Good article. This is the kind of stuff that's good to read in the offseason for those of us who want to hear ANYTHING about football. It sure beats reading about NBA draft picks (yaaaaaaaaaaawn).

Having other interests is not the problem. Running like you look like you'd rather be doing them while carrying the football IS the problem.

And collecting $7 million while giving a ho-hum effort? Ditto.

Let's see how hard you can run on a broken foot, a torn up knee, or how hard of a hit you want to take with a completely busted hand firejim. I am awaiting a youtube video of your exploits.

shut up shark hawk....

Someone will nab him once once of their backs tears his ACL in camp or something.

Are you really implying Shaun Amexander is tough? Just reread your post, yup, that's what you are saying. Of all the stupid things that are posted here, that takes the cake. You've seen him play right? Maybe not. He sat out with those "injuries" while they "heeled". He has always run like his feet hurt unless there he feels he can score. Granted, it has gotten much worse the last two seasons. But I believe that has everything to do with his pockets chock full of money rather than a "torn up knee".

sa is a bit of a puss! its that simple

Shut up GhostTracker.

Dover5005 couldn't carry Shaun's jock. A puss? That is you sir.

Screw off Ghost Tackler.

Easy, children.

I never really got/get the displaced anger set upon SA.

100 TD's. I thank you.

Darrin
Thanks for keeping the light on.

Look let's stop the hate. For years this guy did stuff no seahawk back has done for us or player ie. MVP, Super Bowl Appearance. He has I feel may have lost the love of the game, so yeah don't collect $7mil/yr., but let's agree on this. He got us wins and wins has brought us this success over the years. Thanks Shaun for everything you've done.

Sometimes I think the Seahawks would have won the Super Bowl had Holmgren given Alexander more than a meager 20 carries at a 4.75 yard average. Instead of riding the run game, Holmgren decided to ride Hasselbeck who threw the big 4th quarter INT and that's it for another 30 years of waiting for a SB.

really? bringing up the Bowl? The Seahawks were not allowed to win that game. No if's, and's or but's! Alexander could've had 35 carries and a 5 yard average and they still would've lost.

I do feel that the trash talking on SA has gotten a bit out of hand, but after watching the last few years of him running to the line and then crumpling to the ground just shows the desire and toughness and passion for the game is gone. He was a great player! I'll always remember watching games and cheering, "atta boy Shaun A!!!" But his time is done. I'll be one of the first to cheer when the #37 is part of the Ring.

"Owens wonders why being a good guy, a man of faith, is a bad thing."

Nothing wrong with being a good guy, but being a man who believes an invisible supernatural being in the sky is responsible for his talent (that he once had) is just ridiculous. A quote from the late great George Carlin "It's all bullshi*, it's bad for ya" religion, that is.

BTW, I got my name from being a "doubter". For doubting any god, and for doubting the Seahawks would win the Superbowl. I told family and friends at that time that I just don't see them winning against a team with a name who already has SB wins. Adding that Bettis was playing in his home town, and Roethlisberger guaranteeing a win for Bettis before he retired didn't help either. Turned out I was right with my doubt.

Go Seahawks.....maybe this is the year?

good article, i get it now. the reason i could never stand soft salamander is because i dont love god. ive heard a lot of defense of sa, but this is a new one.
he was a product of the best o-line in the nfl. match a rb who has heart with that o-line and we have 2 rings right now. i love football for the battle of an inch by men who will lay it all out. sa was always a sour note in my love of the hawks. thanks for the highlights and all when you felt like it, but... buh-bye.

that gm comment is classic "dont like him, don't trust him" "would have said the same thing 3-4 years ago"

Shaun will be fine whether he plays or not. I think that ticks a lot of people off that would give their left teste if they could just put a uniform on and stand on the sidelines for a game.

He will be picked up this year and I don't doubt that many teams are hedging their bets (probably the teams he torched the most of the years) just like we do when we have people into camp for evaluations. If he doesn't get the offer he wants, he'll ride off into the sunset without a broken neck, or decrepit body. Good on him.

Say what you want about his line being the key to all his success but it takes both of them. No other RB got to the numbers he did in 5 years in NFL history regardless of the lines they were behind. So give him his credit, quit whining about him and move on.

I see the comments that everybody has for SA when he's surrounded by defenders and he goes down to save from being hit but I don't see anybody talking about all of our receivers doing the same thing...

