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John Czarnecki / FOX Sports
Rams' Marshall plan
Rams coach Mike Martz once again is planning to take an easy approach with star player Marshall Faulk when training camp opens next week, which is the smart thing to do when a high-profile running back is 31 years old.
However, the key is that Faulk is feeling better than he has in recent summers, now that doctors apparently have corrected a "cartilage flap" that has been making his right knee sore.
We haven't had Marshall 100 percent for a couple of years," Martz said Tuesday. "At times, I think he might have been 70 percent, but he still played at a high level. He's above that now."
There have been all kinds of rumors that the former MVP might be retiring, forced from the game by his knee injuries. This is hogwash, according to the Rams, who are prepared for the rumors to resurface when Faulk is virtually inactive for the first couple weeks of camp, which has been the norm.
The team did draft Oregon State's Steven Jackson in the first round, but it makes sense to prepare for the future. There will come the day when Faulk won't be able to run, but that is not the case now. Faulk had another surgery in the off-season and it seems to have corrected a nagging problem. The team believes he will be able to crank it up in late August and be ready for the season opener on Sept. 12 versus Arizona.
Without question, the Rams still need Faulk, who is ideal in Martz's sophisticated offensive system. When he was a FOX broadcaster, Lions General Manager Matt Millen called Faulk "the smartest player in the league."
Indeed, Faulk at 90 percent is better than most runners at full steam because he knows how to play; he especially knows how to get open on a passing route. Jackson should be a plus in the red-zone offense, where his physical stature can blend with Faulk's elusiveness. The bottom line is that the Rams still have high hopes for Faulk and, barring another injury, he should be ready to fly this season.
Rams' Marshall plan
Rams coach Mike Martz once again is planning to take an easy approach with star player Marshall Faulk when training camp opens next week, which is the smart thing to do when a high-profile running back is 31 years old.
However, the key is that Faulk is feeling better than he has in recent summers, now that doctors apparently have corrected a "cartilage flap" that has been making his right knee sore.
We haven't had Marshall 100 percent for a couple of years," Martz said Tuesday. "At times, I think he might have been 70 percent, but he still played at a high level. He's above that now."
There have been all kinds of rumors that the former MVP might be retiring, forced from the game by his knee injuries. This is hogwash, according to the Rams, who are prepared for the rumors to resurface when Faulk is virtually inactive for the first couple weeks of camp, which has been the norm.
The team did draft Oregon State's Steven Jackson in the first round, but it makes sense to prepare for the future. There will come the day when Faulk won't be able to run, but that is not the case now. Faulk had another surgery in the off-season and it seems to have corrected a nagging problem. The team believes he will be able to crank it up in late August and be ready for the season opener on Sept. 12 versus Arizona.
Without question, the Rams still need Faulk, who is ideal in Martz's sophisticated offensive system. When he was a FOX broadcaster, Lions General Manager Matt Millen called Faulk "the smartest player in the league."
Indeed, Faulk at 90 percent is better than most runners at full steam because he knows how to play; he especially knows how to get open on a passing route. Jackson should be a plus in the red-zone offense, where his physical stature can blend with Faulk's elusiveness. The bottom line is that the Rams still have high hopes for Faulk and, barring another injury, he should be ready to fly this season.
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