Mr. Everything: Spencer Larsen Steps Up and Makes an Impact

I believe the NFL is all about guys stepping up. That means someone who is not necessarily known or acclaimed at a position stepping up and having a huge game, or a quarterback who is struggling stepping up and snapping out of it.

It could be a fullback stepping up to be a starting tailback (Peyton Hillis), or it could be a guy playing through an injury to help the team win a big game.

When guys step up, their teams have a good chance to win. Players always have the ability to step up, or make themselves better. Spencer Larsen (center of photo), rookie fullback for the Denver Broncos, stepped up on Sunday and his team won.

This rookie fullback had been playing on special teams all season and had been doing his job very competently. Fellow rookie Peyton Hillis was filling his position of starting fullback.

The Denver running unit quickly fell apart and Hillis moved to starting tailback, leaving the fullback position open.

During the first game when this was the case, Denver used a single back formation whenever they were going to run. This week, with ten days to prepare, they turned Spencer Larsen into an able player...on both sides of the ball.

The rookie stepped up into the starting fullback role, but also stepped up into the starting middle linebacker role as well as continuing to play special teams.

He created holes for the trio of running backs, and they were able to rush for 124 yards on 25 plays and seven first downs.

On defense he had six tackles, one assist, and helped the depleted Broncos defense hold Atlanta's 2nd ranked rushing attack to 3.3 yards per carry.

A rookie fullback stepping into the linebacker position, a leader of the defense, and contributing to a huge win for his team defines "stepping up" for me.

This young man gave up his resting time on the sidelines for the good of his team, and those are the kinds of things that coaches and teammates remember.