Rams' Faulk wins AP Offensive award

Posted: Thursday, January 13, 2000

   The Marshall Plan couldn't have worked any better.

   When the St. Louis Rams acquired running back Marshall Faulk from Indianapolis last April, it was with the intention of building their offense around him. The Rams' offense became prolific and catapulted Faulk to The Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year award, announced Wednesday.

   Faulk became only the second player in league history to gain 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 receiving in the same season. He ran 253 times for 1,381 yards and seven touchdowns, and had 87 receptions for 1,048 yards and five TDs. The combined yardage of 2,429 was an NFL record, breaking Barry Sanders' mark of 2,358.

   ''That's cool,'' said Faulk, who became the Rams' second individual award winner for the 1999 season. Quarterback Kurt Warner was voted the NFL Most Valuable Player last week.

   The Rams went from 4-12 to 13-3, the best record in the NFC. They scored 526 points and ranked first in passing, fifth in rushing and first overall offensively. Warner, Faulk and tackle Orlando Pace made the All-Pro team.

   ''He's a special player,'' Warner said of Faulk. ''Without him, we wouldn't be the same team and wouldn't have the same explosiveness.''

   Faulk was a dynamic player in five years with the Colts. But he also was plagued by injuries and generally was surrounded by a mediocre cast.

   That changed with the trade to the Rams for second-round and fifth-round picks in the '99 draft. Not a high price to pay for someone who would dominate the offensive statistics, joining Roger Craig of San Francisco in 1985 as the only 1,000-1,000 players.

   ''When a quarterback throws for 41 touchdowns and 4,000 yards, they know that means something,'' Faulk said of Warner. ''But there's only one other person that's done what I've done and that was 15 years ago. So it's tough to say well, does that mean anything, does it take a special player?

   ''You've got to play every play, you've got to be in there, and you've got to catch some lucky breaks and make some things happen.''

    Faulk made so much happen that he earned 26 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members. He beat Warner by eight votes.

    The other six votes were split between Indianapolis running back Edgerrin James, who replaced Faulk with the Colts and won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, and Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. They helped Indianapolis to an ever bigger turnaround than the Rams, from 3-13 to 13-3.

    Rams pro personnel director Charley Armey doesn't point to Faulk's speed or strength or stamina to explain why he excels.

    ''He runs with his eyes probably as good as any back in pro football, probably in the history of pro football,'' said Armey, who pulled off the Faulk trade. ''He's a very instinctive player. His legs allow him to do what his instincts and his eyes tell him to do. He is the total package.''

    And there's more to the package.

    ''There's always more,'' Faulk said. ''Do I know what? No. Does anybody? No.

    ''The situation will have to present itself and I'll take advantage of it.''

    That's the Marshall Plan at work.



  • Switchboard: 706-208-2200
  • Circulation and Delivery: 706-208-2354
  • Newsroom Tip: 706-208-2211
  • Obituary Fax: 706-543-5234
  • Accounts Receivable: 706-549-0123
  • View the Staff Directory
  • or Send feedback