What happened to all the blood 'n guts runners?

Mike Bell ran for 677 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie, but he's been relegated to the bench this season in Denver. Peter Read Miller/SI

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I'm not a good evaluator of running backs ... or let's put it this way, I get too caught up in the blood and guts of it, the passion. And I forget the important corporate issues such as blitz pick-up and ability to adjust to the passing game, on the go, and playbook proficiency. And of course, speed. All the desire in the world won't take a tenth of a second off a guy's 40 time.

I see so many runners who get through a game smoothly, making the correct reads, running through a hole if it's there, falling down when they get tackled. And at the end of the game they have their 80 or 90 yards, and at the end of the season, 1,000, and they haven't done a single thing to inspire anything but mild interest.

But I'll get emotional about the backs who run with emotion. I just wish the league were kinder toward them. Mike Bell, Denver Broncos, an undrafted rookie last year. A great story ... bucked the odds, etc. Can anyone forget the game he had against the Colts on Oct. 29, running for 135 yards in the second half with the kind of fury that can ignite a whole team? Brought you right up out of your chair.

Where is Mike Bell now? Recycled in Mike Shanahan's musical chairs system. Benched in favor of Tennessee import Travis Henry, who's on track to be Shanahan's seventh 1000-yard back -- if the NFL doesn't suspend him -- and free-agent rookie Selvin Young from the University of Texas. Bell has been shifted to fullback, where he backs up Cecil Sapp. A few weeks ago it was pointed out to Shanahan that Bell wasn't exactly happy with his role.

"They like to be employed," the coach said. "They get more enthused about the job when they find out they've actually got a check coming in."

Ooh, that's a cold one.

Here's another former Bronco hero who's dropped off the face of the earth -- Reuben Droughns. What a story in 2004; led the Broncos to the playoffs with 1,240 yards rushing, after four years as a nonentity in the league. No real speed but a splattering, knock 'em dead style that drove the fans wild. His unrelenting passion made him the star of the weekly highlight shows.

Traded to Cleveland the next season, put up good numbers his first year, on a losing team that nobody watched, playing behind a mediocre offensive line. Starting to burn out last year, and then traded to the Giants, where he is third man in. Does anyone still remember what he did three years ago? Could he still do it if someone slapped him on the back and said, "We want you to be what you once were?" Who knows?

Right now I can't think of a runner who plays with the passion of the Cowboys' Marion Barber. He starts each game on the bench. Ten out of 10 people would tell you he's a better player than the starter, Julius Jones. I can understand the theory ... sort of. Use Jones as a softening element, finish the other team off with Barber. It's the old shock troops approach popularized by Knute Rockne more than 80 years ago -- soften 'em up with his second unit, which he called, "my shock troops," then bring in his big guys when the enemy is tired.

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