{"id":65516,"date":"2019-05-24T15:59:46","date_gmt":"2019-05-24T19:59:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonnfl.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=65516"},"modified":"2021-03-20T13:30:16","modified_gmt":"2021-03-20T17:30:16","slug":"easy-big-easy-alvin-kamara-is-no-marshall-faulk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2019\/05\/24\/easy-big-easy-alvin-kamara-is-no-marshall-faulk\/","title":{"rendered":"Easy Big Easy, Alvin Kamara Is No Marshall Faulk"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/ram\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Los Angeles Rams<\/a> recently revealed footage of general manager <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/executives\/SneaLe0.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Les Snead<\/a><\/strong> referring to obtaining Memphis running back <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/H\/HendDa00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Darrell Henderson<\/a><\/strong> as a &#8216;Kamara element.&#8217; It didn\u2019t sit well in Cyberland, Louisiana but it should have. What Snead mildly and unintentionally implied is that the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/nor\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">New Orleans Saints<\/a> star running back sets the standard. He might currently be the NFL\u2019s hottest ticket in dual-threats but after two seasons, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/K\/KamaAl00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Alvin Kamara<\/a><\/strong> is no <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/F\/FaulMa00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Marshall Faulk<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Alvin Kamara Is No Marshall Faulk<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>New Orleans is nicknamed <em>The Big Easy<\/em>. This is, in part, because of its easier-going way of life and its acceptance of diverse talents. Why then did Les Snead&#8217;s war room coining of the phrase &#8216;Kamara element&#8217; bring some gumbo to boiling since its release? Is it because New Orleans Saints fans have yet to fully remove the target from the backs of all things Los Angeles Rams? That would explain including rookies taking no part in the 2018 NFC Conference Championship game&#8217;s now-infamous outcome.<\/p>\n<p>In a nutshell, the opposing\u00a0consensus is <em>HOW DARE THEY!\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>One Saints site referred to Henderson as Kamara&#8217;s &#8216;copycat&#8217; version.<\/p>\n<p>The world gets it&#8217;s devastating to be so close yet so far but it\u2019s been four months, for crying out loud. And there&#8217;s no sound logic in accurately comparing two players on two different teams at two different spaces in time. Is there?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Alvin Kamara<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>(2017) 120 rushes, 728 yards, 8 touchdowns\/81 receptions, 826 receiving yards, 5 receiving touchdowns<\/li>\n<li>(2018) 194 rushes, 883 yards, 14 touchdowns\/81 receptions, 709 receiving yards, 4 receiving touchdowns<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Marshall Faulk<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>(1999) 253 rushes, 1381 yards, 7 touchdowns\/87 receptions, 1048 reception yards, 5 receiving touchdowns<\/li>\n<li>(2000) 253 rushes, 1359 yards, 18 touchdowns\/81 receptions, 840 reception yards, 8 receiving touchdowns<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>But pitting Kamara&#8217;s first two seasons up against Faulk&#8217;s first two seasons with the Rams is unfair. Faulk had way more feature-back carries long, long ago in a far away land in a time when grown men weren&#8217;t forced to play like their mommies were watching.<\/p>\n<p>Still, in the last three games versus the Rams, Kamara\u2019s totaled 184 yards (well over 5 yards per) and 3 touchdowns running. 231 yards (21 of 24 targets) and 2 touchdowns catching. Overall, the Saints most effective weapon against the Rams defense.<\/p>\n<h3>If Anyone Should Be Insulted, It&#8217;s Rams Fans<\/h3>\n<p>Seriously. It\u2019s such a small thing that no one even noticed \u2014 his timing was too great, the excitement of drafting a new weapon and all. But for future reference, <em>Dear, Mr. Snead, when you have the chance to toot your own horn in business, by God, TOOT THAT BAD BOY!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Faulk is not only a living legend in the limited world of Rams fans, but other ex-NFL players have also said he\u2019s the greatest football player they\u2019ve ever seen. Period. This should mean, in the Rams corner of the world that is NFL\u2019s <em>Game of Thrones<\/em>, he\u2019s king. At the very least, he\u2019s what you aim at finding in your NFL lifetime if you\u2019re general manager. That said, the upgraded line reads, \u201cHenderson gives us that <em>Faulk factor<\/em>,\u201d not Alvin Kamara element. I mean, if the legacy of the greatest player to ever do more than his position requires is in your backyard, make him barbecue!<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Marshall Faulk &#8211; The Ultimate NFL Running Back <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/1J9pla1YEY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/1J9pla1YEY<\/a> via <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/YouTube?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; MobSquad Times~2021 NFL Champs \u2605\ud83d\udc51\ud835\udcdb\ud835\udcd0 \ud835\udce1\ud835\udcea\ud835\udcf6\ud835\udcfc\ud83d\udc51\u2605 (@GridDawgs247) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GridDawgs247\/status\/1132003062824837120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">May 24, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Hey, it&#8217;s all very understandable Snead would have Kamara on the brain.\u00a0Les was barely getting used to not being twenty-something when Faulk was carving his name in history. He was a scout for the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/atl\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Atlanta Falcons<\/a><\/strong> at that time. