Steven Jackson willing to play one-handed
St. Louis Rams’ offensive juggernaut Steven Jackson might be one of the NFL’s toughest players. But the running back’s willingness to play one-handed in the upcoming weeks, due to a broken finger, has put the seventh-year player in a whole other category.
Since entering the NFL in 2004, Jackson’s rough and rugged play has cemented his position as one of the league's most aggressive combatants. As such, the 27-year-old identifies more with the bruising offensive powerhouses of old, emulating former legends like
Hall of Fame running back, Emmitt Smith.
"Those kinds of stories that I heard growing up kind of fueled me to want to be a tough, old-school type of player," Jackson said of Smith's legendary heroics, according to
The Associated Press. "Not just a running back, but someone who’s gritty and willing to put it on the line week in and week out."
After playing the final three games of last year’s campaign with a debilitating back injury that needed off-season surgery, Jackson has pushed through a groin strain that has limited his production thus far this season.
Just a week after the surgery that required the Rams’ running back to have two pins inserted into his broken left index finger, Jackson played brilliantly against an aggressive Carolina Panthers' defence last Sunday.
"You can’t slow that guy down," St. Louis’ rookie quarterback, Sam Bradford, said after the 20-10 victory. "I don’t think anything with his hand changed anything in the run game today or really anything with our game plan."
The running back hopes to get as healthy as he can, looking to make the most of the Rams’ bye week before the team's next game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, 14 November.
Although the pins aren’t scheduled for removal for another six to eight weeks, Jackson is optimistic that he’ll be able to fully utilize both his hands in the coming weeks.
A team-first type of player, Jackson also knows that his team’s success is relatively dependant on his production, as the Rams take aim at the second half of the season.
"We’re always setting goals for ourselves, so this next month is going to be very important to get ourselves in a great position to be able to play in the postseason."
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