I saw Johnson make those comments (or similar ones) on NFLN/ESPNEWS and I read the comments several times. I never took it that Johnson was actually complaining about getting the ball. I thought he was complaining about the conservative play calling, the predictable nature of the offense, and the lack of aggressiveness (Field Goal Edwards).
Obviously we can't tell, but his comments are certainly not consistent with the idea that he is whispering in Herm's ear that he needs more carries (so that he'll do better in free agency), which is what I was replying to. As I noted there anyway, in my mind it's irrelevant what Johnson thinks. There is a long history of backs breaking down after overuse, and I think Edwards was completely irresponsible in the way he has run Johnson into the ground, especially when you consider that he has been far less effective a runner when doing it (almost a yard per carry lower than last year).
Larry Johnson isn't making Herm give him carries. Herm is to blame here. He has a history of this, and he's doing it again. Len Pasquarelli:
How exactly did Herm destroy Curtis' career? Did you know Curtis avergaed more rushes/season under parcells than under Herm? Larry johnson is one of the biggst morons in the game, a moth ago he was telling beetljuice Carter that he was thrilled playing for Herm and that he was playing harder for herm b/c Herm was a black coach then they lose a couple of games and he whines. This guy is an idiot.
Yeah, it was stupid for him to say he enjoyed being under Herm. Curtis Martin: 2003: 323 carries 2004: 371 carries This is when he was OVER 30 YEARS OLD and we had LaMont Jordan, a good backup. NO excuse for that. Period. I fully believe Curtis's career would've been extended had he had a competent coach.
He was already at an age where most RBs decline, he got a freak injury and he's done. It had littlre to do w/ how he was worked. he didn't just break down he had a specific injury. Curtis' avg. carries under bill Parcells: 355 Curtis' avg. carries under Herm: 302
I agree that Curtis was at an age that his breakdown was only a matter of time, but riding him as hard as the Jets did with a capable backup in place certainly didn't help matters. Check out the league leaders in rushes the last 10 years or so and then check out what they did the following season. It's not very pretty. There's no question that Johnson has been abused this season and the Chiefs are probably going to pay for it next year.
Parcells never gave him 370+ carries, and Parcells had him when Curtis was younger. Parcells also didn't have a backup the quality of LaMont Jordan.
So let me ask you, if you were Shanahan would you have used TD less? They won two SB with him and zero with Elway in his prime with good backs. Martin's career was coming to an end any way you look at it, leading the league in 04 is what's going to put him in the HOF on the first ballot. Not using LJ rigth now in his prime would be a huge error. They guy isn't getting better and Trent Green is at the end, it's pretty much a 2 year window at best. Parcells, Shanahan and Gibbs would run LJ to death. LJ probably won't be on KC in two years the time to use him is now, I agree with Herm on this one. He's in the playoffs he has Green healthy and it's probably going to be his best shot right now.
Herm gave him 371 and parcells gave him 368- you are really crowing about 3 less carries? By the way, BP did that in 15 games in 1995 so if he played 16 he would have had over 400 carries. he also gave it to him 369 times in '98 again in only 15 games. Then he gave it to him 367 in 16 games in '99. Curtis had ONE year under Hrem over 333 carries and 3 near 370 under BP.
There's no reason to run a guy 420 times in 16 games. Johnson had 30 carries in a 41-0 win over SF. The backup RB had 36 carries all year long! Sprinkle 50 or so carries over the course of the year in non critical spots and suddenly it doesn't look so bad.
Can't argue with that but the fact is good coaches do that all the time, they get a big lead and run the football with their horse, nothing new about that. It's probably dumb in that instance but not untypical. Tomlinson got his most carries 31 in a 27 zip blowout of the Raiders in week 1. Stephen Jackson got 31 in a 21 zip blowout of the Raiders. I agree it's dumb but that's not a Herm thing.
I don't think today's the day to get on Herm. Guy like makes the playoffs every year. That team had a tough schedule, also.
Marty has been pretty good about spelling Tomlinson with the exception of 02. In cases like Davis and Lewis in the recent past those guys have at least been chasing the 2000 yard mark when they racked up all those carries, so it at least makes it understandable if not excusable. The Davis situation is also unique in that he got almost 160 "extra" carries over that 2 year span when they won the back to back Super Bowls. I don't think you can fault the coach in this situation either as in the postseason you don't want to leave anything on the table. I'm also not suggesting that this is a Herm only problem, just that Larry Johnson this year is the best case to make for abusing a RB needlessly in the regular season in recent memory.
Fisher did it with George also. The Chiefs played a lot of close games this year, one or two examples of over use during blowouts doesn't mean much. Running backs get creamed on passing plays and screens just as much as they do on carries.
The evidence doesn't seem to support that conclusion. Maybe it's because the majority of backs that pile up a huge number of carries are power type backs and generally aren't too involved in the passing game. Tomlinson has had 390+ touches each of his first 6 seasons and I'd be willing to bet if that was 390+ carries each year he'd have suffered at least one serious injury by now.
