Tweet
Gordon's output bodes well for Rams' depth
By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch
Friday, Sep. 03 2004
The plan Thursday was to put on the uniform, see how he felt in pregame
warmups and take it from there. Little did Lamar Gordon know he would end up
carrying the football 22 times against Oakland.
"No, I didn't expect it, but I was kind of ready for it," Gordon said.
"Mentally, I was ready."
Ready, because he knew the Rams wanted to emphasize the running game in their
preseason finale.
"So I was just trying to go for it, and trying to be at my best," Gordon said.
Gordon gained 77 yards on those 22 carries, including a two-yard touchdown run
in the fourth quarter of the Rams' 28-24 loss to the Raiders.
Gordon's career high for rushing attempts is 21, which came last Sept. 28
against Arizona - one week after Marshall Faulk suffered a fractured hand in
Seattle. Gordon had not carried more than 12 times in any exhibition game.
Until Thursday, that is.
It was an amazing performance considering Gordon was just 23 days removed from
surgery to remove bone chips from his left ankle. The original timetable called
for Gordon to be sidelined for a month.
"I pushed myself," Gordon said. "The second day after the surgery, I felt that
(the pain) was gone. It was still sore from the surgery, but I was in my house
doing stuff I shouldn't have been doing. Just walking around. I was supposed to
have a crutch. I was like: 'The surgery's a success. I can't wait to get
back.'"
In case they'd forgotten, Gordon returned just in time to remind the coaching
staff and front office that he can be a viable backfield option.
Faulk looked sharp on the opening drive against the Raiders, carrying three
times and catching two passes, one a 7-yard TD reception.
"I liked what I saw from Marshall," coach Mike Martz said. "I was tempted to
leave him in a little bit longer, because I knew we were going to try to pound
the ball a little bit. But from what I saw, he was going fast."
Rookie Steven Jackson logged 72 yards on 12 carries against Oakland to finish
the preseason with 323 rushing yards.
"I think it just proves to my coaching staff, and the people that were
intrigued by Steven Jackson, it lets them know what level I'm capable of
playing at," Jackson said.
And now comes Gordon, who ran powerfully and decisively Thursday, showing an
occasional burst in the process.
Martz said he wanted Gordon to get a substantial workload "if he could take it.
But the more we played him, I guess, the better he played.
"That's the first time he's been hit or put pads on for four weeks. To go in
and take the ball up in there like he did. . . . He took some horrendous hits
out on the edge, and spun and jumped and twisted and turned, and stayed in the
game. I was very impressed with his toughness, and the burst that he had."
So with Faulk, Jackson and Gordon all fit, and productive, what should the Rams
do, start running the wishbone? "Don't hold your breath," Martz said.
At the start of training camp, there were rumors that Gordon might be on the
trading block, with the Miami Dolphins, who lost Ricky Williams, a potential
suitor.
But given Faulk's age and recent injury history, trading Gordon doesn't make
much sense. In addition, Gordon remains a bargain as he enters his third NFL
season. He has two years left on his original contract and is scheduled to make
the minimum this year ($380,000) and in 2005 ($455,000) for a player of his
experience level.
It remains to be seen whether Martz will ride Faulk once the regular season
starts or will make a conscious effort to use Jackson and Gordon. It may take
weeks to sort out, or continually evolve over the course of the season.
In any event, it's a nice problem to have.
Even the rookie can see that.
"We're extremely talented," Jackson said. "It's a good thing to have a
franchise with this many talented backs, because you never know when someone
goes down. With us rotating like we are, running hard, I think the offense
doesn't miss a beat in the backfield."
By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch
Friday, Sep. 03 2004
The plan Thursday was to put on the uniform, see how he felt in pregame
warmups and take it from there. Little did Lamar Gordon know he would end up
carrying the football 22 times against Oakland.
"No, I didn't expect it, but I was kind of ready for it," Gordon said.
"Mentally, I was ready."
Ready, because he knew the Rams wanted to emphasize the running game in their
preseason finale.
"So I was just trying to go for it, and trying to be at my best," Gordon said.
Gordon gained 77 yards on those 22 carries, including a two-yard touchdown run
in the fourth quarter of the Rams' 28-24 loss to the Raiders.
Gordon's career high for rushing attempts is 21, which came last Sept. 28
against Arizona - one week after Marshall Faulk suffered a fractured hand in
Seattle. Gordon had not carried more than 12 times in any exhibition game.
Until Thursday, that is.
It was an amazing performance considering Gordon was just 23 days removed from
surgery to remove bone chips from his left ankle. The original timetable called
for Gordon to be sidelined for a month.
"I pushed myself," Gordon said. "The second day after the surgery, I felt that
(the pain) was gone. It was still sore from the surgery, but I was in my house
doing stuff I shouldn't have been doing. Just walking around. I was supposed to
have a crutch. I was like: 'The surgery's a success. I can't wait to get
back.'"
In case they'd forgotten, Gordon returned just in time to remind the coaching
staff and front office that he can be a viable backfield option.
Faulk looked sharp on the opening drive against the Raiders, carrying three
times and catching two passes, one a 7-yard TD reception.
"I liked what I saw from Marshall," coach Mike Martz said. "I was tempted to
leave him in a little bit longer, because I knew we were going to try to pound
the ball a little bit. But from what I saw, he was going fast."
Rookie Steven Jackson logged 72 yards on 12 carries against Oakland to finish
the preseason with 323 rushing yards.
"I think it just proves to my coaching staff, and the people that were
intrigued by Steven Jackson, it lets them know what level I'm capable of
playing at," Jackson said.
And now comes Gordon, who ran powerfully and decisively Thursday, showing an
occasional burst in the process.
Martz said he wanted Gordon to get a substantial workload "if he could take it.
But the more we played him, I guess, the better he played.
"That's the first time he's been hit or put pads on for four weeks. To go in
and take the ball up in there like he did. . . . He took some horrendous hits
out on the edge, and spun and jumped and twisted and turned, and stayed in the
game. I was very impressed with his toughness, and the burst that he had."
So with Faulk, Jackson and Gordon all fit, and productive, what should the Rams
do, start running the wishbone? "Don't hold your breath," Martz said.
At the start of training camp, there were rumors that Gordon might be on the
trading block, with the Miami Dolphins, who lost Ricky Williams, a potential
suitor.
But given Faulk's age and recent injury history, trading Gordon doesn't make
much sense. In addition, Gordon remains a bargain as he enters his third NFL
season. He has two years left on his original contract and is scheduled to make
the minimum this year ($380,000) and in 2005 ($455,000) for a player of his
experience level.
It remains to be seen whether Martz will ride Faulk once the regular season
starts or will make a conscious effort to use Jackson and Gordon. It may take
weeks to sort out, or continually evolve over the course of the season.
In any event, it's a nice problem to have.
Even the rookie can see that.
"We're extremely talented," Jackson said. "It's a good thing to have a
franchise with this many talented backs, because you never know when someone
goes down. With us rotating like we are, running hard, I think the offense
doesn't miss a beat in the backfield."
