Word: tomlinson
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...tricks of Tomlinson's trade start with his unique vision. When a running back takes the football from the quarterback, chaos greets his line of sight: a dozen massive men pound one another at the line of scrimmage, trying to create, or prevent, a split-second opening for the back to slip through. Tomlinson's eyes process the scrum like internal software, letting him spot the holes. "It seems like things are happening in slow motion, and you're kind of moving through everything with ease," Tomlinson says. "It's a nice feeling...
Unless you are trying to tackle him. Tomlinson is the most deceptive running back in the game. Start with his body. At a compact 5 ft. 10 in., with an upper half that's sculpted but not scary, Tomlinson won't bowl you over the way Brown did. But most opponents haven't scoped his thunder thighs. When asked about his lower-body strength during an interview in the Chargers' locker room, the otherwise demure Tomlinson unsheathes his left leg from his sweatpants. Think humpback whale, with muscles. "I'm proud of my thighs," Tomlinson says with a laugh. "That...
...approach to the line of scrimmage also fools defenders. Chargers fullback Lorenzo Neal dubs it "slow to, fast through." When Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers gives Tomlinson the ball, he tries to run to the line at about three-quarters speed. "You can't be going full speed," Tomlinson says. "Some guys run too fast and can't stop and make a move. Or they run into their own lineman, and the linemen hate that." The stroll lulls the defense to sleep. Once Tomlinson spots a crease, those thighs power him past unsuspecting tacklers...
...splendid stiff-arm technique--using an outstretched limb like a jousting lance to repel defenders--adds yet another dimension. To LT, the term stiff-arm is a misnomer. "You're not just sticking your arm out," says Tomlinson. "You're punching the guy." One place to pummel is the chest, which knocks back bear-hugging tacklers. Another? "Smack-dab in the face mask," he says...
...long touchdown runs gain the accolades, but Tomlinson is just as valuable when the defense clogs every opening. When a play breaks down, Tomlinson runs so low to the ground that he burrows beneath tacklers, picking up four or five yards when most backs would be lucky to get one. "You're like, 'Man, how'd he do that?'" says Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, whose team beat the Chargers 16-13 in October and could face them again in the AFC title game. "It's like landing a body blow. They...