Denver Broncos tailback Moreno learning on the job

Denver » Had Knowshon Moreno been selected with the No. 12 pick in the third round, instead of No. 12 overall, he likely would be considered a rookie surprise.

At 210 pounds, he runs between the tackles with the robustness of a back 15 to 20 pounds heavier. He blocks courageously against the blitz. He can catch the ball even when a 255-pound Dallas Cowboys linebacker darts in front.

Moreno is a solid, versatile running back who celebrates a teammate's touchdown with such unbridled enthusiasm, it's obvious his greatest joy comes from team victory.

But Moreno was the 12th player taken in the 2009 draft and, as such, more is expected from a back who, entering the Broncos' game Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers, has yet to break off a 20-yard run and has more fumbles (three) than quarterback Kyle Orton has interceptions (one).

If it helps, no one is less satisfied with Moreno's performance than the kid himself.

"No, I'm not pleased at all," he said. "I need a lot of improvement. I don't want to use the excuse that I'm a rookie. I feel like I should be doing more. I'm just going to keep trying to learn from meetings and keep working hard and keep running."

Evaluate the careers of all the great NFL running backs, and rarely does one follow another. For every Chris Johnson or Adrian Peterson, who were among the league's top five backs in each of their first two seasons, there

is a Cedric Benson or a Thomas Jones, who never rushed for more than 750 yards in any of their first four seasons.

LaDainian Tomlinson lost four fumbles as a rookie -- only three in his eight seasons since. The top two running backs drafted in 2008, Oakland's Darren McFadden (No. 4 overall) and Carolina's Jonathan Stewart (No. 13), rushed for 499 and 836 yards, respectively, in their rookie seasons.

Moreno is on pace for 960 yards.

"He's done a nice job, but as a young player, a rookie in a new system, you're going to make some mistakes," Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy said. "He makes a lot more good plays than he does bad plays, but he has made some mistakes in the past that he knows about, and we're trying to correct those as quickly as we can so they don't happen again."

What often happens to rookie tailbacks, especially conscientious types such as Moreno, is they can allocate too much concentration on their assignments and coaches' instruction.

Backs need instincts, not thoughts. There can be greater freedom to move when the mind doesn't get in the way. This is why some running backs don't take off until after their rookie seasons.

Yet, lessons must be learned. Moreno's first two fumbles were on him, as there is an adjustment to the violence that comes with an NFL tackle. His fumble Sunday at Baltimore, though, was more to the credit of the ferocious hit Ravens safety Ed Reed laid on Moreno a split second after the running back caught a lob screen pass from Orton.

"I wish we would have blocked the missile that hit him," said Broncos coach Josh McDaniels, before adding: "He has got to hang onto the ball, and he would be the first one to say that."

Said Moreno, who like so many Broncos players, is judicious with his words when talking to the press: "It was kind of a slow-developing play, but (Reed) made a good play. It worked in their favor."

What the Broncos have yet to get from Moreno is the home run -- the big play, which NFL statisticians officially define for running backs as 20-yard runs.

Moreno has none in 109 carries. Johnson has 10 runs of at least 20 yards, and 73 other players have at least one, including the Broncos' Correll Buckhalter, who has three.

Moreno does have nine runs of at least 10 yards, but his longest has been for 17.

"I didn't really have too many big runs at Georgia, either," Moreno said. "It's all about those hard yards."