Wednesday's Broncos report

Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News

Published October 18, 2007 at midnight

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More Denver Broncos

Not again

Broncos receiver Javon Walker, currently dealing with a sore right knee that has kept him out of the past two games, has not had his confidence bruised.

Asked Wednesday about the physical nature of the Steelers defense, which is ranked No. 1 in the league, Walker answered:

"Last I remember, I put up 200-some yards on them."

And after explaining how a player always should be confident in what he does, especially one who plays at receiver, he added:

"When I play, I'm not worried about nothing; the guy who's lined up, more than me, has to be scared."

But Walker's status for Sunday night's game still is a question mark because of pain and swelling in the knee that is affecting his stride.

Walker was limited in practice. But he has had an effect on the Steelers defense.

Pittsburgh has not matched cornerback Ike Taylor up on a specific wideout for an entire game since Nov. 5.

On that evening, Walker finished with six catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns - all with Taylor in tow.

The total included two fade routes for scores to go with receptions of 38 and 61 yards. Walker also had a 72-yard touchdown run in the game.

No Bailey

Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey was held out of practice with a left thigh injury.

Bailey suffered the injury in the second quarter of the Broncos' 41-3 loss to the Chargers before the bye week and the time off wasn't enough to get him back on the field just yet.

"(He) got some treatment, got a little workout in the weight room," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. "We'll know more (today). . . . We'll see; he's hoping it comes around. You're never sure or not."

Bailey also was held out of practice Monday. Bailey said Wednesday he felt "OK."

The veteran has missed only two games in his career - both in 2005 with the Broncos when he missed games with a left hamstring injury that had bothered him during training camp that year as well.

He has also played with a harness on his left shoulder since he dislocated it against the Miami Dolphins in the 2005 opener.

Bailey said earlier this week he still believed he could play against the Steelers. Domonique Foxworth likely would start in Bailey's left cornerback spot if the seven-time Pro Bowl selection could not play.

Decision time

Shanahan said receiver Rod Smith is expected to try to practice with the team next week or during the week after the Broncos' Monday Night Football appearance against the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 29.

Smith is on the Broncos' physically unable to perform list because of offseason left hip surgery.

By league rules, teams have a three-week window that began this week to have players on PUP practice to gauge their recovery form their injuries.

At the end of the third week, they can add the player to their 53-man roster by making a spot for him or they have to move the player to injured reserve, which would rule Smith out for the remainder of the season.

"I think he's coming along," Shanahan said.

Injury report

• Beyond Bailey and Walker, safety Hamza Abdullah (left hip), who has missed the past three games, returned to practice and is expected to be available to play against the Steelers. Tight end Stephen Alexander (calf) was listed as having limited participation.

• For the Steelers, Pro Bowl nose tackle Casey Hampton did not practice and was characterized by coach Mike Tomlin as questionable with a hamstring injury. Cornerback Bryant McFadden (ankle), who plays in the team's nickel package was listed as limited in practice and is not expected to play unless he improves significantly. Safety Troy Polamalu (abdomen) and receiver Hines Ward (knee), who did not play in the Steelers' last game, are expected to play against the Broncos, but they were practicing wearing a flak jacket and a knee brace.

Beck joins team

Newly signed Broncos linebacker Jordan Beck practiced with the team for the first time.

He spent Tuesday - the players' usual off day - at the Broncos complex meeting with linebackers coach Joe Baker trying to get caught up on the defensive playbook.

Beck, a 2005 third-round pick by the Falcons, had workouts with at least seven other teams before the Broncos signed him. One of the most athletic players at his position in the 2005 draft, Beck had 41-inch vertical jump at 233 pounds at the scouting combine that year and then ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash in his campus workout.

"I'm excited to be here," Beck said.

Young man's game

First-year Steelers coach Tomlin is, at 35, young enough to have coached one of his former college teammates at William and Mary - safety Darren Sharper - during his time as Vikings defensive coordinator in 2006.

He's young enough that the Broncos have three players under contract - kicker Jason Elam, Smith and center Tom Nalen - who are older than Tomlin.

But Tomlin, who will make his first trip to Denver this weekend in the job, said he didn't think he needed to do anything special to get his players' attention.

"No grand productions, things along those lines; that stuff isn't long lasting anyway," Tomlin said.

"I just wanted to make sure the guys understood the climate we're trying to create here, what we're going to be about and how we were going to go about doing it."

Tomlin was hired roughly two months before his 35th birthday in March, which made him the same age as Hall of Famer Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher when they were hired as the team's coach.

He said it

"There's a fine line in this league between success and failure. We've all got to find ways to walk it."

Tomlin, on why the Broncos run defense has struggled this season.

Numbers game

3 is the number of coaches the Steelers have had since the start of the 1969 season.

7 is the number of coaches the Broncos have had during the same span, with two of those - Dan Reeves and Shanahan - having served at least 12 years on the job.

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