A year ago, I admit I wasn't sure if Jamal Lewis had what it took. Conventional wisdom had him as a slower, high-mileage version of his once formidable self. With a one-year deal, a change of scenery, and the running duties put squarely on his shoulders, the big man came through with, really, an incredible year.
He gained more yardage, and at a heftier clip, than he had in any of the previous three years. His 11 touchdowns trailed only his monster 2003 season as a career best.
He earned a nice new deal and a newfound admiration from many Browns fans, myself included. Still, there are those who wonder whether Lewis can anchor the ground attack to such great effect in 2008. But it's pretty clear that this guy is a disciplined pro who keeps himself in fine form. And I no longer have any concerns about his motivation. He's a leading figure in a high-profile offense for a team that now knows and expects that it will win aplenty.
Age is just a number. Lewis will turn 29 on August 29. That may be on the gliding side of the productivity curve for the average NFL runner, but he's no average NFL runner.
Neither was Jim Brown. When he was 29, he scored a career-high 21 touchdowns and gained 1,872 yards from scrimmage, second-most in his illustrious career.
Neither was Jerome Bettis. At 29, he gained 4.8 yards per carry, the best average since his rookie year. True, he was limited to 11 games.
Neither was Lewis's old teammate Priest Holmes. His best season came at age 29: 1,615 rushing yards, 5.2 per carry, 70 receptions, 24 total touchdowns.
Heck, Walter Payton was great both younger and older, but his most effective year as a receiver came at age 29.
Cherry-picking? Maybe a bit. But this two-year-old piece shows that older running backs are a bigger part of the game now than in years past.
Nothing's guaranteed, of course, but looking at it statistically, demographically, or individually, there's simply no reason to worry about Lewis losing effectiveness over the next year or two.