All of them catch the ball and get down to save from being decapitated.
Do you think the hawk coaches preach that? Do you know how long most careers last if you don't save yourself from some of the punishment?

I'm so sick of people thinking he was the MVP in '05 --- look at Walt in his prime, look at Hutch (the best run blocking guard of our era, minus Larry Allen in his prime), look at Robbie making the Pro Bowl, look at Gray having one last solid season before becoming terrible, look at Lock becoming a solid RT, look at the dominant blocking of Hannam on the edge, look at JJ being one of the best run blocking WRs that I've ever seen, look at Mack being the dominant blocking FB that he was... everything (including being in a contract year) was in line for SA to do well in '05.

Put SA on the Raiders or Lions in '05 and there's a chance he wouldn't even gain 1,000 yards. If there was any justice in the world, the MVP should be cut in two and awarded to Walt and Hutch. Last I looked, unless you're a guy like Walter Payton or Barry Sanders, if your blockers suck, you're going to suck. If you still do well, just think how much better you would be if you had better blockers.

Case in point - there was a year where there was a stat that Emmitt Smith once gained over 1,000 yards in a single season BEFORE initial contact. And some think he was the best ever. I wonder how he would have done if drafted by a team like the Bengals?

I like Shaun (didn't always like the way he ran or fell down) and I really do wish him the best. He was just never truly as good as he thought he was (or the National Media thought he was).

He seems like a good guy and you can't get mad at someone for their Faith, but then you get the "back stabbing" comments and then that makes you wonder.

"I'm so sick of people thinking he was the MVP in '05 "

This is just silly. He was the MVP in 05. Not that difficult to look up.

Jesus Christ! The record book shows he was MVP in '05. I know that. I'm talking about common sense and knowing who should really be given credit for what he accomplished in '05.

In a way those guys were given credit because they guy they did the work for was awarded the MVP, but, still... knock off seahawksblue as a website I sometimes look at... you get assholes like this who take one thing you say and turn it into something more and that's why reading this crap isn't as fun as it used to be...

Bobby, the point is it's silly to say that any MVP ever was the MVP solely by himself. He got the yards, the TDs, the overall stats. Without the line, he probably wouldn't have, but it's questionable whether any other runningbacks would have. But on every great team, the QBs or RBs get the credit. It's just the way it is. Shaun was a great runningback, had a great year, and helped the team get to the superbowl. Leave it alone and stop saying that he didn't deserve the credit he got.

BobbyK has convinced me... they should never consider the guy with the best stats the MVP. They should always go back away and see who made it possible. Perhaps they should have given it to Shaun's grandmother, because without her, he never would have been born.

No wait.... then they'd have to find his great-grandmother. Hmmm, there are still people farther on down the line. Maybe every year they should just give the MVP to Adam and Eve. That would solve the problems I guess.

And yes Bobby, it was a joke.

The lame tact of the alexander haters to say he was only as good as his line is ridiculous. I REPEAT, No back will gain a yard without a line blocking for him, no one! And I want to see some examples of Alexander running soft, please. It is the perception out there that he is soft but there is no video to back it up. I have most of the games recorded and i want to see some specific examples of alexander running soft. this is a challenge to alexander haters everywhere. Watch the tapes, pay close attention, and you will see that alexander is a lot better funner over the last few years then most of you give him credit for.

And the fire to play football? come on. Players don't find the endzone as much as SA without desire. He chose to play at Alabama because he wanted to go to a school where football was king. and he tore up the SEC. Barry sanders never cursed or showboated and wasn't afraid to run out of bounds and he is widely considered the best of all time. And football obviously wasn't his passion.

Watch the playoff game against the bears in 2007 where alexander looks like he is the only guy trying in a game where he was the most successful rusher against the vaunted bears defense that season.

I don't think of Alexander as soft so much as his style was often to wait for holes and cutback opptys, rather than crash into the line and find the small creases some backs are better at finding. To me, the problem was that as he lost that one step, his whole running style didn't work anymore. He was never a bruiser, and he was never a speed around the end kind of guy, but he needed every bit of speed and acceleration to make his style work.

And I will say this, over the last two years he did go down pretty easy on first contact. No doubt in my mind that injuries played a major part in that, but it is what it is, and he was a significant part (not the entire reason) why our running game has been so poor the past two years.

I'm very glad the Hawks moved on from SA, that needed to happen, but I wish the guy well and hope he catches on somewhere if that's still what he wants.

Well said williambryan.

