Is Marshawn Lynch too important that we let him play injured

I know Marshawn Lynch is great and a physical runner, but he has been playing hurt for the past 3 games. He has been missing practice with back and foot injury. He has fumbled the ball during these games but we were able to over come in 2 of them but not the 3rd. My question is this, are we playing him as Redskins played RG3, where he is too important a player even if he is not 100%. I was wondering what if he put Turbin in early in the ATL game to run physical and change the first and second quarter instead of a 50 or a 40% Marshawn Lynch?

I totally respect Marshawn and the beast mode and all of that stuff, so I am not asking this question to undercut his value, but when a team is put in a position to win games, did the coaches do the right thing by putting him in more often than not. When we were in 3&1 for instance, he pulled himself out and then we had to go 4&1 and he was forced to go back in for instance.

He didnt seem injured, but just having him out there opens up the play action amazingly.
I wish we wouldve ran more play action on those 3rd and shorts insteads of being dumb about it and running the ball knowing the defense has the box stacked.

He's had back problems and missed LOTS of practice all year because of it.

Short answer, "No".

He wasnt 100%, but he certainly wasn't "injured" in the sense that he couldn't play RB yesterday.

Turbin wasn't exactly running all over them either, so it made no sense to keep the biggest offensive play maker on the bench.

He's had problems with back spasms his entire career, not something new. We were playing for the final four and if he was able he was going to play.

I love Lynch and like the idea we have a running back that made a run most football talking heads call the "greatest ever", and I'd wager you do too.

But enjoy him while you can cause I'm afraid with his style he won't have a long career. I hope I'm wrong but the odds are against him. Pete didn't run him into the ground like Rat Boy is doing with Griffin so not to worry there.

:les:

Yes.. he is that important.

The fumble was really, really dissapointing. I thought for sure after last week fumbling, especially on the goalline that he would sure that up against ATL. Nope...

I expect a few scheme changes next year. How much we run, how much we pass, Turbin could be utilized a lot more, Lynch can still knock them down. But what we do next year will be different.

ya what's up with the fumbling.. what did he have like one or two all season, then 3 in the post season... weird... i agree with you Radish, i don't see him sustaining a long career with the absue he takes, i give him 2 , 3 years barring injury.... sure hope we can get him one before he's done here.... he deserves it.

Turbin will eventually be a hell of a back. Les is right, Lynch won't be good for too much more. He may be able to do a thing like that bastard from the Stealers, who the Zebras stole our Superbowl for (I will not mention that evil name), and play in a more limited role as time goes on, but fact is, guys who run like him, aren't gonna last as long as guys with a more elusive style.

madbohem":yzes68jm said:

I expect a few scheme changes next year. How much we run, how much we pass, Turbin could be utilized a lot more, Lynch can still knock them down. But what we do next year will be different.

Click to expand...

I think this is right. As long as Carroll is here, I imagine we'll always be a team that runs the ball effectively and often - especially since that run game is crucial to opening up our play action. But the balance may shift toward the pass a bit more in the future since Wilson has demonstrated his talent in that area. Not so much so that we'd fit in with the rest of the NFL as a "pass-happy" team, but no longer 32nd in attempts.

We talked at coffee this morning that something has happened to make him fumble this last 2 games. Some little thing they will look at in slow motion and see if they can spot what he has changed.

Its a worry but now we have the off season to deal with it.

:les:

I don't really put those two fumbles on Marshawn at all. The first one was just a perfect/perfectly flukey play by the defender, who got a perfect, blind shot that hit the ball just right. The second one was just hat-on-ball, something we see all the time from every back and something that's pretty hard to guard against.

I do think they should "conserve" him through the season, though, because his style is so punishing. He's a poor man's Earl Campbell.

I am still not completely sold on Turbin like a lot of people are.

He is an very important key. We do have to keep in mind that backs don't have a long productive life. Most are on the downhill at 28 and ones that take a lot of pounding like Lynch slow down sooner.

We really need to start giving a lot more of the load to Turbin next year or someone else. He was noticing slower against Atlanta. Watch some film of him when he was on the Bills and his speed then. He is getting mugged most plays he carries the ball