...is he gonna be the "Lightning" to LenDale's "Thunder"???
No. 1 Titans pick quickly makes his mark Rookie Johnson sprints for 66-yard touchdown By JIM WYATT • Staff Writer • August 10, 2008
It didn't take Chris Johnson long to create his "Welcome to the NFL" moment.
In what seemed like a split-second, the Titans rookie running back nearly went from one end of LP Field to the other on a 66-yard touchdown run. It was the highlight of Tennessee's 34-13 victory over the St. Louis Rams on Saturday night in the preseason opener for both teams.
"I didn't blink, I saw it,'' tight end Alge Crumpler said. "Everybody else looked like they were running for their lives and he was just so smooth. … I'm anxious to see the replay because it happened so fast.''
While most Titans fans came to LP Field looking to gauge the progress of quarterback Vince Young and last year's fifth-ranked defense, undoubtedly the majority left talking about Johnson.
He electrified the crowd, his coaches and his teammates in the second quarter when he took a handoff from Kerry Collins and raced untouched into the end zone. The run accounted for the bulk of Johnson's 77 yards on six carries and was part of a 340-yard rushing night for the Titans. He also caught a pass for 13 yards.
"I didn't know I'd have a run like that in the first game,'' Johnson said with a smile. "I just wanted to come in and have a good game, and let the organization know they didn't make a mistake with the first round pick.''
Johnson is a very good back. The only thing that he has against him is his size, but that is what people said about MJD. Johnson is extremely fast, has great hands, good vision, and makes great cuts.
I think this guy has the ability to break open games. Balls to the wall speed. But at 205 you just can't take the everyday beating that it takes to be a 20+ carry back. He will definately be a great change of pace guy for years to come. Fantasy wise I think he ranks close to Felix Jones and the other 3rd down change of pace guys.
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Cowboys 4 life wrote:I think this guy has the ability to break open games. Balls to the wall speed. But at 205 you just can't take the everyday beating that it takes to be a 20+ carry back. He will definately be a great change of pace guy for years to come. Fantasy wise I think he ranks close to Felix Jones and the other 3rd down change of pace guys.
I don't think they drafted him to be a 20 carry back, when you have Lendale White it be kind of pointless to expect him to get the ball that much...He will line up all over the place in a variety of ways, he will be a bigger home run hitter then Felix, but I have both guys ranked pretty closely in that tier with guys like Deangelo Williams, Ahmad Bradshaw, and others...CJ should be good value in every draft this year, I just have him rated higher then some of those other committee backs due to him being a threat to score every touch...You can tell Tennessee loves this guy, and if his performance continues the way it has the rest of this pre-season, he is going to out produce alot of backs being drafted ahead of him.
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I think he will have performances similar to Lee Evans in the past few years, meaning he will rush for 40-50yrds 0td most of the time and have a few 100-150yds 1-2td weeks; obviously, his involvement in the passing game will also be a big factor in his stats. Lendale will get goal line carries so that will also limit his value. Commentators say he will be the "lightning" in the offense so it will be anyone's guess when he will strike. Unless he blows up and starts putting in consistent performances, e.g. AD's displacement of CTaylor last year, I would not risk starting him if you have a more consistent back.
I can easily see White going down with an injury and Johnson being one of the steals of the draft. This guy has ESPN Commercial for next year written all over him.
I'm still standing by my prediction that he will be drafted higher then Bush next year in redrafts...I haven't seen Bush utilize his explosion I don't think once the way CJ did in his first pre-season game, he doesn't waste time dancing around, he finds the seam and he is gone...I'm already killing myself on whether or not to start him as my RB2 this year, but if he continues through pre-season breaking off a long run once or twice a game then he's going to be a must start for me...I refuse to bench a guy who has potential for a huge game at any given time, and being that Tenn has no outside threats and they will be running the ball plenty, he's going to produce in that offense.
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Lee Evans is a "one trick pony" he can catch the deep ball. He is hit or miss each week.
Chris Johnson is a running back which means I see him getting a MINIMUM of 4 carries a week, as well as some catches. AT THE VERY minimum. The fact that he has multiple ways to get into the offense and won't just be hit or miss because being a running back who can catch gives him better chances of not just being a big play one-hit wonder.
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