Marshall Faulk may retire???

[Guest Unwritten Religion]

What's the deal with Marshall Faulk?

By Daily Mail - SportingNews

 

 

 

Q: I read comments indicating that Marshall Faulk might miss significant time this season, but can't find any solid evidence. What is the story?

 

Landon McLeod

Highlands Ranch, CO

 

A: A host of a radio talk show in St. Louis recently reported that Faulk's knees are bothering him again and that Faulk might decide to retire rather than play through pain this season. This news, as you would expect, created quite a stir. As it turns out, the Faulk report was later clarified to say that a number of Rams sources are concerned about Faulk's health, and none of them is willing to guarantee that Faulk will be ready for action when training camp starts.

 

Fantasy owners shouldn't blow these rumors out of proportion. Faulk still plans to play this season, although it is clear his role in the offense will be more limited than in years past. Rookie Steven Jackson is ready to step in and share the load. Because Faulk will get fewer touches and because there is a slim possibility he won't get any touches at all, owners should be hesitant to rush after him. A late selection in the second round seems appropriate; Faulk is still a TD machine when healthy.

 

Rob Hurtt

[Jorge Gorgeous 0]

Thats too bad, I always hated the Rams but I liked Faulk. This brings me to a debate I had with a couple of friends of mine... I said Marshall Faulk is the greatest recieving back of all time, he countered with Larry Center of the Buffalo Bills/host of other teams... any opinions on that either way?

[nogoodnick 0]

Too bad for Faulk but Steven Jackson is the man. The Cowboys are idiots for passing on him.

[Guest Flyboy]

Too bad for Faulk but Steven Jackson is the man. The Cowboys are idiots for passing on him.

Yeah, the Cowboys were fucking idiots on this one, but eh -- if Jones doesn't pan out they can always nab Cedric Benson next year.

[razazteca 0]

Thats too bad, I always hated the Rams but I liked Faulk. This brings me to a debate I had with a couple of friends of mine... I said Marshall Faulk is the greatest recieving back of all time, he countered with Larry Center of the Buffalo Bills/host of other teams... any opinions on that either way?

Larry Centers is NOT the greatest receiving RB of all time! He only got those 80+ receptions becaused he played for the CARDINALS and the QB had to dumpoff the ball so that he would not get killed on every play.

 

RBs with the name Williams > Larry Centers

 

Too bad Marshall Faulk has to retire but those injuries has been hurting him for what 3 years now?

[Guest Rrrsh]

Jones is a good RB, but Jackson is better.

 

I think Detroit got the best back in the draft, personally.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

It wouldn't surprise me with the number of knee surgeries and wrist/hand problems he's had the past few seasons. He might mentor Jackson on the sidelines this year and then call it a career.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Thats too bad, I always hated the Rams but I liked Faulk. This brings me to a debate I had with a couple of friends of mine... I said Marshall Faulk is the greatest recieving back of all time, he countered with Larry Center of the Buffalo Bills/host of other teams... any opinions on that either way?

Roger Craig owns Marshall Faulk and Larry Centers.

[B. Brian Brunzell 0]

Two words, one letter: John L. Williams

[Gert T 0]

It pains me to say as a Bengals fan I thought the top 3 RB's were

 

1. Kevin Jones

2. Stephen Jackson

3. Chris Perry

 

But I guess I have less personnel experience.

 

Anyway, with Faulk, I just hope he can balance wanting to continue to play versus what he wants to do post-NFL.

[Guest Flyboy]

It pains me to say as a Bengals fan I thought the top 3 RB's were

 

1. Kevin Jones

2. Stephen Jackson

3. Chris Perry

I like this guy.

[phoenixrising 0]

Thats too bad, I always hated the Rams but I liked Faulk. This brings me to a debate I had with a couple of friends of mine... I said Marshall Faulk is the greatest recieving back of all time, he countered with Larry Center of the Buffalo Bills/host of other teams... any opinions on that either way?

Centers is a good pass catcher, but he did rack up most of his receptions as the safety outlet for a bunch of teams. Faulk also had good hands, but unlike Centers Faulk would catch passes downfield and was much more of a threat to break them for scores.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I'd say Centers was the best receiving full-back of all time (he was a FB, right?), and the first thought that came into my mind for HB's was Roger Craig, but that's because I'm an old-timer and living in the past...

[HarleyQuinn 0]

I'd put Marshall Faulk up there as the best at the moment. Has had 5 80+ catch seasons from 1998-2002 and hit the 1,000+ yard mark in 1999. Also had 908 yards in 1998 and 830 in 2000.

[B. Brian Brunzell 0]

I'd say Centers was the best receiving full-back of all time (he was a FB, right?), and the first thought that came into my mind for HB's was Roger Craig, but that's because I'm an old-timer and living in the past...

Craig was the man. First 1,000 rushing/1,000 receiving yards back in NFL history. PLus, it was IMPOSSIBLE to bring him down by the legs. I miss the old 49ers of the mid to late 80s.

