Trent Richardson

The Danger of Rushing to Judgment on Trent Richardson

The talk that if Trent Richardson doesn’t have a productive season this year than he is a bust is baffling. How can someone who had a productive rookie season (950 yards rushing, 11 touchdowns, 51 receptions, 367 yards receiving, 1 touchdown) be a bust? NFL history has shown its not wise to give up on a player who has enjoyed this kind of production too early. There are two players both at running back who come to mind that best prove this-Jerome Bettis and Marshall Faulk.
They came into the league at about the same time (Bettis the year before) and both enjoyed immediate success-they were both the offensive rookie of year-Bettis in 1993 and Faulk in 1994. They both dipped in their third year. Its at this point their careers diverge. After his third year Bettis was offered a chance to stay with his current team (St. Louis Rams) or he could agree to a trade. He opted for the trade and that was best thing that could have happened to him. He made an immediate impact with the Steelers and through he didn't get as many individual honors that Faulk did, he still did well making the Pro Bowl 6 times. More importantly he got do something that few productive, loved athletes get to, he got to go out on top. In his last game the Steelers won the Super Bowl and if that wasn't enough it was in his hometown of Detroit.  Faulk as his stats indicate was much more versatile, he was both a threat as a runner and a receiver. He got traded to St. Louis because as he put it over a misunderstanding. The misunderstanding? Money His was vastly different situation than Jerome Bettis with the Steelers, the Rams were terrible before he got there. He proved to be the vital piece in one of the greatest offenses in NFL history-"The Greatest Show on Turf." His contributions were so important to this offense he was the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year 3 years in a row and he was NFL MVP in 2000. What made his MVP year really special was the Rams were without the their starting quarterback-Kurt Warner-for most of the year. He had been the NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP the year before. Because of Faulk efforts the Rams made the playoffs in 2000. He too got to enjoy a Super Bowl victory in 1999. Unlike Bettis his career ended due to injury. These players show why teams are reluctant to give up on a player who has been productive and they show why fans/sport writers shouldn't.  

Jerome Bettis Stats-

Year	Team	Games	Rushing Attempts	Rushing Yards	Yards per Carry	Longest Carry	Rushing Touchdowns	First Downs	Fumbles	Fumbles Lost
1993	LOS	16	294	1,429	4.9	71	7	79	3	1
1994	LOS	16	319	1,025	3.2	19	3	53	5	3
1995	STL	15	183	637	3.5	41	3	24	4	2
1996	PIT	16	320	1,431	4.5	50	11	76	6	4
1997	PIT	15	375	1,665	4.4	34	7	94	6	6
1998	PIT	15	316	1,185	3.8	42	3	58	2	1
1999	PIT	16	299	1,091	3.6	35	7	64	2	1
2000	PIT	16	355	1,341	3.8	30	8	71	1	0
2001	PIT	11	225	1,072	4.8	48	4	46	3	0
2002	PIT	13	187	666	3.6	41	9	42	1	1
2003	PIT	16	246	811	3.3	21	7	43	4	4
2004	PIT	15	250	941	3.8	29	13	50	1	0
2005	PIT	12	110	368	3.3	39	9	30	0	0
Career		192	3,479	13,662	3.9	71	91	730	38	23

Marshall Faulk's Stats-
Rushing Stats

Year	Team	G	GS	Att	Yards	AVG	LG	TD	20+	FD
1994	Indianapolis Colts	16	16	314	1282	4.1	52	11	12	58
1995	Indianapolis Colts	16	16	289	1078	3.7	40	11	6	68
1996	Indianapolis Colts	13	13	198	587	3.0	43	7	1	41
1997	Indianapolis Colts	16	16	264	1054	4.0	45	7	7	65
1998	Indianapolis Colts	16	15	324	1319	4.1	68	6	5	62
1999	St. Louis Rams	16	16	253	1381	5.5	58	7	9	65
2000	St. Louis Rams	14	14	253	1359	5.4	36	18	6	78
2001	St. Louis Rams	14	14	260	1382	5.3	71	12	8	70
2002	St. Louis Rams	14	10	212	953	4.5	44	8	5	51
2003	St. Louis Rams	11	11	209	818	3.9	52	10	5	49
2004	St. Louis Rams	14	14	195	774	4.0	40	3	2	45
2005	St. Louis Rams	16	1	65	292	4.5	20	0	1	15
2006	St. Louis Rams	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0
TOTAL		176	156	2836	12280	4.3	71	100	67	667

Receiving Stats

Year	Team	G	GS	Rec	Yards	AVG	LG	TD	20+	40+	FD
1994	Indianapolis Colts	16	16	52	522	10.0	85	1	3	2	22
1995	Indianapolis Colts	16	16	56	475	8.5	34	3	4	0	118 not 118
1996	Indianapolis Colts	13	13	56	428	7.6	30	0	3	0	18
1997	Indianapolis Colts	16	16	47	471	10.0	58	1	3	2	15
1998	Indianapolis Colts	16	15	86	908	10.6	78	4	12	1	44
1999	St. Louis Rams	16	16	87	1048	12.0	57	5	14	4	40
2000	St. Louis Rams	14	14	81	830	10.2	72	8	6	2	42
2001	St. Louis Rams	14	14	83	765	9.2	65	9	5	1	40
2002	St. Louis Rams	14	10	80	537	6.7	40	2	3	1	23
2003	St. Louis Rams	11	11	45	290	6.4	30	1	3	0	11
2004	St. Louis Rams	14	14	50	310	6.2	25	1	2	0	12
2005	St. Louis Rams	16	1	44	291	6.6	18	1	0	0	18
2006	St. Louis Rams	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
TOTAL		176	156	767	6875	9.0	85	36	58	13	303