| |  Zereoue handles running chores for Steelers
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
PITTSBURGH -- Unlike the man who is at least nominally one rung above him on the Pittsburgh Steelers tailback depth chart, Amos Zereoue does not have a catchy nickname, although that's not for lack of trying.
Fans here certainly have offered more than a few suggestions: "The Mini-bus," an obvious takeoff on starter Jerome Bettis' popular handle. "Famous Amos," a spin from his given first name. "Z-man," because of the first letter of his surname. "Waterbug," an allusion to his skittish running style.
None of them, however, has stuck.
Good thing for the Steelers, though, that Zereoue has displayed a lot more staying power than any of those hokey nicknames.
|  | | Zereoue doesn't have a catchy nickname, but he's certainly made a name for himself. |
With the powerful Bettis limited by injuries for a second straight campaign, Zereoue has become a significant contributor to the Pittsburgh offense, and is likely to start his second straight playoff game Saturday when the Steelers face the Tennessee Titans in a divisional-round matchup. The squat, fourth-year veteran rushed for a game-high 73 yards in Sunday's miraculous 36-33 comeback victory over the Cleveland Browns.
The performance should not have been surprising, since Zereoue actually led the Steelers in rushing this season, with a career-best 762 yards. He also had 42 receptions for 341 yards. In fact, Zereoue was one of only two backs in the NFL -- the other was Marcel Shipp of the Arizona Cardinals -- who led their teams in rushing in 2002 despite starting fewer than eight games.
"He's been tremendous," said Bettis, one of Zereoue's biggest supporters. "We definitely wouldn't have gotten this far without him. Every time we've needed him, he has come through for us, and we've needed him a lot. Amos has given this offense a boost every time he's been called on."
While he is arguably the best of the backup tailbacks whose teams remain in the Super Bowl tournament, Zereoue, who started five games this season is hardly the only one. Fact is, all eight franchises still playing feature plenty of depth at running back, and at least one standout in reserve.
The backups might be spear carriers, but they are also effective ball carriers as well, and most have elevated themselves above mere role player status. Indeed, there are some second-banana running backs in the NFL who would be the apple of some teams' eyes if they were on the open market.
Robert Holcombe has been a tremendous addition for the Titans, who have struggled in past seasons to locate a truly viable backup for Eddie George. For the Philadelphia Eagles, veteran Dorsey Levens has added not just playoff-type experience, but also a 5.5-yard rushing average as Duce Staley's caddy. LaMont Jordan has been productive in short-yardage sets for the New York Jets.
The list hardly stops there. But topping that list, it seems, is Zereoue.
A third-round choice in the 1999 draft, the former West Virginia University star mostly languished on the bench his first two seasons in the league, and had but 24 rushes and two receptions over that period. But when Bettis and Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala went down with injuries in 2001, it was Zereoue who stepped in to fill the void.
Although he didn't earn his first career start until the playoffs, Zereoue ran for 441 yards on 85 carries, and he also caught 13 passes. Sensing that he was more than just the stereotypical third-down back, Steelers officials kept Zereoue off the restricted free agent market last summer, signing him to a four-year contract extension worth about $8.8 million.
"The fact they made a commitment to me, that meant a lot, really," Zereoue said after last Sunday's comeback victory. "I wanted to stay here and finish what I had begun. I'm grateful for that opportunity."
It was an opportunity, though, that nearly didn't come.
During the summer, Zereoue lost 15 pounds from his 5-feet-8, 207-pound frame and, after severe stomach and abdominal pains and three days in a Pittsburgh hospital, doctors eventually discovered a cyst on his liver. The medical team working on Zereoue finally decided the cyst resulted from a parasite they feel the running back picked up on visits to his native Ivory Coast. Tests showed that the cyst was benign.
But to treat the cyst, Zereoue for weeks had to undergo a tough regimen of antibiotics. The tradeoff for recovering physically was that Zereoue lost his stamina and conditioning. He had no strength in training camp or preseason, and didn't regain anything resembling his normal tone until around October.
