Reggie Bush leads his team in rushing yards, rushing attempts, receptions, reception yards, and is tied for td receptions all the major offensive categories. Please tell me how he's NOT an integral part of the offense. So we have Bush leading all those categories and yet he still returns punts. Where would the Saints be without him? Ya exactly. Name me some #1 wr's or rb's that used to consistently return kicks and no longer do since they became #1 options. The only 2 players that I can name are Steve Smith and Santana Moss who did it on a regular basis. Steve smith was at the very best a mediocre return man. Santana Moss a borderline star however, was a pretty good return man and he returned kicks well into his 4th year even though his stats have been up and down throughout all his career.
Bush IS irreplaceable. There's not a Saints fan out there who has watched the games this year that thinks the Saints offense would be nearly this good without him. Brees moves the ball down the field, but Reggie always makes the plays that keep the drives alive. And the big plays that turn the game. And Sean Payton doesn't really disagree with those that think players who are supposedly as irreplaceable as Bush shouldn't be returning punts. He hates having Reggie back there and has used him as a return man sparingly in the 3 years Bush has been in the league. But Reggie begs. And when a guy begs for a chance, and then excels at it as much as Reggie has lately, you really can't take him off the field. Those plays he is making in the return game are huge. And the Saints ain't got any one else who's worth a crap at returning punts, so if they want any return game at all, he's the only option.
He scored on special teams against the Eagles. You made it sound like he scores offensively every time. Which is it?
Just because an article mentions it that makes it true? In fact, the article says emerging and that means he isn't fully there yet. Yes, he is emerging as a special part of this offense but he isn't quite there yet. He's brought in a nice change of pace for the offense as I stated but with only 29 touches in 209 total plays he only accounts for 13% of the plays right now while Barber accounts for 53%. Witten has 35 touches and Owens has 22 and these are guys who normally don't get to run the ball. I'll agree he is emerging as a major part of this offense, he's just not there yet.
I don't think people are devaluing him. Some people believe that if you are an integral part of an offensive scheme then the coaching staff isn't going to risk you playing on anything but your position. This may or may not be true of Bush. He may just be the best on his team in returning kicks. The coaches may realize that their stars are getting healthy. They are just saying you don't risk a star player like that. Big 'if' because I don't think he will become that every down back and if he did then I don't think they would send him out there to return punts but like I said that's something I doubt we will ever know. Like I said, I think that's more of a knock against the coaching staff but I don't know what others are thinking. I wouldn't think that's the case. Westbrook returned punts and kickoffs for them and then he was pulled once he became a star. He is now only used in dire situations and I don't even think he will be used in that scenario anymore. I think that is untrue. If Jackson becomes a star wide out, then I don't think Philly would risk him on punt returns. Demps is a qualified return specialist as well. LOL! Number 1 receiver on the team? What are you going by? I'm not sure he's that valuable either since they have Ward and they are known for their running game and not their aerial attack.
I wouldn't exactly put his rushing stats up, especially for a team ranked 29th in the run. I'll give him the receiving stats although his average is paltry and 2 main players in that corp have been hurting. He's an integral part of the offense but their team has been very unhealthy the first part of the year. I expect his production, especially in the passing game, to drop once Colston and Shockey are healthy. Maybe I'll be surprised. Let's see if he still leads all of those when other players return. It'll be interesting. Not sure the point you were trying to make with this last statement.
Oh Jesus H. christo...We're still talking about Bush...Simply put, he's not worth the #2 pick given his production over the course of 2 plus seasons...He's a great athlete, and does change games, as a returner/receiver, not a running back...Only recently has he been an effective returner... Would I want him on my team sure, but I wouldn't pick him at #2...it was the Heisman and all the hype that got him #2 money...Carry on... Bush Stats btw, it's way too early to compare Felix Jones to anyone...He's going to be special, no doubt about it...He's a prototypical RB...
It kinda is that. PUNT returns I'd say the player earns his yards much more on kick Returns. So its not so much Bush himself but how return yardage is figured in. A team's defense sucks giving up 5 scores so they get the ball kicked to them 5 times. Same guy returns all 5 kicks for 20 yards each, he has 100 total yards for the game...he was basically HANDED yards that he got to pick up in easy 20 yard chunks. Why should the return man get credit over a running back that got 95 yards off 15-20 carries? Chester Pitts could get 50 yards a game returning the ball up through the wedge. If he doubles as punt returner thats 20-30 more yards a game. 2nd All Time in all purpose yards - Brian Mitchell the kick and punt returner http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/all_purpose_yds_career.htm Brian Mitchell was a very reliable and important special teams player. But he's obviously nowhere near as good other players in the top 50 like Jerry Rice, Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith, Marshall Faulk, etc.
