| | | | | | | |  Saturday, September 8, 2001
Running backs highlight MNF opener
By Eric Dickerson
Special to ABC Sports Online
Monday night's opener between the New York Giants and the Denver Broncos (ABC, 9 p.m. ET) is going to give us a firsthand look at one of the most talked about situations in the NFL this summer -- the Broncos' backfield.
|  | | After two injury-plagued seasons, Terrell Davis is looking to return to his 2,008-yard form of 1998. |
In football, as is the case with any sport, it's "What have you done for me lately?" That's the situation Terrell Davis faces. TD was the star there prior to his injuries in 1999 and 2000. Olandis Gary rushed for 1,159 yards two years ago, and Mike Anderson came in and rushed for 1,500 yards last year when both Davis and Gary went down.
I believe Mike Shanahan should give Davis a shot to win his job back. If Terrell were 100 percent, he'd be in there. Did he do enough in the preseason? Only Shanahan can answer that question.
Terrell rushed for 2,008 yards in 1998, and that will always weigh heavily on the Broncos' minds. They owe him that much, to give him the opportunity to win his position back.
That said, whoever isn't chosen must be content as a backup. To me, that's the only way the Broncos will have a truly successful running game.
A healthy Terrell Davis makes one of the other two guys expendable. When he's healthy, he hits the hole faster than either Gary or Anderson. He hits the open field with force, makes cuts and has the ability to break arm tackles. In other words, Davis has all the tools to be a great back.
Mike Anderson is more like a power back. He hits the hole well, but not with Davis' force. He runs hard and works to get those extra two or three yards. His style reminds me of Gerald Riggs. Anderson had a few fumbles in the preseason, and the team could use that as a reason to keep him from starting.
Olandis Gary is more of a glider. He doesn't pick up his feet too high, but he follows his blocks well. Like Anderson, he hits the hole well, but neither of them do it with the strength or quickness of Davis.
From a coaching standpoint, it's a nice problem to have now, but this is not a burden Mike Shanahan wants later in the season. Someone is going to be unhappy. Then he'll come in and say, "I want to get out of here. I want to get traded. I want to go somewhere where I can play."
At 26 years old, Gary is the youngest of the three. But all three want to be "The Guy" and play right now, and they should. There's no way the Broncos will be able to keep all three of those guys happy.
The Giants, on the other hand, have basically the same situation as last year. Ron Dayne will play. He's lost 15 pounds and told me he feels lighter and quicker. He said he knows the offense better and can read defenses better -- especially in the passing game. That comes along with age.
When you're in a system for a year or two, you learn the ins and outs, how to read coverages, who to block if a certain guy comes, and that all comes with experience. Ron didn't have to do that in college because the offense wasn't as complicated.
|  | | Ron Dayne rushed for 770 yards in his rookie season. |
A lot of his problems last year were a result of being unsure of where to go or what the play was designed to do. It's not just about getting the ball and taking off. Every play has a designated area to go in. When you're a young guy, a lot times you're unsure of yourself as a player, and when you're unsure, you hesitate. And when you hesitate in the NFL, you're hit. You can't delay unless you have unbelievable quickness. Ron Dayne is not unbelievably quick or fast.
Because he and Tiki Barber are such completely different types of runners, they will most likely rotate in and out. Dayne is more of a power back, a guy that runs downfield, while Barber is a guy who can come out of the backfield and catch passes for you.
He's also much lighter (200 pounds -- Dayne is 253), and I don't see him lasting a 16-game season as the featured back.
Overall, Denver has the advantage, not only because of its depth, but the Broncos have a better offensive line. The Giants have a bigger line, but the Broncos' line is more athletic. They can block, run and get out in front of the backs to make blocks, and that's what you want.
The Giants have a power back and a scat back. The Broncos have three guys who can do it all. And all three of them have had 1,000-yard seasons.
Things to watch
If Jason Sehorn plays, watch how Brian Griese, Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey try to take advantage of his injuries.
How the Giants block Trevor Pryce: Pryce is a big, aggressive defensive tackle, maybe one of the best in the league.
Turnovers, as always, will be a big factor in this game. Another factor will be if the Giants defensive line can control the line of scrimmage and contain the Broncos' running game. That means getting penetration into the backfield. If they can't do that, it's going to be a long night for the New York Giants.
Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson is a sideline reporter for Monday Night Football and is a regular contributor to ABC Sports Online.
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