Bettis Sets His Sights on New Rushing Goal
Jerome Bettis, who spent Monday learning how to play chess, has a better chance of beating Bobby Fischer than topping Emmitt Smith, the way this season is going.
A year ago at this time, Bettis and Smith were locked in a match race for the NFL rushing title. This season, Bettis is going nowhere and the Rams are accompanying him.
Predictably, those “2,000 yards or bust” T-shirts Bettis passed out to teammates before the season have shrunk.
Bettis’ objective now is to get 1,000 yards, and after gaining a total of 80 yards the last three games, bringing his total to 894, there are no guarantees. The 1,200 yards that he must gain to void the fifth year of his contract and become a free agent apparently will have to come next year.
“Some kind of way, I need to get the football and that’s a major issue that needs to be addressed,” Bettis said Monday. “I’m sure I will be talking to Coach Chuck Knox Wednesday to see what his thinking is.”
The Rams (4-8) have lost three consecutive games and in those games Bettis has averaged slightly more than 11 carries a game. Ground Chuck has been chucked in favor of an offense that has thrown 121 passes the last three weeks.
“I think we need to get tough again,” Bettis said. “We lost our toughness when we stopped being able to run the football.”
Whereas quarterback Chris Miller has publicly cast blame on teammates, coaches and injuries for his failures, a frustrated Bettis has kept his poise.
“You get in a situation like this and dissension leaks in and everybody starts to question everybody else,” Bettis said. “Who knows who is playing hard and who isn’t?”
A year ago Bettis ran for more than 100 yards seven times and gained 1,429. He was on a similar pace earlier this season, after running off four consecutive 100-yard games and gaining 507 yards in the first five games, but since then he has averaged 2.8 yards a carry.
A back injury helped sabotage his good start and continues to prevent him from practicing at full speed each week.
Injuries along the offensive line have shut down the running lanes. Guard Tom Newberry had to move to center to fill in for injured Bern Brostek. Jackie Slater was injured, tackle Darryl Ashmore was hurt and rookie Wayne Gandy became the starting right tackle. Guard Leo Goeas missed three games, and when Bettis went looking for daylight, more often he found a wall of tacklers.
In Sunday’s defeat by the San Diego Chargers, the Rams basically benched Bettis. After taking a 14-6 halftime lead, they ignored him on their opening third-quarter possession on second and one, and faked an end-around with the intention of throwing a pass. The Rams fumbled, recovered, but were penalized for holding. After an incomplete pass and a sack, they punted and the Chargers returned it 75 yards for a touchdown, added the two-point conversion and tied the game.
On third and one at the Charger seven-yard line later in the third quarter, the Rams called for a pass rather than a run, and Miller’s pass for Flipper Anderson was intercepted.
“The inexperience in the offensive line has trickled down to the play calling,” Bettis said. “It’s like, OK, we know in the back of our minds we’re not solid up front so now we won’t run the football.
“You saw that on second and one, and third and one, and that’s how our thinking has changed. And it’s hurt us.”
Knox said there is a chance Brostek will return to the starting lineup this week, which will allow Newberry to return to left guard. Goeas is recovered and Bettis, who ran for 212 yards against the New Orleans Saints a year ago, is ready for their invasion Sunday.
“Now is going to be the true test,” Bettis said. “We’re getting everybody back from the beginning on the offensive line and let’s see what’s the frame of mind. If the frame of mind is still the same and we’re not running, then, yeah, we have a problem.”