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Colts, Rams prepare for life without star running backs
August 9, 2006
AP - Aug 9, 1:40 pm EDT
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ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Marshall Faulk is out, if not forever, then at least for the Rams' season. Edgerrin James left the Indianapolis Colts for a free-agent deal with the Arizona Cardinals.
How their replacements fare will be a focal point Thursday when St. Louis hosts the Colts in the preseason opener for both teams.
Steven Jackson took over the starting job last year in St. Louis and gained 1,046 yards, but questions about his durability remain.
Jackson had a hip pointer that caused him to miss the season finale against Dallas. A rib problem slowed him earlier in the season. He's expected to play Thursday despite a slight strain to the Achilles heel.
And Faulk is no longer there as a backup -- he's out for the season after knee surgery and, at 33, there is doubt as to whether he will play again.
For his part, Jackson is ready for the comparisons with the former MVP to end.
"I'm not a Marshall-type of running back," Jackson said. "It's no disrespect to him and it's no disrespect to me, we're just different backs."
While the Rams are set at running back with Jackson and backups Moe Williams and Tony Fisher, the Colts remain up in the air at the position. Veteran backup Dominic Rhodes and first-round pick Joseph Addai seek to replace James as the starter.
Coach Tony Dungy said he wants to take a good look at Addai.
"Joseph needs to play, and he'll get some time in there," Dungy said. "We'd like to get him a little bit with the first group and then get him a good dose with the second group."
Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, who figures to play a series or two, is also eager to see what Addai can do in a game situation.
"He's been getting a lot of reps in practice, and I think coach Dungy tries to run the practices like games," Manning said. "He needs as many reps as he can get with the first group. I think that would be beneficial to him. At the same time, Dominic needs some reps, too."
Last season, the Colts lost all five preseason games before reeling off 13 consecutive wins in the regular season, on the way to an NFL-best 14-2 mark. The accomplishment was dimmed by a loss to Pittsburgh in the playoffs.
Indianapolis has been hampered with injuries in training camp. Backup quarterback Jim Sorgi has missed time with a sore shoulder. Behind him are two undrafted rookie free agents -- Josh Betts who took over for Ben Roethlisberger at Miami (Ohio) and the recently-signed Mike McGann from Temple -- and NFL veteran Shaun King, who played with Dungy in Tampa.
New coach
Scott Linehan, who has never been a head coach at any level, makes his game debut and, preseason or not, wants his club to get off to a good start on the heels of a 6-10 season that led to the ouster of Mike Martz.
"My biggest thing is that we go out and do the little things well," Linehan said. "You always are able to see improvement in your team when you go out and take care of the fundamental part of the game."
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