PigSkinPosse Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Brown's comeback short-lived By DAVID CLIMER Senior Writer INDIANAPOLIS — On a team that seems to be held together with adhesive tape and hope, it was somehow fitting that Titans running back Chris Brown's return to action lasted only until midway through the third quarter. After rushing for 104 yards on 19 carries, the case of turf toe on Brown's left foot sent him to the bench after one offensive series in the second half. His big toe just couldn't go. ''It was bothering me at halftime, but I wanted to come out and see what I could do,'' he said. ''I wanted to play another series and see how it felt. I tried it and it just wouldn't calm back down.'' Asked how he knew his day was over, Brown shook his head. ''It just starts throbbing,'' he said. ''You can't put any weight on the ball of your foot. It hurts to take a step and to try to push off.'' Antowain Smith took his spot and finished with 12 yards on five carries as well as four catches for 31 yards. Brown walked slowly to the locker room and was still struggling to get around as he prepared to walk to the team bus. ''Chris was very, very sore,'' Coach Jeff Fisher said. Before the toe injury sent him to the bench, Brown supplied a spark. After a pair of 2-yard carries on the first series, he bolted for 18 yards on the next possession. Later he had a 13-yard run and two 10-yarders. ''I felt a little rusty out there at the start,'' said Brown, who was held out of the last two games and hasn't really practiced for almost a month. The threat he posed in the running game caused Indianapolis to play its safeties closer to the line of scrimmage in run support early in the game. That allowed wide receivers Drew Bennett and Derrick Mason to operate one-on-one against cornerbacks for some key completions. ''They were a little concerned with our run, as you would expect them to be,'' Fisher said. Some had wondered if Brown should expose the toe to the artificial turf of the RCA Dome. Fisher contended that the surface didn't really make a difference, and Brown agreed. ''It wasn't any different,'' Brown said. ''You've still got to plant in there and push off, no matter what you're playing on.'' Brown left the impression he wants to finish the season and said he plans to be available for next Monday night's game against the Chiefs. Apparently, the Monday Night Football cameras have a healing effect even on turf toe. ''I plan on going again,'' Brown said. ''It's Monday night — prime time.'' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 How does this cursed turf toe thing get healed permanently? Or does it hang with you and make you vulnerable to it forever? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 It takes some serious time off for it to heal. Usually an offseason will do it. That being said, Chris Brown should now be dubbed Crystal Brown. If it isn't a hamstring, it's an ankle. If it's not an ankle it's a toe. etc. He is a giant wimp. Fragile Fred reborn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrooklynCrew Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 After dealing with an EVERY week game time decision and partial game plays ALL SEASON long with this guy, I wouldn't touch him next year. Let somebody else try and figure out if he's gonna play on Sunday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yo mama Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Eh. He delievered some decent yardage in less than 4 quarters of play. He's got the talent, no question about that. But his status as a potential keeper pick is very much in doubt, given his lack of durability. I'll be curious to see if the Titans draft a RB early next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 It takes some serious time off for it to heal. Usually an offseason will do it. 595621[/snapback] Is it one of those things that can recur, because the toe is permanently weakened? Or does "healing" mean that the player is no more likely to get it than any other player? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 (edited) No doubt he's got talent. He has had several games where he played great for a half, or three quarters. But there is no other explanation, other than he can't play through injuries. I think once it's healed, you don't have a reoccurring problem with it. I remember Marshall Faulk having turf toe one year with the Colts, and it's never been a problem with him since. Edited December 6, 2004 by CaptainHook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swiss Cheezhead Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 I'll be curious to see if the Titans draft a RB early next year. 595640[/snapback] Don't be too curious. There's no way the Titans will be looking to replace Brown in the draft. They need lots of help elsewhere (especially to keep McNair around), so they'll just hope Brown stays healthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yo mama Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Don't be too curious. There's no way the Titans will be looking to replace Brown in the draft. They need lots of help elsewhere (especially to keep McNair around), so they'll just hope Brown stays healthy. 