WEDNESDAY NFL FOCUS

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Joe Howell

By Corey Hodges

Week seven of the NFL’s regular season was a bit of an oddity when it came to the all-important stat line. There were mind-boggling numbers being posted from the early Sunday games all the way to the Monday night matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Baltimore Ravens.  In between the beginning and end of a wild seventh week, stat abnormalities were more than plentiful as everything normal went out the proverbial window early on.

A largely ignored matchup between the Cleveland Browns and Seattle Seahawks resulted in a nine point combined total as Colt McCoy and the Browns secured the win in a battle of defense and field goals.

Cam Newton and the young Carolina Panthers dealt the Washington Redskins their second loss in a row, as Newton threw for over 250 yards and breathed new life into Steve Smith who tacked on 143 receiving yards in a game only adding to Smith’s robust resume and solidly building Newton’s own in the process.

The Oakland Raiders were blanked by the resurgent Kansas City Chiefs, as newly acquired quarterback Carson Palmer stepped in following shaky play from Kyle Boller and proceeded to throw three interceptions in what was an inauspicious debut for a veteran leader without practice and without form.

A duel between the winless St. Louis Rams and the inconsistent Dallas Cowboys resulted in a blowout victory for Dallas that came with a side note in the form of DeMarco Murray, who carried 25 snaps and stacked up over 250 rushing yards in a coming-out party rarely seen by a rookie back.

Sunday night’s 2010 Super Bowl rematch between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints promised a strong showing by the then 0-6 Colts who, while winless, had remained strong despite the absence of Peyton Manning.  At the end of the night, the run of competitive play had come to an end in the form of an embarrassing 62-7 drubbing that left many wondering what heart Indy had left.

The Monday night capper stayed true to the oddities Sunday had brought, as both Ray Rice and Maurice Jones-Drew fumbled and fell their way to lackluster stat lines as their respective Ravens and Jaguars dueled to a defensive close, with the final tally giving Jacksonville only their second win of the year and young quarterback Blaine Gabbert his first as a pro.

While twisted and convoluted, the true tale of week seven and the mystery surrounding it can only be surmised by the lack-luster play of Tennessee’s Chris Johnson, who tacked on another head-scratching performance that has many pondering the wild turn of events in the career of a player once deemed for Canton and greatness.

Chewing up no less than 1,228 yards per season through the end of last season, 2008-2010 were glorious years for both Chris Johnson and his Tennessee Titans. A 10-0 record stood until late November in 2008 as the Titans surprised and Johnson broke through in a rookie season that instilled him as not only a star running back but a franchise centerpiece going forward. Fourteen touchdowns and over 2,000 yards summed up an impressive 2009 that came with a missed playoff berth for Tennessee but solid numbers for an improving Johnson. Last season saw a three touchdown dip to a still commendable 11 rushing TDs, as the Titans struggled to 6-10 overall and left Johnson again with big numbers but no postseason glory. The lockout and almost non-existent training camp pushed many teams into a panic as this season of NFL football began. That anxiousness was not lost on Johnson, who readied for his fourth season with a demand of salary and recognition that carried on into the early weeks of Titan football. In what boiled down to opinions of inconsideration and worth, a distracted Johnson wanted pay commensurate with that of a top ten player. He stressed his category as a player over running back in calls that he be valued as such a playmaker and continued to bombard Titan officials and front office members with calls for more money and respect. Johnson’s calls would be answered as the season got underway. He was rewarded with the largest contract ever penned for a running back, a deal totaling over $53 million over four years.

With contracts aside, Johnson began this season with almost immediate regression, as it wasn’t until a matchup against the Cleveland Browns earlier this month that finally saw Johnson break the 100-yard rushing mark, a small accomplishment for a back who often gauged his performance in groups of touchdowns per game and records broken. This past week’s home loss to the Houston Texans saw a regression of Johnson and his Titans’ squad as another weak outing reignited calls that action be taken to reinvigorate the lynchpin of an offense desperate for leadership.  It could be said that perhaps the downturn in performance can be attributed to a revolving door at the quarterback position, a perch that has seen Vince Young depart, Kerry Collins enter and leave almost in the same breath, and Matt Hasselbeck happily join much to the chagrin of fans who clamor for a return to the days of Young’s electrifying play and double digit win seasons.

What lies ahead for Johnson is unknown. He is one of many running backs who are seeing the position they play slowly evolve thanks to the “ground and pound” mantra employed by Rex Ryan and the New York Jets. Now more than ever, taking snaps that direct the football into the teeth of the defense are filling up spots in coach’s playbooks once occupied by play action passes and shotgun formations. The battle is still in the air, but on the ground it’s up to runners like Johnson to pick up the slack when constant passes from the quarterback position aren’t the answer for defenses only growing tougher and stronger. A fresh mindset and new ideas in Tennessee could perhaps spark a fire under Johnson and see a return to his old form. But if current outlooks trend toward the positive, that revolving door could easily switch positions and have Johnson once fondly reminiscing on the days when it all looked so simple.