Ronnie Hillman Deserves to Stay as Broncos Feature Back When Montee Ball Returns

The Denver Broncos will have a running back controversy of sorts when Montee Ball returns to the lineup from a groin injury.

That isn't such a bad issue to have, because Ronnie Hillman has been thriving in the starting role, supplying the complementary running game Denver was hoping it would get from Ball before the 2014 season began.

Peyton Manning and the Broncos' passing game is among the NFL's best, which comes as no surprise. To become a true juggernaut, though, a balanced offense will be necessary as the year wears on.

Lackluster production and the injury have slowed Ball down, and it looked as though the decision to let Knowshon Moreno go to Miami in the offseason might backfire. However, Hillman has stepped up over the past three weeks to make a strong case that he should remain as the feature back even when Ball returns.

Despite being listed as a rather modest 5'10" and 195 pounds, Hillman doesn't run like a scatback, as ESPN's Adam Caplan observed:

Against an albeit depleted San Francisco 49ers defense in Week 7, when Manning broke the all-time touchdown passing record, an explosive 37-yard TD run showed Hillman could have staying power.

Hillman preceded that with a 100-yard performance on the ground against the New York Jets' talented front seven. His first significant action came against the Arizona Cardinals' top-ranked rush defense, and he amassed a respectable 64 yards on 15 carries as Manning tore up the opposition through the air.

Check out this statistic from Cecil Lammey of FootballGuys.com, which compares how Hillman and Ball have fared this season:

The combination of Hillman's hungry running style, decisiveness and his sensational speed are helping him get to the second level more quickly than Ball can. That type of acceleration and attitude should allow Hillman to stay in the game for goal-to-go situations.

Thursday's home matchup against AFC West adversary San Diego offers plenty of incentive for Hillman to keep his strong form going. The Chargers defeated Denver late in the 2013 regular season, and Hillman is eager for vengeance.

"I don't like to lose. I don't think anybody on this team likes to lose," said Hillman, per The Colorado Springs Gazette. "We don't want to take these guys lightly. They're a tough team and we're going to come in and try to keep our foot on the pedal."

He could be back as soon as Week 9, but Ball has officially been ruled out for Thursday's contest, per The Rich Eisen Show's Chris Law:

Brad Evans of Yahoo Sports believes Hillman is in position to do just that—keep his foot on the pedal— beyond Week 8:

Hillman is establishing himself as a receiver, too, with seven receptions in the past two games. This eliminates the need for Ball even more.

The Broncos did draft Hillman in the third round of the 2012 draft before selecting Ball in Round 2 last year.

But Hillman is actually younger than Ball and has far less wear and tear. Ball carried the ball 924 times in college at Wisconsin, while Hillman had a mere 573 rushing attempts against inferior competition for San Diego State. Both are still so young, yet Hillman figures to be fresher and healthier. Denver would be wise to ride his hot hand until it flames out.

By letting Ball back into the starting spot, the ground game could lose its rhythm, and Hillman may lose the momentum he's built. The Broncos shouldn't fix anything that isn't broken.

Since Hillman has entered the backfield more prominently, Denver has been rolling. It should continue to do so—as long as Hillman is there to stay.