595854[/snapback] You're probably right, Cheezhead. But if the Titans did draft a RB in the first few rounds of the draft it would be a major indictment of Brown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengal Mania Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Not disagreeing w/ overall assessment of Brown's durability, but in all of these posts you've got people saying how bad turf toe can be, then you've got people saying he's a big pu$$y for not playing thru it. 149 yds (Bengals) and 100+ yds (Colts) says he's playing thru it while he can, isn't it? Tell me about the non-pu$$y RBs who've played thru this. If that is in fact the case, then this must not really be that bad of an injury, right? I'll take Brown as my #2 RB next year without hesitating for one second. Sure, I may grab a third quickly, or handcuff him, but the guys got skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circlejerks Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Brown is a total ***.... I play him one week and he doesnt suit up... I play Antwoin the next week and Brown suits up and plays a half... total *** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh 0ne Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Brown is a total ***.... I play him one week and he doesnt suit up... I play Antwoin the next week and Brown suits up and plays a half... total *** 596127[/snapback] Yeah, it's Brown's fault that you don't know how to manage a fantasy team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Not disagreeing w/ overall assessment of Brown's durability, but in all of these posts you've got people saying how bad turf toe can be, then you've got people saying he's a big pu$$y for not playing thru it. 149 yds (Bengals) and 100+ yds (Colts) says he's playing thru it while he can, isn't it? Tell me about the non-pu$$y RBs who've played thru this. If that is in fact the case, then this must not really be that bad of an injury, right? I'll take Brown as my #2 RB next year without hesitating for one second. Sure, I may grab a third quickly, or handcuff him, but the guys got skills. 596078[/snapback] If it was just the turf toe, I would understand. He missed most of last year with hamstring problems. He missed parts of this year with ankle sprains. Now he's got turf toe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big F'n Dave Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 With next week being a Monday game, he's gonna make it interesting for a lot of us who have him. If he's able to go, he should blow up against KC in prime time. But, if he's still iffy come lineup submission time Sunday, it could be a nightmare.:eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schleprock Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 GB having the ability to start Brown, and if he's a scratch, having the ability to substitute Smith for him on Monday. Only problem is that leaves Pittman on the bench (tough matchup against the SD D). I'm suprised that most leagues don't have lineups that can change up until 5 mins. before gametime..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Swerski Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 If it was just the turf toe, I would understand. He missed most of last year with hamstring problems. He missed parts of this year with ankle sprains. Now he's got turf toe. 596160[/snapback] FWIW, I remember reading about Brown having a reputation for not wanting to play through minor injuries in college and that supposedly caused him to fall in the draft a little. And now he's suffering not-so-minor injuries (hamstring, turf toe) in the pros. Hmmm... Brown's a talented back, but I don't like his chances for success in the pros in the long run. Being injury prone is one thing. Being unwilling to play through minor injuries (which ALL featured backs must do) is a death sentence in the NFL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Swerski Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Tell me about the non-pu$$y RBs who've played thru this. If that is in fact the case, then this must not really be that bad of an injury, right? 596078[/snapback] I remember Owens playing through turf toe in SF a few years ago. I imagine that WRs use their toe ligaments approximately as much as halfbacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rattsass Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 I remember Owens playing through turf toe in SF a few years ago. I imagine that WRs use their toe ligaments approximately as much as halfbacks. 596320[/snapback] I would bet that Brown took the needle before the game Sunday, and the effects of that only last about a half. He tried to go in the 2nd half but there was just too much pain by then. And they can't get the needle twice in one day. I think all this puss talk is a bit much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh 0ne Posted December 7, 2004 Share Posted December 7, 2004 FWIW, I remember reading about Brown having a reputation for not wanting to play through minor injuries in college and that supposedly caused him to fall in the draft a little. And now he's suffering not-so-minor injuries (hamstring, turf toe) in the pros. Hmmm... Brown's a talented back, but I don't like his chances for success in the pros in the long run. Being injury prone is one thing. Being unwilling to play through minor injuries (which ALL featured backs must do) is a death sentence in the NFL. 596314[/snapback] Say what you want but I don't think you can accuse him of being soft in the pros. Twice he was questionable and twice he played, and both times he ran hard and was succesful. I guess we'll see how this plays out, but how many starting backs haven't missed a game or more this season? Less than half I'd say without looking it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Swerski Posted December 7, 2004 Share Posted December 7, 2004 Say what you want but I don't think you can accuse him of being soft in the pros. 596482[/snapback] I didn't say that he was "soft in the pros." I was simply stating what I'd read about him in college. FWIW, he certainly did suck it up yesterday and deserves credit for that. But I don't trust a guy who (1) has had a number of injuries already in his short pro career and (2) had a reputation of being "soft" in college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh 0ne Posted December 7, 2004 Share Posted December 7, 2004 I didn't say that he was "soft in the pros." I was simply stating what I'd read about him in college. FWIW, he certainly did suck it up yesterday and deserves credit for that. But I don't trust a guy who (1) has had a number of injuries already in his short pro career and (2) had a reputation of being "soft" in college. 596489[/snapback] I wasn't implying that you did. I just used your quote because it was relevant to make my point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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