LaDanian Tomlinson is shattering records and Tiki Barber is going to retire. Peyton Manning could finally win the big one and the Patriots dynasty could finally be crumbling. The headlines are going other places late this football season, but theres reason enough for the national scribes to keep their monocles turned toward the Mighty Midwest the final month of the regular season.
Chiefs plow-horse Larry Johnson.
For all the ink spilled on backs quicker (see Tomlinson), shiftier (see Barber) or more experienced (see most of the league), LJ is delivering major hauls every week for the red and gold. His stats through the first ten games were mind-boggling, considering every team the Chiefs faced stacked the line of scrimmage to stop him specifically.
By Thanksgiving, LJ had racked up 1,045 yards, tops in the NFL, better than his counterparts in both San Diego and New York. Making it more staggering was the fact just 62 of those yards came in a two-week October span against Arizona and Pittsburgh, games in which the Chiefs has to abandon the run game because of early deficits on the road.
The Penn State Punisher was averaging 4.2 yards per carry by the end of November, proving just how unstoppable he has become to opposing defenses. Tomlinson and Barber had the luxury of solid young quarterbacks with dangerous passing attacks. LJ was carrying the load for an offense touting a 31-year-old backup with six starts under his belt before the season. Defensive coordinators took as long as Mark Mangino at a tofu bar to decide what to key on: Larry Johnson.
The game plan was simple: take away the running game of the Chiefs and force Damon Huard to throw the ball. Unfortunately for defenses it wasnÕt quite that easy. Facing seven and sometimes eight-man fronts, LJ grinded and pounded and punished defenses to the tune of 130-yards or more in four of five games beginning in October. His stat line against the Rams would make Tecmo Bowl owners proud: 27 carries, 172 yards, 6.4 average, 31-17 final score.
His blend of power and speed is something potentially unseen in the NFL for more than two decades. Jerome Bettis was a big back and at his height, the focal point of the Rams and Steelers offense. But he never had the agility and break away speed of LJ. Eddie George and Jamal Lewis combined strength and elusiveness in their primes, but some would argue they werenÕt nearly as effective in short-yardage situations as LJ.
The best comparison for LJ right now is former Oilers great Earl Campbell. The Tyler Rose mashed linebackers and defensive ends, while outrunning corners and safeties. Campbell carried more weight than LJ, but both made defensive backs freeze like traffic in the Grandview Triangle. Campbell is in the Hall of Fame. LJ is simply having Hall of Fame seasons right now.
Chiefs fans are concerned this offense might not be potent enough to beat the Colts, Chargers or Patriots in January. Kansas City is having collective acid reflux remembering the sobering and plodding offenses of Martys playoff teams. There is a different dynamic at work now, however. While Marcus Allen was Canton-bound and one of the best all-around backs of his era, he couldnt dish out late-season punishment like LJ can. On 3rd-and-three, on a muddy field, in front of a hostile crowd and facing a stacked line, Allen couldnÕt bulldoze a first-down. LJ can. Thats what makes this Chiefs edition dangerous in January.
No, LJ isnt quite as flashy as Tomlinson. He doesnt play in a media market like New York. He doesnt have rings or playoff wins or MasterCard commercials. What he is is the perfect back for January and thats enough.
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LaDanian Tomlinson is shattering records and Tiki Barber is going to retire. Peyton Manning could finally win the big one and the Patriots dynasty could finally be crumbling. The headlines are going other places late this football season, but theres reason enough for the national scribes to keep their monocles turned toward the Mighty Midwest the final month of the regular season. 
