Crescent City collapse

Faulk's impressive season comes to tough end in hometown

Marshall Faulk gained 130 yards from scrimmage, but was held out of the end zone. AP

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- It was not the homecoming Marshall Faulk dreamed of.

Not the way he wanted to play in the Super Bowl in front of his family and friends, in front of the kids at his old high school where he's very much a hometown hero.

"It's disappointing, period, to lose a game, regardless of how you lose it," Faulk said. "The Patriots made more plays than we did, that's what the results are."

Faulk, the St. Louis Rams' running back who led the NFL in touchdowns this season and won his second consecutive Player of the Year award, and third successive Offensive Player of the Year award, was not able to work his magic in Sunday's Super Bowl as the Rams fell 20-17 to the New England Patriots.

"They came after us a couple of times and they did get to Kurt [Warner] and stuffed a couple of plays, but for the most part, we were effective in moving the ball up and down the field," Faulk said. "We stalled some drives with some bonehead mistakes, and we just didn't convert like we're used to."

There were few of the expected bursts from Faulk. A 15-yard run was his longest. He was held to just 76 yards on 17 carries. Faulk averaged 4.5 yards a carry but he did not get close to the end zone.

He also had four receptions for 54 yards.

"Marshall is always dangerous," said Patriots safety Lawyer Milloy. "He's such a great player you don't shut him down, you just try to slow him down. That's what we did. We made sure we had several people around him, so if one didn't get him the others would."

Faulk had scored 21 touchdowns as the Rams finished the regular season with a league-best record of 14-2.

He was second in the NFL to Kansas City's Priest Holmes in total yards with 2,147 during the regular season, 1,382 rushing and 765 receiving. Holmes had 2,169 total yards.

"It's disappointing," Faulk said. "Anytime you lose in the playoffs, it's disappointing. To lose in the Super Bowl might be a little more disappointing. I really don't know what to tell you or what I feel right now because I think it's still sort of a shock to me."

Even an attempt to use Faulk's speed on a kick return went wrong. Faulk caught the ball and was unable to keep his feet inbounds, stepping out at the Rams' 6-yard line.

"I thought he might break it," said Rams head coach Mike Martz. "We thought about this all week. He's the greatest running back in football right now. You don't put him back there normally because you risk injury. But this is the Super Bowl. To win it, that's why we did it."

Faulk grew up in one of New Orleans' harshest housing projects. He attended Carver High School, still one of the poorest public schools in the city. The school, which also has the Rams as its mascot, was decorated in St. Louis colors and posters this week.

His mother still lives in New Orleans.

"In games like this at this time of the season, things happen kind of funny in the game," Faulk said. "I think our defense played great. They may have given up a couple of plays at times, but for the most part, we put them in bad situations with the turnovers."

 

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