Johnson concerns Colts
INDIANAPOLIS – Larry Johnson carried Kansas City right into the playoffs. If it takes a larger workload to keep them there, Johnson’s ready.
“You can’t sit here and say you’re tired,” the star running back said. “You’ll have about three or four months of relaxation after the Super Bowl to say you’re tired, but this isn’t the time to do it.”
Until that next loss, the Chiefs (9-7) will continue to rely on Johnson.
This season, he set an NFL record with 416 attempts, a trend four-time AFC South champion Indianapolis (12-4) expects will continue today in the AFC wild-card game. Atlanta’s Jamal Anderson set the previous mark (410) in 1998 when he led the Falcons to the Super Bowl.
Johnson appears to have a decided advantage.
The Colts finished this season with the NFL’s worst run defense (173.0 yards) and broke a 53-year-old franchise record by allowing opponents to run for 5.3 yards per carry.
Now they must figure out how to slow Johnson, the league’s No. 2 runner with 1,789 yards and 17 touchdowns.
The Colts believe they can slow him down with a conventional approach.
“We have to gang-tackle and get more guys around the ball,” three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney said. “We have to swarm to the ball.”
A boost for the Colts may be getting former Pro Bowl safety Bob Sanders, one of Indy’s best tacklers and most energizing defenders, back on the field more.
Sanders has only played in two games since having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in mid-September.
“It’s not optimal since he’s not played for so long, but I think he’ll play well,” coach Tony Dungy said. “He’ll play with a lot of energy, but I don’t how many plays that’s going to be.”
“Hopefully, I’m not overanxious and try and stay calm,” Sanders said.
Johnson may get more carries than usual for another reason – the Chiefs’ developing quarterback controversy.
Coach Herm Edwards plans to start veteran Trent Green, a two-time Pro Bowler who missed much of the season with a concussion before hurting his ankle while sliding last week in the regular-season finale.
If Green falters, Edwards has said he would not hesitate to go to Damon Huard, who went 5-3 as a starter this season, because Edwards believes he has to give the Chiefs a chance to win.