Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano has stated that Trent Richardson still has a role to play in the team's backfield, despite the emergence of Dan Herron.
The running backs had contrasting games when the Colts beat the Washington Redskins on Sunday, with Richardson's 1.5 yards per carry paling in comparison to Herron's effort of 11 yards per carry and a touchdown.
Both players ran the ball eight times, with Herron's total of 88 yards rushing bettering anything Richardson has ever managed in a Colts jersey.
Despite this, Pagano has insisted that he still has faith in Richardson, whom his team traded for a first-round pick two years ago.
He told ESPN: "Trent is a professional, and he understands. None of us can ever get away from working at our craft regardless of the circumstance, regardless of adversity.
"We just keep grinding, just keep working, just keep swinging the axe. If he keeps swinging the axe, the tree will fall.
"If you put the axe down, the tree is never coming down. Just keep chopping wood, and good things will happen."
Pagano's decision to stick by Richardson may be due to the fact that Herron has two fumbles to his name in his first two games as a Colt.
Joe McPhee
