on a backboard and was hospitalized overnight for precautionary reasons. X-rays and a CT scan were negative, and after the game, coach Mike Shanahan said Paymah was expected to be released from the hospital today.

Young having fun

Broncos running back Selvin Young, who was signed as an undrafted rookie after the draft in April, might have been through one training camp in his young NFL career, but he gets it.

He understands how fast things can change.

"You see it," Young said. "One day some guys aren't here. You practice, you play, you study, and one day guys just aren't here."

Young once was a heralded recruit at the University of Texas whose career was derailed by injuries. That tally included a fractured ankle that needed 11 screws and a plate to repair.

"But I don't set off the metal detector at the airport or anything," Young said. "They wand me and I get on the plane."

Young waited patiently through the first two weeks of the preseason before getting his chance to carry the ball. He had 91 yards on his 17 carries in the loss to the Cleveland Browns on Saturday night, and Broncos coaches were quick to talk about his speed after the game.

Thursday, Shanahan again singled Young out as a player who helped himself after a 12-carry, 49-yard night.

"I had fun this preseason," Young said. "I'm healthy, I felt good, I just had fun."

It is unlikely the Broncos would keep Cecil Sapp, Mike Bell and Young all on the depth chart at running back behind Travis Henry, so Thursday's game could be the final card.

Sapp and Bell lined up at fullback as the Broncos took a look at different combinations than they had showed so far in the preseason.

Future watch

The Broncos defense might have offered fans a glimpse of the future as three of their four 2007 draft picks - end Jarvis Moss (first round), tackle Tim Crowder (second round) and end Marcus Thomas (fourth round) - started on the defensive line.

The group was on the field for the Cardinals' only scoring drive, a 14-play, 79-yard march on the game's opening possession, but going against quarterback Matt Leinart and the rest of Arizona's No. 1 offense was an invaluable experience.

"It was great just to be out there with those guys," Crowder said. "It was a great opportunity for all of us . . . it's going to be scary in a few years how good we can be. If they keep us around, it's going to be real scary."

Etc.

• NFL vice president of officiating Mike Pereira was in attendance.

• Former Broncos defensive end Kenard Lang visited with team officials Wednesday. Lang, who started 16 games for the Broncos last season, was released by the team this past Sunday.

He said he didn't know where he would end up, but he hoped to catch on with another team.

• With so many Broncos regulars held out of the game, rookie quarterback Darrell Hackney, safety Curome Cox and kicker Jason Elam acted as team captains for the coin flip.

He said it

"My overall belief in myself that I can play this game. The year helped; I can see how guys play when their livelihood depends on each play. To get out there and feel that intensity was really important. It's helped me."

Brian Clark, second-year Broncos receiver, on what got him through cut day last year.

Thursday night special

The game marked the fourth time in Mike Shanahan's tenure the Broncos played their preseason finale on Thursday night. They are 3-1 in those games.

Date Result

Aug. 29, 2002 Broncos 31, Seahawks 0

Sept. 2, 2004 Cardinals 33, Broncos 21

Aug. 31, 2006 Broncos 29, Cardinals 23

Aug. 30, 2007 Broncos 21, Cardinals 3

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