Don't look at the stats for answer to RB question

Robb Klutz, Special to the News

Published September 12, 2006 at midnight

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Football is one of the most stat-intensive sports in America today. For any given position on the field, there are endless parameters to measure individual performance – yards after catch, completion percentage, punt hang time, etc. Some, like receiving yards, are simple and straightforward. Others, like quarterback rating, require an abacus and a team of Harvard-educated CPAs to calculate.

However, as the Broncos try to select a starting tailback, statistics are about as helpful as a one-armed French waiter.

The battle between Mike and Tatum Bell shouldn’t be about 40-yard dash times or yards per carry. It should be about which Bell Mike Shanahan wants in his foxhole when the bullets start to fly. So if the Broncos head coach wants to know which to select, he should forego the statistics book and look somewhere else.

The history book.

The Broncos victory in Super Bowl XXXII was made possible not by outstanding individual efforts, but rather the sum of sacrifices made by all 53 team members. It was Terrell Davis jogging back on the field blinded by an inopportune migraine. It was Shannon Sharpe disregarding personal statistics to act as a glorified decoy, effectively neutralizing Green Bay’s best blitzer and run-stuffer, Leroy Butler. It was Rod Smith throwing blocks downfield when other receivers would be conserving energy for pass patterns. And it was John Elway disregarding his personal safety (as well as the law of gravity) to get that extra yard with the first down already secured.

Shanahan needs to be mindful of these sacrifices and pay attention to what his two leading candidates are saying.

Listen to many interviews from Tatum Bell, and you hear a common theme – his desire to be the "man," his all-but-guaranteed quest for 1,000 yards and about how he’s paid his dues. Listen to Mike Bell, and you sense a noticeably different theme – every day is a blessing, practicing hard and doing what he can to help the team win. There’s a minor, yet vitally important contrast between the two.

Both Mike and Tatum showed the necessary capabilities to be the Broncos workhorse. Tatum broke the century mark on 15 carries while Mike rushed for 58 yards on 10 carries, including the Broncos only touchdown.

But again, statistics are worthless. Especially when the Broncos lose.

The Broncos starting running back needs to be unconcerned with personal achievement. It will do them no good to have a 1,200-yard rusher if they don’t make a Super Bowl run. Larry Johnson, LaDainian Tomlinson, Warrick Dunn and Willis McGahee all rushed for over 1,200 yards last year. And they all watched the playoffs from their respective couches.

Tatum Bell is an extremely talented rusher and he has a bright future in the NFL. The Dan Snyders and Jerry Joneses of the league salivate over skills like his. But Mike Bell is the logical successor to Terrell Davis, Sammy Winder and Otis Armstrong.

And what do those running backs have in common?

Super Bowls.

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