What will happen with Reggie Bush faces the Texans 11/18?

Wait... what? Are you serious? Let's go to the videotape and compare RBs drafted last year in the first two rounds, shall we?

Reggie Bush (drafted #2): 8 G, 113 ATT, 434 YDs (3.8 AVG), 1 TD, 4 fumbles - 54.2 YDs/game
Laurence Maroney (drafted #21): 6 G, 89 ATT, 417 YDs (4.7 AVG), 0 TD, 0 fumbles - 69.5 YDs/game
DeAngelo Williams (drafted #27): 8 G, 62 ATT, 318 YDs (5.1 AVG), 1 TD, 1 fumbles - 39.8 YDs/game
Joseph Addai (drafted #30): 7 G, 149 ATT, 704 YDs (4.7 AVG), 7 TD, 0 fumbles - 100.6 YDs/game
LenDale White (drafted #45): 8 G, 170 ATT, 613 YDs (3.6 AVG), 5 TD, 3 fumbles - 76.6 YDs/game
Maurice Jones-Drew (drafted #60): 8 G, 82 ATT, 435 YDs (5.3 AVG), 4 TD, 2 fumbles - 54.4 YDs/game

Why not look at THIS year's rookie list while we're at it:

Adrian Peterson (drafted #7): 8 G, 158 ATT, 1,036 YDs (6.6 AVG), 8 TDs, 3 fumbles - 129.5 YDs/game
Marshawn Lynch (drafted #12): 8 G, 177 ATT, 690 YDs (3.9 AVG), 5 TDs, 0 fumbles - 86.2 YDs/game
Kenny Irons (drafted #49): NO STATS
Chris Henry (drafted #50): 3 G, 18 ATT, 102 YDs (5.7 AVG), 2 TDs, 0 fumbles - 34 YDs/game
Brandon Jackson (drafted #63): 4 G, 43 ATT, 115 YDs (2.7 AVG), 1 TD, 0 fumbles - 28.8 YDs/game

So, compared to the rest of this list (his peers), Bush is somehow supposed to make me eat crow? I don't get it.

 

With the struggles of Mario, Vince, Leinart, and others, that draft doesnt look too loaded.

Bush is doing fine. He's better than mediocre, I'd say above average. He's not living up to the hype, but it seems to me that New Orleans is happy with him.

 

Why is NO winning? Simple:

Drew Brees, 1st four games of the season: 1 TD, 9 INTs
Drew Brees, last four games of the season: 11 TDs, 1 INTs

Not exactly rocket science.

 

Of course they're happy with him. Bush and Vince would have to put together three consecutive years (each) of utterly terrible play before their fans would begin to turn on them... that's how big the hype machine is.

Also, they may all be struggling now, but I'm talking about the initial draft conversations. I'm talking about justifying the hype that led most folks to declare that not taking Bush was the worst decision in the history of sports. Also, I don't care how many dump passes he catches -- he's got to break the 4.0 YPC threshold before I can think of him as above average at his position.

 

Anything can happen....but I'd bet on Saints winning. And Bush not doing anything all that special.

 

Bush is not that far from the 4.0 YPC at this point, he is at 3.8. I'm not disappointed anymore that we didnt get him, I just think "mediocre" is too harsh for a guy that's been pretty important to a pretty good team. And you can't discount his versality in the passing game.

And he seems to be getting better. It seems like small RBs like Barber and Dunn take a little longer to get better.

 

All good points made by Cat and VecseySux. I love it when stats are actually researched, broken down, and posted.

However, none of Reggie's passing statistics were factored in. The saints aren't a ground a pound type team, that isn't Sean Payton's coaching philosophy. Therefore bush doesn't get 20 carries per game. Many of those short passes are Payton's way of running the ball. So it is hard to only break down "rushing" numbers when discussing Reggie Bush and comparing him to running backs in traditional rushing offenses.

When you add up Bush's rushing attempts AND receptions. Which all count as TOUCHES, then it is safe to say he is carrying the load more so than any other player on that team outside of the quarterback. I still say Bush is carrying the load for a Saints team that is 4-0 in its last 4 games. He has 3TD in the past 2 games alone.

 

The thing is, dump off passes inherently have a higher average than strict runs. Anyone in the world can catch passes out of the backfield for 5 or so yards per pop, but the elite backs are able to run through the tackles. He's not there yet.

Also, 5.5 yards per reception is a pretty low mark for a running back out of the backfield. Here's an example of a very good pass catching back -- take a look at his typical yards per catch.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/CentLa00.htm

 

i'd say he's around average as far as backs in the nfl go. about half the teams would want him and about half the teams are good with their current backs.

the worry i would have for him is that RB is the one position where rookies bust out regularly, unlike QB, or even DE for that matter, and he hasnt shown a whole lot in his season in a half unlike many other rookies runners weve seen from those 2 draft classes

 

You forgot an option:

Bush has an average game, Saints win. ESPN rides Bush's jock hard for his 12 carry/60 yard game and runs 45 minutes worth of stories (halftime plus some lighthearted bits during the first and second half action) about how stupid the Texans are for passing on Bush. Also there are 14 commercials featuring Bush, although, curiously, none of them are advertising New Era Sports & Entertainment.

So I just went with "Bush has an average game, Saints win", since it was the closest.

 

After all this running back talk, I have a man crush on purple jesus.

 

Bush will TORCH the Texans for 48 yards on the ground (with a 1 yard TD) and 57 yards in the air. The Saints will beat the Texans. ESPN will talk about how dumb the Texans are for passing on him and what a game-changing RB he is for the next week. Bush will get 3 more endorsement deals.





Meanwhile, Brees will throw for 458 yards and 4 TD's, Colston will have 178 yards recieving and 2 TD's

 

The funny thing, is looking at that draft, it doesn't look too top heavy like every one thought. In hindsight, I guess we should have taken the hometown guy, J. Addia.

 

Only because Bush will attract a minimum of nine defenders wherever he goes. Geez...

 

exactly...and colston/brees get a passing comment while all the highlights will be of that "amazing" 1 yard td run by bush

 

Honestly, when I see this thread title I see Reggie Bush in the open field with no Dunta Robinson. It doesn't look pretty.

Pooh.

 

Petey faints.

 

The Saints roll for an easy win, Reggie has a decent game...nothing spectacular.

 

Desert_Rocket
The Saints are now a passing team because they don’t have a RB that can run the ball. When Deuce was in the lineup they ran the ball. I give their coaching staff props for recognizing what Bush can’t do (i.e. run consisnently).

Bush is doing fine now that Deuce is sitting and the Saints have gone pass happy, which plays more to his strengths of being a scatback. He has played better but has still not come close to living up to expectations. Peterson is doing what Bush was supposed to do in all aspects of the game (running, receiving, even in the return game). Bush isn’t even looking like a top 3 back in his own draft, or the following one….

 

Earlier this year, I was looking forward to this game because I thought the two teams were evenly matched...i.e. both were pretty mediocre.

Now I think the Saints will win easily, probably by two touchdowns. The Texans secondary is too suspect. Brees will pick them apart.