|
|
 |
Jets' LaDainian Tomlinson shows his old form
|
By Viv Berstein
August 23, 2010
Charlotte, NC — The second game of the rest of LaDainian Tomlinson’s career began with a 20-yard burst. The Jets were pinned deep, with a third-and-13 at their 5, when Tomlinson took a handoff from quarterback Mark Sanchez, sprinted up the middle and cut left for a first down at the 25.
It was only a preseason game. The results did not count. But they mattered because that run sent a message that there was something left in Tomlinson’s 31-year-old legs after nine mostly stellar seasons and 12,490 yards with the San Diego Chargers.
“I think every year, you have something to prove because it’s another year of playing football, you know?” Tomlinson said after the Jets beat the Carolina Panthers, 9-3, Saturday night in an otherwise ugly display of offense by both teams. “I know that what I’ve done in the past speaks for itself. I was just coming here to play football and have fun and jell with these guys and try to win the championship.”
A six-time All-Pro who won the league’s Most Valuable Player award in 2006 and has appeared in five Pro Bowls, Tomlinson ranks among the great running backs in NFL history. He is eighth in career rushing yards and needs 250 to pass Tony Dorsett for seventh. He can pass Eric Dickerson for sixth if he manages to gain 770 yards.
That is not a given, considering he will share time in the backfield with the starter, Shonn Greene. And his recent past raises some doubt. Tomlinson’s numbers dipped drastically last season, when he rushed for 730 yards. It was the only time he failed to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. His average of 3.3 yards a carry was a career low, as were his 20 receptions for 154 yards.
Tomlinson was let go after he was held to 24 yards on 12 carries in the Chargers’ 17-14 upset loss to the Jets in the playoffs. The Jets signed him in March to give Sanchez an outlet and help Greene carry the load in the backfield.
Tomlinson has repeatedly said his production dropped last season because he was not healthy, having sprained an ankle at the start of the year.
He has been healthy this training camp, though.
“I feel good,” Tomlinson said. “I’m telling you guys all along, when I’m healthy, I can perform at a high level. You guys are seeing when I’m healthy.”
It is too early to know how much Tomlinson has left. But his speed was apparent against the Panthers. On a night when little went right for the Jets on offense, Tomlinson’s brief performance stood out.
“He looks great,” Sanchez said. “He hasn’t aged a bit. He looks as quick and as fast as ever. He’s smart. He did a great job underneath catching balls, too, so we’re going to be just fine. He’s going to be a big help for us. Great acquisition.”
Tomlinson finished with 26 yards on three carries in about a quarter of work — Coach Rex Ryan pulled his starters in the opening minutes of the second quarter. Still, with his opening run, Tomlinson topped his 17-yard total in the Jets’ opening preseason game. And it was enough to hint at what he could offer the Jets this season. He also had two receptions for 2 yards while being used as an option underneath for Sanchez. The short passing game struggled at times, though.
Tomlinson did not seem worried.
“It was just stuff we’ve got to work on, you know,” he said. “That stuff takes time as you rep it. We didn’t get a chance to practice that as much as we would like. It’s preseason; it’s something that we tried to work out and throw in at the last minute. We’ll get better at it.”
Asked if Tomlinson’s performance reaffirmed the team’s decision to sign him, Ryan said: “Yeah, no doubt. And the way he catches the football, the way he pass-protects, the kind of teammate he is, absolutely.”
As for Tomlinson, he was clearly happy for the work. He said the Chargers made a practice of keeping him out of preseason games in recent years, so playing time this early was a relatively new experience.
“I’m enjoying it,” he said. “As you see, I’m having fun. I’m playing with these guys. I’ve always wanted to play in preseason. When my guys are out there, I want to be out there with them.
Unfortunately, the last few years, coaches wouldn’t let me play. But now, I’m getting the opportunity to play, and I think it helps when the season starts because you’re able to hit the ground running, so I’m looking forward to that.”
• NFL News Archive Index:
2010, 2009
Jets Tickets
Super Bowl Tickets
Super Bowl Packages
Do you need Sports Ticket Depot to help you hunt down your cheap Jets tickets or Super Bowl Tickets? Contact us or fill out our Jets ticket information request form. We will hunt down your cheap Jets tickets and your Super Bowl Tickets for you! Jets Football Jerseys
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
