| Randolph Charlotin. 10th September, 2006 - 2:39 am
 The anticipation will be high the first time the St. Louis offense gets the ball. The self-proclaimed Greatest Show on Turf gets to display their new attitude, going with a balanced attack now that former head coach Mike Martz is gone, replaced by Scott Linehan.
The biggest question mark will be how will they handle third downs. If it's third and four, do they run or air it out? The decision used to be easy. Get the ball in Marshall Faulk's hands.
Those plays are out of the playbook this year. Faulk now takes a seat behind a desk in a studio as an analyst for the NFL Network.
Two other potential Hall of Fame running backs can relate this year. They too will be spectators to the game they put their health on the line for week after week. New York Jets' Curtis Martin and Kansas City's Priest Holmes start the season on the physically unable to perform list, meaning they will miss at least the first six games of the season. Faulk's exile from action will last a full season.
None of the three have announced their retirement, but the odds of any of them making a healthy return seem slim.
Faulk had knee surgery in the off-season, but his knee didn't heal. He will undergo reconstructive surgery, which possibly could end his career.
It's a similar story for Martin. He had off-season knee surgery in hopes of returning to action. His knee, though, has been slow to recover and the Jets placed him on PUP. Whether he will be able to return is anybody's guess. Rumors persist that Martin virtually has no cartilage in his bad knee.
As for Holmes, the decision to play is out of his hands. He's waiting for medical clearance to practice or play. But he may never get it. Injured when he absorbed a blow that caused trauma to his head and neck, doctors may advise Holmes to never play again because the next injury to the area could be very serious.
While injuries are unpredictable, St. Louis and Kansas City planned for the future.
Stephen Jackson was named the Rams starter last year with Faulk playing a supporting role. The Chiefs were already giving carries to Larry Johnson after barely using him the past two years. Once Holmes went down, Johnson had nine-game stretch of historic porportions. He finished the season with 1,750 rushing yards.
The Jets were left scrambling. It is rumored that Martin suggested to the organization to draft a running back early in the 2006 NFL Draft. Instead, New York waitied until the fourth round to select Leon Washington, a 5-8 200-pounder that projects as nothing more than a third down back. Plan B was a trade with Cleveland for Lee Suggs. But Suggs failed the Jets physical, revoking the trade. Finally they acquired former 1,000-yard rusher Kevan Barlow from San Francisco.
If Faulk, Martin, or Holmes never play another down again, they will be missed. Gone will be the spectacular moves by Marshall as he makes defenders look silly two or three at a time. The quick cuts by Curtis as he slashes through holes for chunks of yardage will be absent. As will the patience of Priest as he waits for an opening on the patented Kansas City stretch run play.
If we never see any of them play again, they all made their mark in the league. The game will go on without them, but it won't be the same without them. |