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wikipedia.org\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Wikipedia<\/strong><\/a>, he was a graduate assistant at Auburn University in 1994, Faulk&#8217;s draft year. Being born, raised and attending schools in Alabama coming up, it&#8217;s doubtful he was ever a Rams fans. His pro career started the following year with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/jax\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Jacksonville Jaguars<\/strong><\/a>, a scout still wet behind the ears. He no doubt heard of Faulk, perhaps scouted him to some degree.<\/p>\n<p>Still, all these years later and working with a head coach that\u2019s <em>barely getting used to not being twenty-something<\/em>, Snead\u2019s clearly thinking in the here and now.<\/p>\n<h3>How Quickly They Forget<\/h3>\n<p>There\u2019s nothing wrong with living for today. However, Faulk aside, one could argue that Snead also failed to use the best reference among the current crop of NFL dual-threat running backs.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Who is the best dual-threat RB in the NFL?<\/p>\n<p>Our crew makes their picks, who are you standing with?<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Good Morning Football (@gmfb) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/gmfb\/status\/1128263050430156802?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">May 14, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Does anyone remember a modest ol&#8217; chap by the name of\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/B\/BellLe00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Le&#8217;Veon Bell<\/a><\/strong>? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/B\/BellLe00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>David Johnson<\/strong><\/a>? Neither is retired.<\/p>\n<p>Throw any name or comparison in NFL history into the fray that you want, none are Faulk. He was not a dual-threat running back although he mastered that aspect. In reality, he was both a quarterback and coach trapped in the best multi-purpose player&#8217;s body in NFL history.<\/p>\n<h3>G.O.A.T.s Are Never Replaced, Just Kept Company<\/h3>\n<p>No, New Orleans. Les Snead did not purposely insult your player or damage the Saints legacy with a casual expression of the versatility he wants for his team going forward. If anything, he placed slightly more value on a player that has yet to be the sole featured back on his team.<\/p>\n<p>With that in mind, perhaps Snead knew exactly what he was doing. Using Faulk factor instead Kamara element is heaving much pressure onto the shoulders of a player that has yet to play a down in the NFL. And frankly, Darrell Henderson looks more like Kamara on-field when you watch him.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s impossible, in most cases, to determine who is best at something over time, too many factors are involved. This is truer in American football because it is the ultimate team sport. But there&#8217;s good, there&#8217;s great and then there&#8217;s <strong>G.O.A.T<\/strong>.s. The G.O.A.T.s in nearly any sport have that something extra. They strive to reach higher heights long after they reach fame and spoils. They never quit.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bryanko01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Kobe Bryants<\/strong><\/a> of the world want to when at all costs and will do whatever it takes, even alienate themselves. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/D\/DonaAa00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Aaron Donalds<\/strong><\/a> of the world never stop working hard to get edges in strength and technique. And the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/M\/MannPe00.htm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Peyton Mannings<\/strong><\/a> and Marshall Faulks of the world never stop breaking down film or stop learning. Their humility allows them to help and want teammates to be as good. Rarely is their idle time being filled by playing video games or making it rain in night clubs.<\/p>\n<p>The Rams have had at least two of the greatest running backs to ever play the game. You don&#8217;t replace the greats. All you can do is join them and that happens only when you are as dedicated.<\/p>\n<p>Main photo:<br \/>\n<a id=\"cdbFJWYoS2NVKfzBPdzrIQ\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1097110692\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'cdbFJWYoS2NVKfzBPdzrIQ',sig:'Ycuo59Dz4b6RpjZmJMwm5qeR03C3lTCmda97S5UFpuU=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1097110692',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Los Angeles Rams recently revealed footage of general manager Les Snead referring to obtaining Memphis running back Darrell Henderson as a &#8216;Kamara element.&#8217; It didn\u2019t sit well in Cyberland, Louisiana but it should have. What Snead mildly and unintentionally implied is that the New Orleans Saints star running back sets the standard. He might [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3007,"featured_media":65771,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[54,34,28],"tags":[1573,4774,7323,1779,7334,233],"class_list":["post-65516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorials","category-rams","category-saints","tag-alvin-kamara","tag-darrell-henderson","tag-los-angeles-rams-roster","tag-marshall-faulk","tag-new-orleans-saints-roster","tag-peyton-manning"],"modified_by":"David Latham, Managing Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65516","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3007"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65516"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65516\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65771"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65516"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65516"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65516"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}