NFL Player News

Ravens running back Bernard Pierce could not get going on the ground against the 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. Pierce, who occasionally came in for Ray Rice, rushed for just 33 yards on 12 carries in a 34-31 victory. He was not involved in the passing game as he was held without a catch or a target.

San Francisco running back LaMichael James couldn't get going as he turned in a disappointing performance during Super Bowl XLVII against Baltimore. With the 49ers close to scoring position, James coughed up the ball in the second quarter. It was his second fumble lost in the postseason. He finished with just three carries for 10 yards in a 34-31 defeat. He was not involved in the passing game as he finished with out a catch or a target.

Chris Johnson was candid in an interview with 104.5 The Zone in Nashville about his play over the last two years and the Titans in general. Johnson opined that it "kind of is a big deal" to have five different running back coaches and three offensive coordinators since he entered the league. He's hoping for the offense to shift back to what he worked with when Mike Heimerdinger was his offensive coordinator. Johnson also wished for the Titans to revamp their offensive line, noting that things went downhill once they lost their starting center to injury early in the year. As for the team in general Johnson said they're not close to winning a Super Bowl but could be if they added a couple of free agents and got him back on track. He wants to be the first player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards twice in a career and get to the Super Bowl but when the topic of the team picking up his $9 million extension came up, he said he's not sure where he stands as he's had no communication with the team since they made some coaching changes. "I couldn't say I wouldn't be surprised but it wouldn't be no bad blood," he said. He dismissed the idea that he stopped playing well because he got a rich contract extension, suggesting he's had money since being a first-round pick. "I don't take the blame for what all's going on, I'm sure I'm part of it because I'm part of the team," he said. "I don't like to make excuses, I just go with the flow and do my best with what's given to me."

Many 49ers players told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel they believe Packers running back DuJuan Harris is good enough to remain a starter for the team in 2013. The Niners got an up-close-and-personal look at Harris in the Divisional Playoffs when he had 53 yards on 11 carries with a rushing score, adding another 11 yards on two catches. "We saw the game he played the week before or two weeks," safety Dashon Goldson said. "We didn't (know a lot). We still knew their game plan. We didn't know what kind of back he would be. But he had a lot of speed. We knew he had a lot of speed. I think he’ll hang around that football team."

The Union-Tribune of San Diego reports that former Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson said the team needs to find a complementary option for Ryan Mathews. Last year, Mathews broke his right clavicle on his first preseason carry. In Week 15, he broke his left, ending his third NFL season. "I think that's another thing the Chargers really need to correct is getting another guy to go with Ryan Mathews," Tomlinson said. "I think, at this point, Ryan has shown it's hard for him to stay healthy in the type of workload that he's had. So now, get somebody to help him. I still think he's a tremendous talent, but he needs some help in taking some of that workload off of him. ... I was one of the fortunate players to never really get seriously injured. Yeah, I had some cracked ribs, AC joints, sprained MCLs and things like that, but nothing serious that I had to miss a lot of time for. At this point, I'm sure Ryan Mathews is evaluating himself. What can he do to get better? For me, I just think Ryan Mathews needs to continue to focus on just being a football player by trying to stay healthy, taking care of his body and doing everything possible to make sure he's able to play every Sunday."

Bruce Arians said his familiarity with Virginia Tech Hokies football has given him a good working knowledge of ex-Hokie and current Cardinals running back Ryan Williams. "I know that Ryan [Williams] can flat run the football," the new Cardinals head coach told FOX Sports. "I'm a Hokie. I know all about Ryan and I love him."

49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said Friday at a news conference that he was impressed with rookie running back LaMichael James all season prior to getting him active at the end of the year. James scored his first NFL touchdown in the NFC Championship Game at Atlanta. "His work ethic, No. 1, was really evident," Harbaugh said. "He was taking as many reps as he possibly could. And predominately, they were on the scout team. But, he would do it as a running back. He would do it as a receiver. And really improved his hands a great deal. And route-running ability with all the thousand reps he took on the scout team. But, just great work ethic and deep desire to improve as football player and get on the field. And he’s gotten on it from the first time he’s stepped on the field. He’s been dynamic.”

Raiders coach Dennis Allen went on NFL Network and said he's looking forward to using running back Darren McFadden the right way in 2013. McFadden has a new offensive coordinator in Greg Olson, and Allen said McFadden's strengths will be utilized. “That’s one of the things that we’re going to look at when we get back to Oakland is we’re really going to look at the things that Darren McFadden does really well and we’re going to try to ask him to do those things as much as possible, limit the times that we ask him to do some of the things that he may not be as good at," Allen said. "All of us as players have strengths and weaknesses, and we want to try to play to our best players’ strengths as much as possible.”

The Browns have hired Norv Turner as the new offensive coordinator, and he has a great weapon to work with in running back Trent Richardson. Turner, who has coached five running backs to the NFL rushing title, said he is thrilled to have Richardson on the roster. "He's an amazing player," Turner said Wednesday. "He made an amazing, explosive run against us (in October).'' Turner, the former coach of the Chargers, faced Richardson in Week 8 in Cleveland, and Richardson had 24 carries for 122 yards and a touchdown.

Ravens running back Bernard Pierce finished with nine carries for a team-high 52 yards during Baltimore's 28-13 victory over New England in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday. Pierce, who was active for the game after being considered questionable with a knee injury, posted four more yards than starter Ray Rice despite receiving 10 fewer carries. He also added an 8-yard reception on his lone target from Joe Flacco.