ENGLEWOOD, COLO. (AP) -- Denver's defenders weren't the only ones who were pleased when the Broncos hired coach John Fox to replace Josh McDaniels.

Fox is known as much for his commitment to the ground game as he is for his defensive roots, and that has the Broncos' running backs, quarterbacks, offensive linemen, tight ends and even wide receivers smiling.

That emphasis on a power running approach has been missing in Denver since Mike Shanahan's famed zone-blocking scheme and agile linemen regularly churned out 1,000-yard rushers.

Quarterback Kyle Orton and his offensive lineman are embracing Fox's run-heavy philosophy, saying it will make the passing game more proficient, keep teams from blitzing so often, augment the play-action and provide more productivity in the red zone.

(Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)