Shaun did look for a place to lie down WAAY too much last season.

But that doesnt take away from the six years of awesomeness he gave us. Did everyone forget how hard he ran down the stretch in 06, coming back early from injury? 200 yards and the most carries in a game by a Hawk EVER, followed by an incredible game against San Diego, and the wasted effort against a TOUGH bears defense!

Walter Payton he wasnt, but I wish people would stop talking as if he was Jeff George.

I still want to see him run for a good team. Im even curious to see him in another uniform. I wish him well, I hope he goes to the AFC though!

Shaun Alexander tried to singlehandely pull off the greatest upset in NFC playoff history against the Bears in 2006. Up to that point, no number 1 NFC seed had ever lost the first playoff game (current playoff format). That year, the Bears crushed the entire NFC, including the Seahawks 37-6 without Alexander and the Saints in the NFC Championship game. But there the Seahawks were in OT, despite a miserable 2nd half performance from their QB.

Hasselbeck did everything he could to throw the game away in the 4th quarter and when it came time to make the big play and find the open Bobby Engram for the win he could not. How shocking.

Just like Hass found the open DJ Hackett for the win against Washington?

Just sayin......

Shaun was great, then he sucked, now he's gone.. The End..

BobbyK has convinced me... they should never consider the guy with the best stats the MVP. They should always go back away and see who made it possible. Perhaps they should have given it to Shaun's grandmother, because without her, he never would have been born.

No wait.... then they'd have to find his great-grandmother. Hmmm, there are still people farther on down the line. Maybe every year they should just give the MVP to Adam and Eve. That would solve the problems I guess. -- SharkHawk

Classic.. That was pretty funny, but you're still wrong about Jim Riggleman being an above-average manager..

i am so excited that this argument is almost behind us.

Syndro... I said average/above average WHEN he has good players. Please revisit the post. Some guys suck so bad that they can't even handle managing a team full of good players. Riggleman is not one of those. He is not a great manager, or even a good manager (those who get the best out of even substandard talents). He is an average manager when he has a good team. That's exactly what I said, and I stand by it.

Go back and read my response to it.. You never replied.. With most things I agree with you, but in this case you are WRONG, WRONG, WRONG..

Here is the original story by Clark Judge on CBS, upon which the story linked in this posting was based.

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10869084

"Shaun did look for a place to lie down WAAY too much last season."

What do you mean LAST season. He's done that his entire career. I wonder how much Alexander paid that guy to write that article (yes SA worshippers, that's sarcasm)? The anonymous NFL general manager was right, and I agree with him completely. In fact I've been saying the same thing for years. Alexander is a puss, a phony and a hypocrite. What's wrong with being a person of faith? Nothing, but walk the walk. Alexander showed his true nature during and after the last game of the 2004 season, the Atlanta game here. He pouted about not getting his precious rushing title that year, ending up a yard behind Curtis Martin. He didn't even make a move on Hasselbeck's QB sneak that won the game (well, the conversion supplied the winning points for you literally minded nit pickers). Alexander sat on the sidelines pouting while his buddy Heath Evans, who was a 3rd round draft pick that apparently had no other job than to be SA's official stat tracker, tallied up his stats that showed he wouldn't beat out Martin. All the other guys on the sideline were whooping and cheering, because this victory meant a division title and thus a home game for the Wild Card round of the playoffs, but not Shaun, he didn't attain his personal goal, which is what is most important to him, so he pouted. Then he slammed the coach with his "Coach didn't take care of me, coach stabbed me in the back, I should have gotten that last carry", whine, bitch, moan. He said it to a reporter in the lockerroom, a guy from the P-I, who gave him a chance to retract, and good ol' Shaun the Christian saint said no, and "tell coach I mean that in the nicest way". Shaun knows sarcasm. Then he said it the Channel 13 guys on TV, who critcised him for it. When it appeared in the appears and on TV (you bandwagoners who became "fans" in 2005, which is most of the people here, I'm sure don't remember or don't want to remember, but look THAT up), and there was a big backlash, Alexander hastily calls a press conference and shows up with that stupid smile he thinks makes up for everything and a Seahawks division champions hat, and proclaims what a team player he is and how he was misquoted (NOT!) and how he really just meant the OL was disappointed for not blocking for a league rushing champion. Yeah, that's the ticket. This hypocrite still doesn't know what the fuss was about or thinks he did anything wrong. He's not only a hypocrite, Alexander is a liar. He's always been, and always will be, all about Shaun. The team was a distant second when it came to football. He loves adoration, but lashed out at fans for being booed. Darrell Jackson is one ex-Seahawk who gets a lot of undeserved hate (next to Hutchinson and Brown), but at least he had grace. When fans mockingly cheered him for a catching a pass after several drops, he took it in stride and bowed to the fans. Not Shaun. He showed his true colors at the end of the 2004 season, and has been doing damage control ever since. As far as backs running well without great blocking, I remember a guy named Sanders, who played in Detroit, having great seasons on lousy teams. But he was probably before your time. And for a guy who walked that religious walk, I'd point to Earl Campbell, but he was before your time too.