[Gert T 0]

I'd say Centers was the best receiving full-back of all time (he was a FB, right?), and the first thought that came into my mind for HB's was Roger Craig, but that's because I'm an old-timer and living in the past...

Craig was the man. First 1,000 rushing/1,000 receiving yards back in NFL history. PLus, it was IMPOSSIBLE to bring him down by the legs. I miss the old 49ers of the mid to late 80s.

Hell yeah man, I hated the Niners for obvious reasons (SB's XVI & XXIII) but Craig & Tom Rathman were awesome.

[starvenger 0]

Hmmm, seeing as I have Faulk, I should probably pick up Jackson...

[Guest Vitamin X]

It pains me to say as a Bengals fan I thought the top 3 RB's were

 

1. Kevin Jones

2. Stephen Jackson

3. Chris Perry

 

But I guess I have less personnel experience.

 

Anyway, with Faulk, I just hope he can balance wanting to continue to play versus what he wants to do post-NFL.

I think I can agree with that, but I have a gut feeling Julius Jones might surprise some people. But this explains a lot more of why the Rams decided to pick Jackson, a lot of people were confused as to why they'd do that with Faulk still a damn good back and all.

 

Is this another example of astroturf shortening yet another great career?

[razazteca 0]

Did Larry Center ever go into motion as a Flanker or Split End the way Marshall used to do in his prime? I only seem to remember Centers in the backfield doing 3 yard routes.

[Gert T 0]

I think Julius Jones and Tatum Bell will both be productive for their teams in the next few years.

 

I think the criticism of the Jones pick could serve for great motivation for him as well.

[Guest GreatOne]

Too bad for Faulk but Steven Jackson is the man. The Cowboys are idiots for passing on him.

Where the hell did all this 'Steven Jackson is the next Emmitt, Payton, etc' come from? I guess no one remembers the games against the Washington schools last year, neither one known for being a defensive juggernaut, and will feature only Tank Johnson in the NFL this year and Isaac Brown/D.D. Acholonu (though why no one picked up Tai Tupai is a bit baffling) competing for practice squad spots, where he did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Hell Jones was partly responsible for ND coming back and beating Wazzu last year. I'd give him the nod on that alone.

[Jorge Gorgeous 0]

Too bad for Faulk but Steven Jackson is the man.  The Cowboys are idiots for passing on him.

Where the hell did all this 'Steven Jackson is the next Emmitt, Payton, etc' come from? I guess no one remembers the games against the Washington schools last year, neither one known for being a defensive juggernaut, and will feature only Tank Johnson in the NFL this year and Isaac Brown/D.D. Acholonu (though why no one picked up Tai Tupai is a bit baffling) competing for practice squad spots, where he did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Hell Jones was partly responsible for ND coming back and beating Wazzu last year. I'd give him the nod on that alone.

I think it has a lot to do with Jackson's pedigree. Hes built like a fucking tank and is alarmingly fast, not to mention quick. I don't think hes an Emmit/Payton style runner... but he could defenitely be another Ricky Williams type back.

[Guest Redhawk]

I always thought Faulk was a great back, but I also thought the "one of the best RBs of all-time" talk seemingly came out of nowhere. From what I recall, no one ever mentioned Faulk as one of the best ever until after he got to the Rams. So they're only judging on a period from, really, 1999-2002, before he started getting hurt.

 

That said, I'd put Roger Craig and Marcus Allen up there for best receiving RBs.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Well that's exactly the kind of talk Kurt Warner got, quite undeservingly, as well. They started putting him among the likes of Montana and Unitas, and he's not even good enough to start for the team he became famous on now. And Faulk was always a great RB, even when the Colts were absolutely terrible, it was Vermeil and Martz who were able to utilize his talent to the fullest and start racking up all those yards.

[Precious Roy 0]

Did Larry Center ever go into motion as a Flanker or Split End the way Marshall used to do in his prime?  I only seem to remember Centers in the backfield doing 3 yard routes.

From what I remember he mosty caught passes out of the backfield and broke them for runs or would make 10-15 yard catches running routes upfield and sometimes break them as well. He did make a lot of big runs off of catches but he wasn't really a prototype combo back, just a guy who did better running outside of the blocks. I don't think he set up as a wideout much if at all.

 

I didn't become a diehard football fan until about 94, 95ish when I was in my teens so my memories of Roger Craig and Marcus Allen in their primes are sketchy, but I will say that Faulk deserves mention as the best pass catching HB because he didn't just break short passes for big gains but he ran downfield routes better than 90% of the WR in the league. In his prime he was one of the single most dynamic threats I've ever seen.

 

I'd hate to see him retire, hope he gets healthy and settles into a supporting role, though his days as offensive MVP are probably over.

[Guest GreatOne]

Well he DID finally get a SB ring, although in much the same way that Brian Kinchen got one.

 

CURT Warner was destined to be the "next thing" if he hadn't torn up his knee in the '84 season opener and been merely a good RB for the rest of his career. Back to Jackson I'm not sure that a guy who averages about 3.5 per rush in his team's biggest games is even on THAT level yet otherwise everyone would have drooled all over Larry Johnson last year.