"I'd run one or two plays and then I was so tired that I could barely get out of the huddle," Zereoue recalled. "It was so frustrating. I mean, the doctors told me it was going to take a while, but I wanted to rush everything. When I look back now at what it took just for me to get back on the field, it really is a pretty (satisfying) thing."
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People can say, 'Well, it is Jerome's job and Amos is just keeping it warm for him.' But he's doing more than just keeping it warm. The guy is hot right now. We're lucky to have him here. ” |
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— Steelers C Jeff Hartings, on RB Amos Zereoue |
Zereoue, 26, also takes satisfaction from no longer being regarded as only a part-time back. He has become the centerpiece of the Pittsburgh run game as Bettis continues to be more infirm than effective. Most of the skeptics, those who insisted Zereoue could never be a 20-carry back on a regular basis, are convinced he is more than a situational back.
As long as Bettis continues to limp around practices, and perhaps even after, the situation at which Zereoue is best suited is starter. If he never adopts a recognizable nickname, he is certainly making a name for himself, and this weekend's game at Tennessee offers the next best chance to move further into the spotlight.
"People can say, 'Well, it is Jerome's job and Amos is just keeping it warm for him,' " said Steelers center Jeff Hartings. "But he's doing more than just keeping it warm. The guy is hot right now. We're lucky to have him here."
Zereoue isn't the only reserve running back who could have a significant effect on the playoffs. Here is a look at some others:
Atlanta: He got lost for a while, but coach Dan Reeves rediscovered first-round draft choice T.J. Duckett last week, and the youngster responded with 43 first-half rushing yards. Slowed by foot injuries, Duckett nonetheless led all NFC rookies with 507 rushing yards in 2002.
New York Jets: Every year, it seems, a Jets coach insists in camp he plans to cut down on Curtis Martin's carries. Second-year pro LaMont Jordan was an excellent No. 2 back this season, rushing for 316 yards, and displaying great inside power. Richie Anderson's statistics were down but he is still one of the NFL's most polished receivers out of the backfield.
Oakland: For much of the season, power back Tyrone Wheatley seemed lost in the shuffle, as Charlie Garner got most of the carries. Coach Bill Callahan has unearthed Wheatley, a brutish runner between the tackles, the past few weeks. In Zack Crockett, the Raiders have a fantasy football league star, a short-yardage expert who knows how to find the end zone. Over the last three seasons, Crockett scored 27 touchdowns on just 140 carries, with a long run of 33 yards.
Philadelphia: Dorsey Levens has played in a lot of big games and certainly has the kind of postseason experience to be a factor. Surprisingly, he caught just 19 passes this season, but he did rush for 411 yards on 75 carries, and he can still get to the edge on occasion. Rookie Brian Westbrook is elusive in space and the third-rounder registered 46 receptions.
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San Francisco: When Kevan Barlow learns to play hurt, he will supplant Garrison Hearst as the starter. For now, he is a tough inside pounder, a guy who runs heavy, has some burst, and can break tackles. His 675 yards are hard to ignore as a backup. Fullback Fred Beasley is a great lead blocker and has an uncanny knack for making the critical third-down catch.
Tampa Bay: Mike Alstott keeps getting elected to the Pro Bowl at fullback, but he is really an "Ace" tailback, at his best in one-back sets. His blocking is deficient and he still fumbles too much. But Alstott rips through tackles, runs over safeties and corners, and can catch he heck out of the ball, as demonstrated by his 35 receptions. Aaron Stecker averaged over six yards a carry and is a nice change of pace back.
Tennessee: There were some games coming down the stretch when Robert Holcombe was actually a much more effective back than Eddie George. The versatile Holcombe, who ran for 242 yards, can play tailback or fullback. He is also a standout special teams performer. Holcombe has what George no longer does: the ability to occasionally break a run to the outside.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.
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Divisional Playoffs