Bell Lets Touchdowns, Yards Do the Talking

Compiling gaudy statistics to earn hosannas of praise mean as little to Greg Bell as the criticism that has been directed at him. The criticism may subside from shouts to whispers, inevitably, but as long as the yards and touchdowns continue to come, the Ram running back can live with his detractors.

“I’ve taken criticism the last six years,” Bell said, “and it doesn’t bother me. Whoever wants to criticize me can do it, but I’m just going to continue to carry myself the way I want and play the way I’m capable of playing.”

It’s how he’s carrying the ball that matters most to the Rams, who finally seem to be achieving the necessary balance between their running game and their passing attack. Bell had two second-quarter touchdown runs against the Jets Sunday, the first a wriggling one-yard dive over a pile that put the Rams ahead for good and the second a five-yard zig-zag around left end to stamp the game a rout. It was the fifth time this season that Bell has rushed to the end zone twice in a game.

Let the critics say what they want: the Rams had a 38-14 victory that sustained their playoff hopes and Bell had the National Football League lead in rushing touchdowns with 14, two more than New Orleans’ Dalton Hilliard.

And--perhaps most noteworthy of all--Bell had the satisfaction of hearing what passes for effusive praise from Coach John Robinson.

“I thought he did a good job,” said Robinson, who prefers the prototypal power runner to the slippery water-bug style for which Bell’s 5-11, 210-pound build is tailored. “He was solid, consistent and very effective. He’d have had a 130- or 140-yard day if I’d left him in (later in the second half).

“He was effective, particularly early when the going was tough. He continues to be an outstanding goal-line runner. You have to say, ‘Hey, this guy had a really solid game today.’ ”

Bell finished with 52 yards in 15 carries, an average of 3.47. That’s slightly below the 3.8-yard average he took into the game, built on 231 carries for 875 yards, and not up to the 4.2 average he recorded last season in gaining 1,212 yards in 288 carries. Nor did he match the spectacular 221-yard, two-touchdown show he put on Sept. 24 against Green Bay.

It wasn’t many things, but Bell’s performance Sunday was what the Rams needed. The 52 yards were as much as Bell has gained since he rushed for 73 against Minnesota Nov. 5, and the Rams’ 150 rushing yards in 35 carries compared well with the 285 passing yards accumulated by quarterbacks Jim Everett and Mark Herrmann. It also was the team’s best rushing total since a 150-yard game against the Giants Nov. 12, an encouraging sign to Bell.

“I think we have to be getting the numbers and running it about 30 to 35 times,” said Bell, who was acquired in 1987 from Buffalo as part of the Eric Dickerson trade. “The past few weeks we’d only run the ball 18 times and that takes away from the chance to get some yards. . . . If people keep stereotyping this team from what the pass has done, we’re going to be surprising some people. If we can peak at the right time, in about two weeks, we’re going to be all right.”

Two of Bell’s goals for the season remain unfulfilled, and both can be realized next Sunday against New England. Foremost is clinching a playoff berth; next is getting the 73 yards he needs to reach 1,000 for the second consecutive season and third time in his career.

“Right now, we’re in a better corner than we were a few weeks ago,” Bell said. “We’ve got to go to New England and play our kind of ball. We didn’t have any letdowns today (after their disappointing loss to the 49ers last Monday) and I don’t think that next week there’s going to be any letdowns. The only way we can win it all is if we make it a balanced attack. If we can carry it on the ground 35 times and Jim airs it out 35 times. If we keep over a 4.0 average (rushing) that will take a lot of the pressure off.”

While he has put pressure on himself to get 1,000 yards, Bell won’t let the pursuit consume him. “It’s a personal thing,” said Bell, whose 1,100-yard season as a rookie in 1984 brought him Pro Bowl honors. “Right now, I’m a few yards shy but I’m not going to worry. I know next week that if something’s got to be done, I’ll do it. I know what my role on this team is. A thousand is there--it’s going to take a run here and there, a good, long run or a lot of consistent short runs.”