Pinkett Gets His Running Game Back on Track : Oilers: Houston back gains 144 yards, helping to east the bad memory of the 1990 season.

HOUSTON —  Running back Allen Pinkett of the Houston Oilers was so disgusted with his performance last season that he refuses watch videotapes of games.

“Last year was the toughest year I’ve ever had,” Pinkett said. “I don’t even like to look at (tapes) from last year just to see how bad I looked. I looked terrible.”

After averaging 481 yards in the previous two seasons, Pinkett rushed for 268 yards in 1990. For the first time in his five-year NFL career, he failed to score a touchdown.

Struggling to adjust after Coach Jack Pardee replaced Jerry Glanville and installed the run-and-shoot offense, Pinkett was replaced by running back Lorenzo White in the Oilers’ one-back offensive set. Pinkett was so desperate to get more action this season that he asked to return kickoffs.

“I didn’t get that much playing time, but when I did get the opportunity to play I didn’t play very well,” Pinkett said. “I had renewed enthusiasm for the game this year because I felt I played so bad last year that I had to earn my right to get on the field and practice.”

The hard work Pinkett put in during the off-season paid off when he rushed for a career-high 144 yards in 26 carries and scored one touchdown as Houston opened the season by embarrassing the Raiders, 47-17, at the Astrodome.

It was the most yards that an Oiler running back has gained in 58 games since Mike Rozier had 144 yards in a 37-33 victory over Atlanta on Oct. 25, 1987. Pinkett outrushed the Raider backfield by 82 yards.

He set the tone on the opening series of the game, gaining 48 yards in eight carries as the Oilers drove 87 yards in 16 plays. He ended the drive with an eight-yard touchdown run through a massive hole as the offensive line blew out defensive end Howie Long and nose guard Bob Golic.

“Why would Allen Pinkett’s running ability be a surprise?” Golic said. “The guy is a phenomenal runner. People have known that for years. Part of the beauty of the way their offense works is the running game.”

But the Oiler running game was ugly last season.

Although Houston had the best passing attack in the NFL, averaging 388.9 yards, the Oilers averaged only 88.6 yards per game rushing, fourth worst in the NFL.

Pinkett put the run back in the run-and shoot Sunday.

“Once you’ve got a running game, that opens up the passing game,” said wide receiver Ernest Givins. “We had 36 runs and 36 passes, you can’t get more balanced than that. Pinkett really made things happen. He’s similar to Barry Sanders because he hits the hole quickly, and once he gets in the secondary he can make things happen.”

With White still a holdout, Pinkett got more work than last year, and White may have a difficult time regaining his starting job when he signs.

“The way Pinkett played, I think (White) will be in in the next day or so,” Oiler owner Bud Adams said.

White, who earned a reported $325,000 last season despite rushing for a team-high 702 yards, has said that he won’t settle for less than the $610,000 that Pinkett makes. White and the Oilers are reportedly only $60,000 apart from closing the deal.

“Lorenzo is eventually going to sign ,” Pinkett said. “To speculate on whether he comes in here is a waste of time. Whatever happens is a decision I can’t control. The only thing I can control is to control what I do on the field.”