Whether it’s the transition to Steve McNair at QB, the lack of a blocking fullback since the departure of Alan Ricard or merely the passage of time, the numbers for Jamal Lewis have been less than mind blowing this season, Week One aside. The Ravens RB attempts to explain the circumstances to the Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston.
“I guess it’s the case of a guy not getting it done right now,” Lewis said. “There are no big runs, no big breakaways, so let’s put it on the next guy. People have a right to their own opinion, but I’m a 2,000-yard rusher, and you don’t forget how to run the football.”
“I’m not a 13- to 15-carry back. You know that, I know that and the Ravens know that,” Lewis said. “I’m the type of back that has to carry the ball about 25 to 30 times a game. In the past, we had a big offensive line and they liked to lean on people. We would pound the ball for 2 or 3 yards a carry in the first half, but then those runs would turn into 5 and 6 yards in the third quarter. By the fourth, you’re wearing teams down and that’s when you can hit a 30- or 60-yarder.
“That’s how we got to the Super Bowl in my first year. People are asking, ‘Where is the old Jamal?’ He’s out there, just not getting into the flow. I’ve got to get enough carries to get a feel for the game. I’m no different than a quarterback or a wide receiver, where you have to work into a flow.”
“We started to move in that direction last year so that we weren’t so one-dimensional,” Lewis said. “It’s no one’s fault, we just wanted more balance. More teams are using an H-back around the league. I’ve had to make an adjustment. I’ve had to run with one less person leading the way, and one more person in the way.”