Rams will start Harris at running back

BY BILL COATS
Of the Post-Dispatch
Friday, Dec. 10 2004

Arlen Harris is rested, ready and rarin' to go. "They call me 'fresh legs,'"
Harris said, laughing. "I'll be able to go out there and take some punishment."

Rookie Steven Jackson and veteran Marshall Faulk are nursing bruised knees and
will be unable to carry a full load Sunday. So coach Mike Martz said Friday
that Harris will be in the lineup at running back when the Rams (6-6) meet the
Carolina Panthers (5-7) at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte in a contest
with heavy playoff implications in the NFC.

"Arlen will start, and Marshall's ready to go, I think," Martz said. "And
we'll just see where Steven is on Sunday."

Jackson, the team's first-round draft pick, started for a gimpy Faulk last
Sunday and ran for 119 yards on 26 carries in a 16-6 victory over San
Francisco. Jackson was hurt on his last series, and the knee swelled
considerably and needed to be drained. Jackson didn't practice all week.

"We're going to get him back in short order," Martz assured. "If he misses
this one, I'm sure he'll be back the following week. But I don't know that he
misses this one. We just have been very, very cautious with him."

Harris, a second-year pro, has just one carry this year -- a 2-yard jaunt
against the *****. Still, that brief appearance was helpful, he said. "Just
being able to touch the ball last week gave me confidence," Harris said. "This
week, I'll be more comfortable."

The 5-10, 212-pound Harris made the team last year as an undrafted rookie who
hadn't played as a college senior because of an eligibility glitch. He was
productive in two starts, rushing for 85 yards against Green Bay and 81 against
Pittsburgh in relief of the injured Faulk and Lamar Gordon, who earlier this
season was traded to Miami.

"They told me to go about this week like I'm starting, and now that I know I'm
definitely starting, it's not a problem," said Harris, 24. "I'm definitely
excited to get an opportunity to run the ball. Being a rookie last year, I was
a little bit nervous. But now I have a year under my belt, and I feel
comfortable with the offense. . . .

"It's a great opportunity. I'll just go out there and do my best, and
hopefully we don't skip a beat."

Martz expects that to be the case. "I'm not worried about Arlen at all," he
said. "He's a terrific runner. He's hard to knock off his feet. He's real
patient. His run reads are really outstanding. He's a much better player than
he was a year ago, and he played well last year."

Harris will relinquish his kickoff-return duties to Aevion Cason, signed
Monday as a free agent.

After watching Faulk and Jackson this season.....why does Harris at RB kinda worry me? :upset:

Well at least the Seahawks will lose to the Vikings, this week should be a push,LOL. I just think it will be very hard to win this wekend with these factors but they could do it. Thi sdefence has to play like they did last week, the panthers Offence still sucks.