New Orleans Saints running backs are dropping like flies. First, the Saints revealed power rusher Chris Ivory had been placed on Injured Reserve after the foot injury he suffered in the game against the Bucs. Then came the news that Pierre Thomas would be joining him on I.R. due to an ankle injury. That leaves Julius Jones, new pickups Joique Bell from the Eagles' practice squad and veteran DeShawn Wynn. Then of course, there's Reggie Bush. Sigh...
Oh Reggie, you truly are, in the words of a friend, "my help and my hurt." In the last game of the season versus the Bucs, Reggie showed flashes of fabulousness. He averaged nearly 8 yards a carry on 9 carries. Pretty respectable, right? Plus, he didn't turn the ball over, even though I nearly gave birth to my spleen just about every time he touched it. The thing with Reggie is, you just never know what you're going to get. And now that the stakes are higher for him than they've ever been, I can't help but wonder: Will Reggie sink or swim?
The 2009 postseason was a mixed bag for Reggie. He dismantled the Cardinals' defense, posting a season-high 84 rushing yards on five carries, not to mention his 46-yard touchdown run and a punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter. Against the Vikings, he only managed 8 yards on 7 rushing attempts and lost a fumble. And that's just what you get with Reggie. When he's hot, he's unstoppable. When he's not, you want to throw him off the Mississippi River Bridge.
One can only hope that the combined angst of Reggie taking on his former Coach Pete Carroll and Julius Jones taking on the team that dumped him will lead to an inspired performance by the Saints' running back corps against the Seattle Seahawks. It seems plausible but I shudder at the thought of what could happen beyond Wildcard weekend.There's no time like the present for Reggie to step up and show us that he can lead this team's rushing attack as an every down back. There's no time like the present for Reggie to silence the naysayers that have taunted him since the start of his pro career. And what better time than now for Reggie to prove to himself that he can one day be considered among the NFL's rushing elite. C'mon, Reggie. It's time to bring the wood!
With that said, God help us all...