As a marxist I'm fully aware that religion truly IS the opiate of the masses, and I've been taken in by it in my life before finally awakening. That said I wouldn't begrudge anyone their right to believe or practice any religion so long as it hurts no one. But I do remember Christian tenets about the love of money being the root of all evil (not love of big guaranteed signing bonuses being OK), commands to be humble and the meek being blessed (not writing childrens books touting yourself as The Great or proclaiming yourself the greatest back in franchise history if not league history), and putting the needs of others first (not pouting about not attaining personal accolades). Don't recall riding around in a Lexus and owning million dollar mansions being a New Testament virtue (right Hass?). It's always amusing to see these guys on one knee in a prayer circle after a game, after 3 hours of trying to put someone on the other team, usually a star player, in a hospital if not end their career. Are they asking forgiveness until next Sunday?

"The anonymous NFL general manager was right, and I agree with him completely."

Yep, you can usually trust those anonymous sources....

If you want to jusge SA based on his past two years, then feel free, but you're wrong to do so. I watched him his entire pro career, and if you actually watched him in those first years, or at least 2001 on, I think you'd have tp be pretty delusional to say he wasn't a good, or even great, back. 266 yards in 35 carries against Oakland in 01, and leading the league in rushing TDs. Five TD's against the Vikings - IN THE FIRST HALF!!

Let me just throw out some numbers here: 309, 295, 326, 353, 370...Those are his rushing attempts as a starter per year through 2005. That's an AVERAGE of over 330 carries per year for 5 years. Is that what a guy who doesn't try hard gets? How many other backs can you name with that sort of average? Earl Campbell was mentioned in the article - his top 5 year average was 316 carries per year. And SA has a slightly higher average per carrie over his peak 5 years than Campbell.

Say what you want about SA in the past 2 years. But it's pretty absurd to say he was never a good back.

I and along of other shaun hater and I cant speak for him feel that this guy was a dime a dozen for RB and was over pay, doesnt run tough and isnt team player. Team Players dont throw their HC or teamate under the bus like he did.

THought me personality Shaun was the biggest problem of Hutch leaving and it came down between him and Hutch. You know we could have better team without alexander if we kept hutch just look at Minnesota and their OL now.

still no examples of him running soft...

noghthawk2--I thought some of your rants were a little outthere. now i know why. its your business to consider yourself a marxist, but since you brought it up...

you sound like a bitter religion-hater. While I myself loathe organized religion, I dont let that blind me religous folks true nature, thier character strenghts as well as thier faults.

Youre painting Alexander with a pretty black brush, and the man doesnt deserve it. You sound like a jilted lover over the whole "stabbed in the back" thing.

Look, Holmy hosed him, and he did it on purpose. That much was obvious. And Holmy did it for prideful, "Im Top Dog and dont you forget it" reasons. So what? Alexander was wrong to react as he did, and obiously regretted it, first because of the heat it brought, then later when he realized how wrong he had been.

Alexander has grown a lot as a teammate and person since then, he has matured. The guy took joy in helping Morris succeed where he himself failed, due to injury and perhaps a lack of desire. His smile dimmed last year for the first time ever in his life, you could see his frustration with the piss-poor blocking all year, and yet he never called out that pussy Sims or the old fogey Gray, or the incompetent and slow-witted Stephens. He just kepty trying.

He did look for a spot to crash when there was nowhere to go, but he was nursing an injury. Maybe he was no earl Campbell or Payton, but he wasnt Jeff George either.

And the six seasons before, there was never a reason to call into question his effort. Other players muttered he was soft--after he torched them for 150 yards and three touchdowns, while giving them few opportunities to take thier frustrations out on his body. What would you expect them to say?! Sounds like Sour Grapes to me.

