Another Sunday, another battered running back.

At least this time, he was smiling.

Hillis injured the shoulder early in Denver's 24-20 victory when he collided with Atlanta linebacker Curtis Lofton, but Hillis continued plowing through the Falcons' defense for 44 yards on 10 carries - and Denver's first two touchdowns.

"When I hit No. 50, that hurt a little bit," Hillis said. "But that's what Football's all about."

Hillis' shoulder was X-rayed after the game, as were the ribs of backup P.J. Pope, continuing the trend of Denver's backs being unable to finish games.

Injuries to Selvin Young, Michael Pittman, Andre Hall and finally Ryan Torain left Denver in this situation in the first place - with Hillis leading the trio of tailbacks against the Falcons.

Hillis, a rookie seventh-

round draft pick who had started two previous games at fullback, made his first start as the team's primary ball-carrier. He was spelled by Tatum Bell, the former Denver starter who was selling mobile phones just a week ago before re-signing with the team Tuesday, and Pope, who started the season on the practice squad and was signed to the active roster Nov. 4.

"That was our game plan going in, trying to keep them fresh," coach Mike Shanahan said. "For a few of them, not playing in a while, we didn't want to overwork them."

Individually, none finished the game with stellar numbers - 44 for Hillis, 35 for Pope and 34 for Bell. But combined, they rushed for 113 yards on 21 carries and effectively returned balance to a Denver offense that has grown increasingly pass-heavy.

"We need that balance. We probably need it a little bit more, to tell you the truth, but we'll get that," Hillis said.

Quarterback Jay Cutler credited the running backs with providing a lift to the offense, enabling the possibility of big passing plays, such as his 47-yard pass to Brandon Marshall that extended the Broncos' game-winning drive in the fourth quarter.

"It took a lot of pressure off us in the pass game," Cutler said. "We got things going in that last drive with some big runs."

And big catches, too.

On that same fourth-quarter drive, Hillis caught a short pass from Cutler and tiptoed along the sideline to scoot past the first-down marker and put the ball at the Atlanta 8.

"He's got excellent hands. He might have the best hands on our Football team," Shana-

han said of Hillis. "We caught the coverage we were hoping to catch, and he did a great job of coming off it."

Pope, who played in one game for Green Bay in 2006, ran for 15 yards on his first professional carry early in the third quarter. He later had another 15-yard carry.

"I think I got the coaches trusting me a little more," Pope said. "That was the biggest thing, inexperience or whatever."

Bell received the bulk of his carries in the fourth quarter, including a three-play stretch when he ran for 9, 7 and 3 yards.

"It beats selling phones," Bell said. "I'm back doing what I want to do. I'm just happy they put me in there and I had a chance to close it out."

How Hillis and Pope recover from their injuries - and if Young's groin injury improves as well - will determine who will be in the backfield next Sunday against Oakland. But the Broncos were happy to have found at least a temporary solution.

"It's amazing to come on the road, with the injuries that we had, and win the game," Hillis said. "That's what it's all about."

Lindsay H. Jones: 303-954-1262 or ljones@denverpost.com ----------- Job sharing

Denver started the season with a trio of tailbacks - Selvin Young, Andre Hall and Michael Pittman. But it was an entirely different threesome that combined for 113 yards in Sunday's 24-20 win against Atlanta:

Peyton Hillis

Last week: Starter at fullback

Sunday: 10 carries, 44 yards, 2 TDs

Tatum Bell

Last week: Out of Football, working at Aurora Mall

Sunday: 7 carries, 34 yards

P.J. Pope

Last week: Inactive in first game on 53-man roster

Sunday: 4 carries, 35 yards

Lindsay H. Jones, The Denver Post