ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - Ronnie Hillman, the Denver Broncos speedy running back whose career has been scarred by fumbles, foibles and foul-ups, is set to make his first NFL start Sunday.With Montee Ball (groin) sidelined, Hillman has taken snaps with the starters all week as the Broncos (3-1) prepare to visit the New York Jets (1-4).It should be fun. Its a great environment, Hillman said of MetLife Stadium, site of the Super Bowl, where Hillman was inactive for the biggest game of his career.The third-year pro has waited a long time for the opportunity.Any competitive person, their patience is going to be tested when theyre not playing as much as they want to, Hillman said. So, I think that was definitely tested, and me being patient is paying off, just being ready when Im called on.After the Broncos spent a third-round pick on the San Diego State speedster in 2012, a hamstring injury in training camp slowed Hillman, who ran for 330 yards as a rookie. He fell below 180 pounds by the time the playoffs rolled around and he was unable to keep the chains and clock moving in the Broncos infamous fizzle against the Baltimore Ravens.Hillman was elevated to starting status that next summer after he bulked up to close to 200 pounds and Willis McGahee was released. But he had two fumbles that were returned for TDs in the preseason and slipped so far down the depth chart that by midseason he was usually a game-day inactive.He was a healthy scratch for the Super Bowl.Determined to bounce back from losing his grip on both the football and his starting job, Hillman again turned some heads at training camp this summer a€” only to again land in the coaches doghouse by the start of the season.He was inactive for the opener and didnt play in Week 2.Before Sunday, his production this year read like this: two carries for 1 yard.Then, Ball got hurt early in the second half against Arizona and Hillman came in and gave the Broncos grounded ground game a much-needed spark, running for 64 yards on 15 carries in Denvers 41-20 win.This weekend hell face a Jets team thats one of the leagues best against the run.Of course, with Peyton Manning at quarterback, the top priority for a running back in Denver isnt so much picking up the first down as it is picking up the blitz.I think Ronnie doesnt get enough credit for the fact that hell go up there and meet a guy and he doesnt get rocked back, offensive co-ordinator Adam Gase said. I mean, for his size, a lot of guys think theyre just going to run over him but hes got, for whatever reason, hes got that power to be able to sustain his blocks.And the other two guys (C.J. Anderson and Juwan Thompson) are thicker guys to begin with and they do a good job of staying stout, but they have made so many strides, Gase said. And right now I feel good about where were at on protection and those guys being able to step up and block linebackers.Manning said Hillmans heavier load Sunday wont be just physical.When youre the starting back and youre running out there in pregame warm-ups as a starting back, theres a different hat that you wear, Manning said. So, were counting on him in the run game, pass game and pass protection. There is no question he has a burst that is pretty unique when he gets the ball in his hands and its our job to give him the space.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL___Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton Drew Doughty Kings Jersey . -- The guys in green raced off the court and into the locker room where they danced and sang, compared whose shot was most likely to end up featured on "One Shining Moment," and checked Twitter to see who was giving them a shoutout. Dave Taylor Kings Jersey . 1 overall pick in the draft by the Houston Texans, is recovering from sports hernia surgery. http://www.kingsauthentic.com/authentic-adrian-kempe-kings-jersey/ . 1 goaltender tonight when they conclude a four-game road trip versus the Winnipeg Jets. Butch Goring Kings Jersey . Go to turbozone.ca to see more of his epic work and you can follow him on twitter (@Turbo_Zone). Gaurav Shastri - A tribute to the amazing fan base who stand outside during games at "Jurassic Park" and an unbelievable shot of Paul Pierce fearing a Raptor. Dave Taylor Jersey .J. -- While Martin Brodeur wasnt willing to say he stole one for the New Jersey Devils against the Columbus Blue Jackets, almost everyone else was.MINNEAPOLIS -- The Detroit Tigers had Kevin Correia on the ropes in the second inning but missed their first chance to knock him out. They didnt miss their second. Torii Hunter had two hits and two RBIs in the Tigers seven-run third inning that propelled them to a 10-6 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night. "We just got pitches that we could drive," said Hunter, who doubled twice among his three hits. "He left some balls up where we could capitalize on them. This guy pitches really well against us. We dont score many runs off him. But tonight we felt good at the plate and I think we were a little patient today and got some pitches we could handle." Nick Castellanos had a home run and three RBIs to back Rick Porcello (3-1), who gave up four runs and six hits with four strikeouts in five-plus innings for the Tigers. Rajai Davis added three hits to raise his average to .354. Correia (0-3) gave up eight runs -- seven earned -- and eight hits in 2 1-3 innings for Minnesota. It was his shortest outing since going just two innings last Aug. 5 against the Royals. Chris Colabello drove in his 27th run for the Twins, setting a franchise record for RBIs in April. Jason Kubel had two doubles among his three hits for the Twins. Brian Dozier hit his seventh homer of the season and Kurt Suzuki drove in two runs, giving him 19 RBIs on the year, which leads all catchers. Correia served up a two-run homer to Castellanos in the second -- and probably only got through that inning thanks to a poor decision by third base coach Dave Clark to send slow-footed Alex Avila from first base on a double by Andrew Romine. Avila was thrown out at home and Ian Kinsler grounded out to short-circuit the rally. "I was missing from the get-go," Correia said. "Balls were just kind of running back over the middle. I got away with it for an inning or so and then it caught up to me." But the Tigers had more in store for Correia. Hunter led off the third with a doublee and, after Miguel Cabreras groundout, the next five batters reached base with three hits and two walks, the last one from Romine with the bases loaded to make it 5-1.dddddddddddd. Hunter added a two-run single off Anthony Swarzak later in the inning that pushed the lead to 9-1. "They teach that in baseball: The most important inning is the inning after your team scores," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "We were able to bounce back and score not just a few but seven." There are no statements delivered in April, but the Tigers did throw a little cold water on what has been a surprising start to the season for the Twins. Minnesota has lost at least 96 games in each of the past three years, but rode the second-highest scoring offence in the American League to an 11-10 start that put the Twins right on heavily favoured Detroits heels in the AL Central. "Its something positive you can build off of and thats what were going to do, try to carry it over to the next day," Hunter said. "Usually when you get a loss, as a human being you kind of think about that negative and it can carry over and linger. But since we won and its positive, just try to build off it." After breezing through the first five innings, Porcello didnt get an out in the sixth before being lifted for Justin Miller. Ausmus had to use five more pitchers to finish the game, but that big third inning gave his team plenty of cushion to absorb a four-run sixth by the Twins. NOTES: Twins GM Terry Ryan finished his last round of radiation treatment for cancer, assistant GM Rob Antony said. Ryan is expected to return to Target Field this weekend. ... Avila left the game with a bruised left shin and is day to day. ... Twins OF Oswaldo Arcia was scheduled to fly to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday to start a rehab assignment. Arcia has been on the disabled list since April 5 with a wrist injury. ... RHP Anibal Sanchez (0-2, 3.54 ERA) pitches for Detroit on Saturday against RHP Phil Hughes (1-1, 6.43). ' ' '
