Barlow and the Bus traveled similar routes

By Darrell Laurant  |   Friday, May 11, 2007  |  Comments( 0 )

Pittsburgh Steelers
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Red flags or red zone? That's the choice the Pittsburgh Steelers contemplated before signing free agent running back Kevan Barlow to a recent contract.

The red flag that waved most emphatically was Barlow's statistics for the New York Jets last season -- 370 yards on 131 carries, a 2.8-yard average. Then, of course, there was his history of locker room strife and arguments with coaches, most famously comparing San Francisco's head man, Mike Nolan, to Hitler right after the 49ers shipped him east.

On the other hand, Barlow has spent a lot of time in places few humans ever visit -- NFL endzones. He scored 30 touchdowns in his first six pro seasons, and his dismal yards per carry average must take into consideration that six of those carries were short touchdown runs.

The best thing about Barlow, from the standpoint of the Steelers, is that he's a hometown guy (Peabody High School, the University of Pittsburgh) who might flourish in familiar surroundings.

Plus, at 6-foot-1, 234 pounds, he's a prototype power back -- perhaps even more so than new Steeler teammate Najeh Davenport, who despite his 250-pound bulk is known for his speed.

What Pittsburgh has been looking for over the past two seasons is another Bus to replace (or,at least, approximate) the retired Jerome Bettis. And when you look at it, the careers of Bettis and Barlow are eerily similar.

Both started out strong (Bettis with the Rams, Barlow with San Francisco) then saw their production unaccountably decline (Bettis slipped badly in 1995 after three Pro Bowl seasons, Barlow was shoved to the Jets' sideline last season by Leon Washington and Cedric Houston). Neither had any severe injuries, and both have proven themselves effective in the red zone.

The Steelers didn't help themselves at running back in the draft, and they badly need someone to spell Willie Parker and ram the football into the endzone on short-yardage plays. Barlow could be that guy, if he can regain the form of his 49er days.

According to some critics, Barlow has stopped attacking the line of scrimmage and started tip-toeing toward it, looking for holes. But if he can buy into the Steeler culture of hard-nosed football, his signing could prove a huge bonus for new coach Mike Tomlin and his staff.

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