http://www.buffalobills.com/news/news.jsp?news_id=4919
#9: Will There Be A Featured Running Back?
by Chris Brown, Lead Journalist Last Updated: 7/13/2007 12:11 PM ET
Back in mid-March Buffalobills.com asked Bills head coach **** Jauron about which way he was leaning in terms of his approach to the running game. Would there be a featured back or would Buffalo's ground attack be running back by committee in 2007?
Jauron, at the time, was favoring a group effort.
"We think it's in everybody's best interest that we do have more than one back that carries the load," said Jauron back in March. "If you do that and you have that kind of depth, you can rotate them, you can keep them fresh and they don't get as beat up. You can go with a guy that is a little bit hotter on a given day and sometimes it's a different guy. There's no reason why it shouldn't work that way, because every day is not your best day."
At the time Anthony Thomas, Fred Jackson and Shaud Williams were the only running backs on the roster. A little over a month later Buffalo added a pair of running backs in the draft selecting Marshawn Lynch with their top pick (12) and Dwayne Wright in the fourth round. Free agent Josh Scobey was also added to the mix.
Fast forward to the close of minicamp after Jauron and his staff have had an opportunity to see the new additions up close and personal. Has Jauron's approach to Buffalo's running game changed?
"It hasn't," said Jauron. "It's just more competition. I still would like, if we have the option, to run the ball by committee. Clearly inside that group the players will decide. They make all the decisions because we make judgments, but they make the plays. They'll win their carries by performance. We'd like to have two or three guys that perform well enough that you'll rotate them and keep them healthy. It will figure itself out."
What was once a position filled with questions is now a position of strength with Lynch expected to be the marquee addition.
"I think we're expecting a lot out of him," said J.P. Losman. "Especially with Marshawn's ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He just brings such a good energy to the offense and such a competitive nature and he's very coachable. His athleticism and his running ability are good to see. We're excited."
"He sure looks to have a lot of different abilities," said offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild of Lynch. "We haven't put the pads on so we're still finding out what he can do. He looks to be not only a tremendous runner, but a guy that can come out of the backfield and do some things in space. I'm really excited to be honest with you, and we'll just see where it goes."
With Lynch's versatility logic would say that he should plan on being on the field a lot, even if he's not always lined up in the backfield. But with a combination of power and elusiveness that's superior to every other back on the roster he figures to see more work than the others that will make up the final roster at the running back position.
But how does this sit with Anthony Thomas? Believe it or not A-Train is on board with the committee approach. The veteran back has been through enough 16-game seasons to know the pounding an NFL running back typically takes.
"It's the NFL," said Thomas. "One guy carrying the load for a whole season can get banged up. The odds are that guy is going to sit out at least a couple of games. When you have some guys that are splitting time they won't get banged up so much and they can last a little longer."
Lynch is fully aware of the expectations being placed upon him as the team's top pick especially with the former starter at running back traded to Baltimore. But Lynch is also on board with sharing the load.
"With the running backs here I felt that they were going to give me some help so I don't feel that it's just on me alone to come in as the number one pick with the former starting running back leaving," said Lynch. "There's a whole bunch of guys back there that are willing to help and I know they'll be looking for me to be there for them when I'm called upon."
The wild card in the mix is Dwayne Wright. A player that showed he's more than just a power runner in the spring camps. A natural receiver out of the backfield with some burst and shiftiness Wright should factor into the rotation in the backfield with Thomas.
"He's a good tough-nosed, downhill runner," said Fairchild. "He looks a little more elusive and is able to function in the passing game better than I thought he might. We'll just see."
"'D' Wright showed me a lot of things that I wouldn't imagine he could do like coming out of the backfield running those same routes just as good, if not better," said Lynch. "So it's going to be a fight back there for that running back position."
But it's a good dilemma for the Bills to have as Thomas sees it.
"The thing is if you can use more than one guy then the other guy can do other things on the field," said Thomas. "You can also use them at the same time. You could put one back in the backfield and split another out. Whatever they think is best for the team."
With so many backs bringing several skills to the table, it's created a lot of options for Fairchild and the offensive staff.
"We have guys that can catch balls, throw blocks, a first down back, second down back," said Wright. "We can put a different back in at any time, so it helps."
And it might explain why Jauron is holding firm to his idea of a committee backfield. With talent now overflowing at the position his offensive staff will be looking to mix and match backs and combinations therein instead of just pounding away with just one featured rusher.
"I believe in that," said Jauron. "I would like our guys to believe in that. It doesn't cast a shadow on the guy that's not in there at a given time. Anybody that we have we've got to have great confidence in them for them to be here at all. So we'll give them the ball. They'll perform and we'll lean more on one or the other or however it works out."
The only thing that could change Jauron's thinking is a player that shows he ranks considerably higher on the talent meter.
"If you have one that's just so good then he's got to get the bulk of the work because it's in the best interest of your team to get that guy the ball more than the other ones," Jauron said.
If that's going to be anyone it will be Lynch, but the odds are in his rookie year with all the added responsibilities he'll have in the passing game, Jauron and Fairchild will be mindful to not overload the rookie.
Perhaps Thomas will handle a third down role in the backfield, while Lynch is split out wide. Wright might be given the short yardage and goal line carries. However it works out Lynch is expected to get the most work on Sundays, but by how wide a margin will come down to performance on the field.
OKmakes a lot of sense to me
OK
