Denver bracing for 49er running back Gore

DENVER - The Denver Broncos don't need to be reminded of the kind of season San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore is having. With 1,542 yards, he leads the NFC in rushing and trails only LaDanian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson in the NFL.

"We are aware of him," defensive tackle Gerard Warren said. "We will be aware of him."

The second-year pro needs 29 yards to set the franchise's single season rushing record, surpassing Garrison Hearst mark of 1,570 set in 1998.

"You don't have to know his stats to know what kind of year he's having," safety Domonique Foxworth said. "You can tell by looking at film."

Gore has a good chance of finishing the season as the conference rushing leader. He takes a 114-yard lead over Tiki Barber (1,428) of the New York Giants into the final weekend of play.

Top running backs aren't something new for the Broncos this season. Denver faced San Diego's Tomlinson, the NFL's rushing leader with 1,749 yards, and Johnson of Kansas City, who has run for 1,651 yards and Seattle's Shaun Alexander on successive weeks.

"We've dealt with a couple of pretty good ones within our division," defensive end Kenard Lang said.

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EARLY IMPRESSIONS@: San Francisco coach Mike Nolan got an early glimpse of Jay Cutler long before Cutler's run of four straight multi-touchdown passing games.

The two were on opposite sidelines of the Senior Bowl. Nolan was coaching the South squad and Cutler was playing for the North.

"We didn't get a chance to coach him," Nolan said. "I remember he did very well in the game."

Cutler said he had little contact and even less of a memory of Nolan at that game.

"He spoke to us briefly in the time leading up to the game," Cutler said.

During this week's preparations, Nolan had some flashbacks to the Senior Bowl game.

"I was looking at the film getting ready for him this time and I saw a lot of the same things," Nolan said. "He has a very strong arm and he's got good awareness."

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NO AL@: Linebacker Al Wilson was a spectator at Wednesday's regular practice. He was dressed in a jersey and sweats, but never left the sideline.

Wilson was sidelined with an injury to his right hand that has lingered over several weeks. Denver listed him as questionable for Sunday's game.

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NOTHING SPECIAL@: There will be no celebrations Sunday if Tatum Bell gains the 23 yards necessary for him to reach 1,000 yards this season. No gifts given to offensive linemen as Terrell Davis did when he reached single-season milestones.

"I ain't doing anything," said Bell. "I'll act like it happened to me before."

It has, but the two times he did it while at Oklahoma State don't count for the pros.

By gaining 23 yards, he would post the 17th individual 1,000-yard rushing season for the Broncos.

Bell, who began the season second to Mike Bell on the depth chart, has been slowed by injuries to both big toes. The injuries have sent him to the inactive list for games against Pittsburgh, San Diego and Kansas City.

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INJURY UPDATE@: The hamstring injury that has plagued offensive tackle Adam Meadows since Thanksgiving appears to have healed.

The eight-year veteran worked out with the team on Wednesday. He is listed as the starting right tackle on this week's depth chart.

Meadows suffered the hamstring injury in the team's Thanksgiving game at Kansas City. He got the starting job on Nov. 12 at Oakland when George Foster was benched.

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BRONCO BRIEFS@: The Broncos had two of their practice fields cleared of snow, one natural grass and one artificial surface. ... Reserve LB Nate Webster pummeled teammates with snow before and after practice. "Today was payback time," Webster said. ... San Francisco, RB Frank Gore is unimpressed by his 1,542-yard season. "I haven't done anything I didn't expect myself to do." ... With temperatures reaching the high 30s, the entire offensive line group worked out in shorts.