Cowboys’ Workhorse Questioned
He has been one of the most productive and durable running backs in NFL history, a man who could burst through a tiny sliver of air between his left tackle and guard and turn it into a touchdown run, leaving those behind with aching lungs and wounded spirits.
But it has been four games since Emmitt Smith last stood in an end zone with hands held aloft, and the Dallas Cowboys star no longer inspires the kind of game-breaking fear in those who stand across the line of scrimmage. Opposing coaches also wonder if what they’re seeing on film is the continuing decline of a Hall of Fame talent.
“He just doesn’t seem to have that quick step to the hole anymore,” one coach said of Smith. “When you get that many carries, eventually you wear down. He might be getting to that point.”
Smith is coming off an injuryplagued 1996 season in which he played through neck and ankle problems. But he said during training camp he felt better than he had in quite some time, thanks to offseason surgery to remove painful bone spurs in his ankles. And while he has produced solid numbers in his first three games, rushing for 292 yards and a 4.1-yard average, his inability to score a touchdown has created at least mild concern among some team officials, even if they’re not expressing it publicly.
Going back to last season’s playoff loss to the Carolina Panthers, Smith hasn’t scored a touchdown in four straight games, the longest such drought of his career. After scoring 26 touchdowns in 32 games in the 1994-95 seasons, Smith has scored only 12 touchdowns in his last 19 regular-season games. His longgainers have eroded as well: In his last 19 games, he has had only 11 carries of at least 15 yards; in the previous 16 games, he had 20.
Smith detests comparisons to former Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints running back Earl Campbell, whose career hit a wall after the 1983 season, due largely to his burdensome role in the offense and a series of nagging injuries. But you have to wonder if Smith, a workhorse runner since his arrival in Dallas in 1990, soon will meet the same fate.
“I think what Emmitt has to do is figure out a way to let the younger running back on the team (Sherman Williams) get some more carries so that he can stay fresh for a period of years,” said Campbell, who has developed a close relationship with Smith. “It’s time for him to start playing smart. When your legs have been used like Emmitt’s have, he’s got to stay fresher for longer. I think he’ll be fine, but he’s got to be smart about it.”