Give the ball to the hot hand
Literally, what is there to lose?
Woody Marks is more banged up than a 16-year old’s first car. Nick Chubb’s ribs are cracked, and the ghost Joe Mixon is slated to be Charles Dickens’ fourth spirit of Christmas.
Jordan was selected in the 6th round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Louisville. Even though he was their primary back, he was outshined by Isaac Gurrendo in the pre-draft process. Gurrendo was picked by the 49ers in the fourth round. Since Jordan’s selection, he’s rode the pine while Houston added Joe Mixon and Woody Marks in successive years.
Jordan sat on the practice squad for two full seasons before premiering for Houston last Sunday. He racked up 101 yards on 15 carries in his debut appearance for the Texans. He looked fresh, decisive, patient, and agile running the ball. A fresh set of legs could be just the thing this offense needs to kick it into high gear to end the season.
Jordan should get the nod over rookie RB Woody Marks, who scored his sixth TD of the season against the Cardinals.
Marks has been the premier back for the majority of this playoff push. Even he can admit this has not been the type of usage he is built for. A primarily pass catcher at USC and Miss. State, Marks was forced by Mixon and Chubb’s injuries to carry the ball more than anticipated. The number of games he’s left injured and returned is astounding. Give the rookie a rest against a defense that allows 118 rushing yards a game.
The Raiders did hold Saquon Barkley and R.J. Harvey to under 75 rushing yards each of the last two games, but that’s after letting third-string RB Kimani Vidal rampage for 126 yards and a TD. The Raiders have lost eight straight and only one of those they held opponents to under 24 points.
DeMeco Ryans and the coaching staff should award the promising start to Jordan’s career with a start against the Raiders. Give Marks a break and see if they can’t turn this remarkable performance into a late-season surprise. Who knows… maybe we have an Arian Foster 2.0 on our hands.
Category: General Sports