Tough or not, the guy was a badass talent, and he carried a huge load for six years--8 solid years of work in 5 years for sure. And he set the all-time Hawks carries in a single game record (40) the week he came back from lis franc injury too soon.

In 06, he played very well after his injury layoff. No reason to dis him for that season. He came back and saved our season, and it surely wasnt his fault we lost to da bears. Last season...last season was awful. But one year does not a career define. Nor should it.

I remember Earl Campbell, and Payton, and I sure as hell remember Barry Sanders. And Alexander is in thier class, especially Campbells. Just a different style of running.

Your personal attacks on Shaun really are out of line. While it is true that Christians arent supposed to be so into money, I hardly think his refusal to take a pay cut to stay a Hawk makes him the Devil. Shaun definitely has humbleness issues, but give him time. he has never had challenges before, now he has to face some. WHile his money will cushion the sting, he still is gonna have some character building time to deal with.

And nowhere did Shaun say that he is perfect. The guy and his wacked out religion are irritating, but for chrissake, he isnt the devil.

ANd I would say that Sports is the opiate of the masses today.

What are you doing to make yourself the ultimate Marxist? Are you holding yourself to the standard you are setting for Mr. Alexander the christian?

Dude, there has never been an "ism" that wasnt ultimately bad for all humanity, that didnt end up making massive ammounts of people suffer. Ask chinese immigrants who remember Mao how great it was. Marxism killed more people than Viet Nam and Korea combined--ina single year. Not something I would want my name attached to, but thats me.

Both Shuans religion and your lack of it are wacky.

One can't even use the letters "S" and "A" together without sparking the same old, tired pathetic arguments. The guy is gone. That book is closed. There is no more SA or Shaun Alexander on the Seahawks' roster.

People have to flog the dead horse. I get that. People are too fragile to let go of the things that define them (like berating a former football player from their team).

Sheesh....seek counseling. Get drunk. Do something. Just move on.

SA has always been an avoid contact guy. Why do you think Jim Brown would say that his style prolonged his career.

He has NEVER been a team player. It has been talked about since early 2003 or even 2002

"Look, Holmy hosed him, and he did it on purpose. That much was obvious. And Holmy did it for prideful, "Im Top Dog and dont you forget it" reasons. So what? Alexander was wrong to react as he did, and obiously regretted it, first because of the heat it brought, then later when he realized how wrong he had been."

that is the biggest load of crap!! a Team player would have never made those comments -EVEN IF THEY WERE TRUE!!!! again proving his lack of concerns beyond himself.

He was a very good back and when he had a great team around him he was a great back. but he is not a guy who can do it on his own, unless the end zone is in sight.

WilliamBryan - you want proof - go watch every 3rd(or 4th) and 1 play the last 5 years. in about half of those he is falling down BEFORE he gets hit!

The guy was a great asset to our team but not a great team player or a good player with out the great team.

WilliamBryan,

You won't get any examples, I've asked before and they don't have them. They can't provide any because when the look at their copies of the games, they realize he didn't just fall down.

Also, you can't say that Hutch made SA since SA put up the big numbers against the Raiders before Hutch came to the Hawks. Big Walt was destroying people in 05 but has not done so since. Toebeck is gone and Gray is a shadow at best. Locklear is not a very good Tackle either if you evaluate him with an unbiased eye.

Did SA lose a step, maybe. We don't know becuase he rarely got to take a step before getting hit.

Just Me,

WilliamBryan - you want proof - go watch every 3rd(or 4th) and 1 play the last 5 years. in about half of those he is falling down BEFORE he gets hit!

That's just a stupid statement since we converted all 3rd and 4th downs with short yardage in 05. In 06 and 07 he missed a number of games and it was Mo Morris who blew the 3rd and 4th down conversions last year in Cleveland and Carolina not SA.

Question to all: Who was the only running back to get a 100 or more yards in a game last year? he did it more than once.

Extra Credit: Who was the only RB to record negative yards in a game last year?

Alexander is history now. He had some pretty good years here, but I'll also remember the times he ran out of bounds instead of trying to run through a smaller DB and then throwing a tantrum at the end of the season because he missed the rushing title by one yard.

the SA lovers are as blind as the SA haters!! It's really quite funny.

of course- to one side that SA can do no wrong - and to the other he can do nothing correct.

The truth is somewhere in the middle. You want proof of his selfishness, and greatness. Look at the nationally televised games when he was spectacular! HE was on stage and knew it!! But he didn't always play as hard as those days.


