The Golden Boy. The President. The "Bush Push." All of these are common associations when the name Reggie Bush comes up. Back in 2006, when the Texans had the first pick, they declined to selected Reggie Bush. Instead, they went for Mario Williams, but that's another blog in itself. Reggie Bush, Mr. USC, would be going to the New Orleans Saints, whose city had been destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Makes for a good story, doesn't it? However, there's more than what meets the eye concerning Bush. Can he be a great runningback? Can he be a full-time runningback? Can he be a franchise player? I ask myself these questions, and I believe the answer is no.
Before you get on my back about Reggie, let me explain. Reggie Bush is not the next Curtis Enis. He is not the next Ki-Jana Carter. And no, he's not the next Ricky Williams. He's not the next anything. His name is Reggie Bush, and he is a unique player, just like everyone else. Now that we have that out of the way, let's bring Adrian Peterson in to the mix.
Many people use college stats to determine whether a player will do good in the NFL or not. Let me tell you right now, college stats are garbage. Don't get me wrong, college football is a great way to determine the pros and cons of a player, just not their stats. Their technique, their fundamentals, and how they play the game is most important. The thing I don't like about Reggie Bush is that he got by in college with his athleticism and speed, not his fundamentals. In the pros, he's been shut down by opposing defenders that are nearly as fast as he is.
Don't believe me? Let's take a look at stats. NFL stats, that is. So far, in his 2nd NFL season, Reggie Bush has rushed for 80 yards on 29 carries after 3 games. That's a measly 2.8 yards per carry, and it's especially pitful on a team like the Saints (yes, their 0-3, they'll rebound soon enough). Adrian Peterson has 383 yards on 76 carries after 4 games, which is an average of 5.0 yards per run. Adrian Peterson is currently 5th in the league in rushing. Fifth! He's using his brute power and his north-south running ability to run, unlike Reggie Bush's east-west style. If you'll notice, Minnesota is just 1-3, yet Peterson is rushing for more yardage than what Bush is. Yes, they have Bryant McKinnie and Steve Hutchinson, but Peterson is the real deal with or without that line.
Now, it's Marshawn Lynch's turn to line up against Bush. Lynch has 307 yards on 80 carries after 4 games, and that's even with facing the vaunted Pittsburgh rush defense. He's averaging 3.8 yards per rush, which is a little low, but this even with the porous swiss cheese that is Buffalo's offensive line. Lynch rushes similarly to Peterson, using his power to run over defenders when needed.
Thus, although Reggie Bush is more marketable than both Peterson and Lynch, I would take either over Bush. Peterson and Lynch have flashed a tremendous amount of potential in the league so far, and look to be a dynamic duo from the supposedly weak 2007 draft class. Meanwhile, Reggie Bush, in his second year, is facing criticism that he isn't as good as advertised. Well, he may not be as good as advertised, but he sure can advertise well.
That's it folks, I'm out like the Yankees will be against my Cleveland Indians.
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