DENVER -- Ronnie Hillman is not ready to help the Denver Broncos.
He is not ready to pick up NFL blitzing and the third-round tailback is among Denver’s inactives. The Broncos believe Hillman will be an exciting third-down player, but he still has work to do. Since Denver’s tight ends are such a big part of the passing game, Hillman’s activity isn’t important for now.
But Denver wants Hillman to get on the field soon.
There are no other surprises on Denver’s inactive list. They are center Philip Blake, receiver Andre Caldwell, defensive end Malik Jackson, linebacker Steven Johnson, guard Chris Kuper and defensive tackle Sealver Siliga.
As expected, Peyton Manning will not have to deal with Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison. Chris Carter is starting for Harrison, who is inactive with a knee injury. Running back Rashard Mendenhall is also out. The Steelers’ other inactive players are quarterback Charlie Batch, safety Ryan Clark, linebacker Stevenson Sylvester, guard Kelvin Beachum and nose tackle Alameda Ta’amu.