In 2004 (I think) before one of the games the national telecasters even commented how he was "not the same runner between the 20's"

You were also right about the fact that sometimes there was nowhere for him to go because he was getting hit behind the line. There were also the times that he was getting hit behind the line because he danced too long and didn't just hit the hole like he was supposed to.

Now, he did create some of his great plays but cutting back and doing a little dancing. reminicent of a great back by the name of Barry Sanders. The difference between the 2 is that when the time called for it he just hit the hole and went! of course we all know that Barry also had his share of negative yard runs.

anyway - go on being blind! accept your side becuase it just doesn't matter

Its rare that 2 players are basically so old and so injured they retire during midseason (Strong and Tobeck). Then there is Walter Jones who looks like he is not even trying at times with that shoulder (anyone see that sack he allowed in the GB playoff game?).

Who can forget Chris Spencer who gets "blowed up" so often Emmitt Smith loves saying his name? How about Rob Sims and Lenoard Weaver who cant even figure out who to block half the time? Don't even get me started on Chris Gray who has one good block in him each game.

The simple fact is all of the Seahawks runners looked awful last year in obvious run situations or run formations. Morris looked the worse of all. What does that say about him if Alexander was awful?

Um The seahawks dropped passes and the quarterback made a costly mistake in the superbowl. Maybe if they had given the ball more to that years mvp during the game they could stake a claim at being a superbowl champion. Seahawks fans are losers and need to move to Oklahoma with the SONICS!

sttbm, that was a good post. again there are no specific examples of SA running soft. And there is not running back who hasn't ran out of bounds avoiding a tackle (even LT). And SA has never been stifled, especially before his injuries, the way other top backs have. In one game two years ago, a healthy LT and an up and coming chargers team were held to singlie digits rushing in the first half and about 27 for the game by the eagles. SA isn't perfect but who is? what more do you want from someone? You want him to put his head down and get the first down? He did! with the best efficiency of any runningback from 01-05! Remember the redskins playoff game? There was a third and 1 that we needed and SA was stood up at the line by a defender, then he proceeded to bulldoze him over while watching him fall down as he gained the first down and more.

Hey Steph
Great analysis of Superbowel.
I agree we should have run the ball against one of the top Run D's in league that year. Hommy should have called you before making game plan.
And Matt hitting receivers in the hands and either a phantom pass interference was called or the ball was dropped. You're right again. Costly
Big Ben sure outplayed Matt didn't he?
Let me guess we should have put the MVP in at DB and we wouldn't have been beaten on the long pass plays.

Here's your specific example if you have the Hawks first regular season game in 07 (last year). I, like every other Hawks fan last year, was excited to see the return of a healthy SA. He ended that game around 100 yards running, but his very first run of the game he got to the line of scrimage, saw congestion, and turned his back to the line and sat on his butt. No contact, no collision; no second effort and no gain. I knew at that point it was going to be a long season for the Seahawks.
I'm no SA hater nor into the bashing but obviously he's done. It was clear all of last year that he'd lost the second gear he used to have after squeezing through a hole. Rarely did he get through these holes to find himself there in 07(flip a coin, blame him or the line) but when he did he looked panicked and lost. Self preservation avoiding the merciless hit kept his career viable as long as it did, but he avoids contact to the extreme. Like Hugh Millen said "At times it looks like he's being taken down by an assasins bullet" and he's right. You need to remove your hawk colored glasses and take another look if you haven't seen that.

Just Me definitely has the right of it. SA has a style of running that doesn't always make positive yards, and works exceptionally well with good blocking up front. In the past two years, the blocking has been poor, and his style of running failed him. He also played injured, and maybe lost a step. The combination of him playing not as well and the less-able blocking led to the poor results. That combination made his running style, his search for the big gain, look foolish. And maybe somteimes he could hav efought harder for a yard or two, when 4 or 5 defenders are in the backfiled surrounding him. But would it have made much difference? He could fight for the few inches and risk a fumble (especially with a bad hand) or he coudl rty to run to the other side of the field, meaning he'd have to run backwards 10 or 12 yards first and risk a big loss. In some cases, going down is the best decision to be made, and he may well have been coached to do just that.

In his prime, he knew how to make the most of the great line he had blocking for him. You just don't get those stats without being an effective runner. Yes, his line helped him a great deal, and the lack of a line harmed him a great deal. That's what football is all about.