Steven Jackson will face doubts about his future for the rest of his career, but Saturday night against the Kansas City Chiefs the St. Louis Rams' veteran star showed off the same surprising youthfulness he flashed in his brief appearance vs. the Indianapolis Colts. Jackson ran the ball seven times for 49 yards against touted rookie Dontari Poe and the Chiefs defense, a performance that combined with Sam Bradford's huge day to give the Rams a 14-0 lead on two quick scores. They took a 17-10 lead into halftime, with Jackson stowed safely on the bench, where he can't find any gruesome injuries.
Jackson is well-positioned to confound doubters in 2012; after putting up the worst numbers of his career in 2010 he responded strongly to a slightly lighter workload last year, and between Jeff Fisher's vaunted attention to the run and the chance for rookie Isaiah Pead to take a few more carries off his back he'll get every chance to repeat the formula in 2012. Steven Jackson may be 29, and that may be old, terrifyingly, in NFL years, but he's far from done if Saturday night is any indication.
For in-game updates on Sam Bradford, Steven Jackson, and the rest of the Rams as they take on the Chiefs, click through to our SB Nation St. Louis storystream.