Dickerson Now Has an Opportunity to Be Prophet, Too

Everyone in the NFL knows the greatness of Eric Dickerson as a running back. Today, they’ll learn if he’s also a prophet.

Three months ago, after his Indianapolis Colts nipped the Green Bay Packers in a preseason game 25-21, Dickerson proclaimed, “In November, we’ll manhandle them.”

Dickerson played sparingly in that meaningless summer exhibition game, but the Packers will no doubt see plenty of him today at Lambeau Field.

The Colts’ running game is kicking and Indianapolis, 5-5, has won four straight for the team’s longest winning streak in 11 years.

The Packers, the team Dickerson promised would be manhandled, have been just that the last two weeks. Green Bay, 2-8, has been shut out by Buffalo and Atlanta, the first time since 1932 the Packers have been blanked in back-to-back games.

Now, not only must the Packers find a way to inflate their inert offense, they’ll have to find a way to stop Dickerson and the Colts’ newest weapon -- the wishbone.

“The wishbone is basically unheard of at this level, so consequently nobody spends time in training camp or during the season defending it,” said Packers Coach Lindy Infante.

“Then all of a sudden, you get a team like this who runs it -- and they are running it more and more every week now. They’ve picked up a quarterback that runs it well. And that gives you an added dimension; a quarterback who can run the ball. So now, you’ve got four guys back there who can run the ball.”

Colt Coach Ron Meyer installed this most collegiate of offenses as an alternative in ball-control and goal-line situations. His team has used it for 35 plays in the past three games and it has produced four rushing touchdowns, two by passing and no turnovers.

With the wishbone the Packers not only have to contend with Dickerson but with George Wonsley and Albert Bentley. The Colts normally replace starting quarterback Chris Chandler with former CFL quarterback Rick Turner, whom the team picked up just to run the offense.

“That’s why Turner is here,” said Meyer. “Turner’s expendable. I’ll be blunt about it. He knows it, too.”

The first problem the wishbone presents is that it takes up practice and meeting time for the team that must defend it.

“Offensive and defensive coaches like to make people spend time preparing (for new things), so it takes time away from their basic stuff,” said Packers defensive coordinator Hank Bullough.

Bullough said the Packers will not change their alignment for the wishbone. “The basic idea is you’ve got to account for everybody,” he said. “That’s the main thing; you’ve got to account for everything and hope the guy gets there and makes the tackle.

“It’s an option thing. They use it in short-yardage situations or when they are ahead and they want to keep the clock moving. They throw some passes off of it too.”

And the Colts run the offense well.

“When you’ve got the three backs they have, you’re going to run it well,” Bullough said. “You’ve got to remember one thing: Players make plays. Plays don’t make players.”

“Dickerson is probably the premier back right now in pro football,” Bullough added. “Two things: He gets paid the most and he performs best. That’s probably the easiest way to sum him up ... He’s the (Lee) Iacocca of the running backs; he gets paid the big salary and he produces. That’s the name of the game.”