Running backs over the age of 30 usually don’t bounce back once the decline starts.
LaDainian Tomlinson fell hard the last three years in San Diego. His yards-per-carry and total production fell sharply for three consecutive seasons. That’s what makes his fast start this season in New York so remarkable.
In a piece for Sunday’s New York Daily News, Tomlinson admits that he told his wife early last season that he felt “cursed” after suffering an high ankle sprain against the Raiders.
“Most people - even the Chargers - felt like, ‘You’re done. It’s over. Close your casket. Go away,’ ” Tomlinson’s wife Torsha said. “Let’s have the funeral.”
We were one of the biggest critics of Tomlinson’s signing. He was one of the least effective backs in football last year and he didn’t seem worth the trouble. The rest of the NFL agreed.
Only the Vikings and Jets were interested, and Minnesota was only offering a third-down backup role. Tomlinson has carved out more in New York.
Through two games, Tomlinson has six more touches than Shonn Greene, the presumed starter. Yes, it’s a small sample size. But Tomlinson has averaged more than 5.5 yards-per-carry in consecutive weeks.
LT2 didn’t have one week that efficient in all of 2009, and only did it twice in the entire 2008 season. Tomlinson has to prove he’s durable, but give the Jets credit for seeing something left in Tomlinson that no one else did. He’s making people miss again.