Steven Jackson’s Future, As Seen In His Recent Past

Good news, St. Louis Rams fans! Steven Jackson was actually pretty good in the Rams’ preseason victory over the Kansas City Chiefs! He ran for 72 yards on 15 carries, which is significantly better than the zero yards he earned on his first five thousand carries of the preseason. With Cadillac Williams and Jerious Norwood looking mad decent in the preseason, this could actually be a great rushing team if Jackson has a bounce back season left in him. 

Here’s what his best eight games and his eight worst games from 2010 look like: 

Best Eight: 134 carries for 632 yards, 4.72 yards per carry, 16.7 carries per game

Worst Eight: 196 carries for 609 yards, 3.11 yards per carry, 24.5 carries per game 

That’s right: In his best games, per YPC, Jackson carried the ball nearly eight fewer times than in his worst ones, when he was forced to be The Only Guy on offense, as he seems to perversely enjoy. (In 2010 Jackson carried the ball more frequently in his best games, which makes more sense to me.)

16 games is almost no sample size at all, but I’d just as soon give Steven Jackson, One of a Few Guys on offense, as much a chance as is possible. If keeping him fresh turns him into Steven Jackson again, let Cadillac Williams be the guy who gets punished for three yards every other play; it’s what he knows.