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Feb 22, 2003 Faulk Pushes the Position to a New Level The St. Louis Rams have had a long history of great players at a variety of positions. The "Fearsome Foursome", Roman Gabriel, Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsh, Henry Ellard, Norm Van Brocklin and many others all stand out in Ram history. However, no position has held the luster as brightly as the Ram’s running back. The Rams have been blessed with hot running backs year after year throughout history. Consider names from the past such as Eric Dickerson (NFL’s all-time single season record-holder), Willie Ellison, Lawrence McCutcheon, Dick Bass, Greg Bell, Jerome Bettis, Charles White, Wendell Tyler, Tank Younger and Dan Towler. The Rams have almost always been loaded in the backfield with a guy who can push the ball up the field play after play. However, with the coming of Marshall Faulk, the Ram running back position has been elevated to altogether new heights. Why? Faulk has brought a couple of dimensions never seen before in the NFL. Prior to Marshall’s arrival, a top rated runner was at best an average pass receiver and/or blocker. In fact many good running backs have not excelled at either area, concentrating primarily on running. If the running back was thrown to, it was usually as a last outlet to prevent the quarterback from being sacked. And star backs aren’t usually expected to be great blockers, either. It is common to see a star running back let a pass slip through his hands, or a rusher slip past his ineffective block. Faulk is a rare blend , the complete running back. He can lay down a hard block, take a pass over the shoulder and sprint to the end zone, or push the ball right up the middle for a short-yardage first down. Faulk’s capabilities have never been seen before in the NFL - a 200-yard game running back who is considered a primary receiver. Marshall Faulk is a threat to the secondary every single down he plays. As such, he pulls some of the coverage off of the other receivers as well. And just when the opposing team thinks they have him figured out, the Rams run a power slant with Marshall bursting for 25 yards, running over the top of people. Faulk is the prototype for the future of the running back in the NFL. No longer will just being able to run well be good enough. A one-dimension back won’t cut it, and even a two-dimension back falls short of the capabilities of the new breed that Marshall represents. With its long history of superb running backs, it is only fitting that the Rams are the team to present the NFL with a glimpse of the future of the man lining up behind the quarterback . Or make that set out as a receiver. Or blocker. Anyhow, just watch Marshall. This year he has been spending some time in the weight room (he usually likes to major on golf in the off-season) and may even take his playing performance to a new level, as unbelievable as that may sound. About the author: I currently have 12 books selling in major bookstores and write for major magazines such as Physical and FitnessRX. Email Dwayne Hines: dhines@3dinet.com ------------ Comment on this column in the forum. ------------ |
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