Bush says he's ready to carry Saints' ground game

Reggie Bush smiled at the idea of Seattle fans spewing as much vitriol his way as they could muster.

Bush was a villain back when he starred for dominant Southern California teams against the Washington Huskies. He expects that to be the case again when he returns to Seattle for the NFL playoffs, this time carrying more responsibility for the New Orleans Saints' running game than he has all season.

''I hope they say the dirtiest, nastiest things possible because that just gets me excited,'' Bush said. ''When you know that you've beaten them without allowing them to distract you, that's the best feeling. That's the most rewarding feeling when you know you can beat a whole stadium.''

Bush quieted plenty of crowds during road games in college, but it's been a while since he's done it as a pro. His injury-marred 2010 season has been forgettable so far. He missed eight games with a fracture in his lower right leg. In the eight games he played, he rushed for a grand total of 150 yards and no touchdowns.

As a receiver, he's caught 34 passes for 208 yards and his only touchdown all season. While he's had no punt returns for scores, he did fumble a couple punts, getting hurt on one and nearly costing the Saints a loss to the Cowboys on another. Bush also dropped what looked like a certain touchdown pass in that Thanksgiving game at Dallas, after which television cameras caught quarterback Drew Brees appearing to utter, ''Come on, Reggie.''

When the Saints (11-5) open the playoffs in Seattle (7-9) on Saturday, Bush expects to play a leading role in the running game. The reason has less to do with his productivity than with the absence of Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory, who were placed on injured reserve this week.

Yet Bush has started to look better lately. He had his best game of the season last Sunday, accounting for 125 yards from scrimmage, including 70 yards rushing on nine carries (7.8 yards per carry).

Brees said Bush seems to have gotten stronger since his return from his broken right fibula on Thanksgiving. He also recalled how Bush tends to shine in the postseason.

In New Orleans' first playoff game last season, Bush scored two spectacular touchdowns. He rushed for a 46-yard score in which he bounced off of an attempted tackle, spun, hesitated, changed direction and darted into the open field. The other TD was an 83-yard punt return.

''Whenever the lights come on in a big-time situation, I certainly think he tries to kick it up a notch,'' Brees said. ''The big thing for him is just to play within himself and not try to do too much. Coming off that injury, I'm starting to see him look full go. ... Those first few weeks back it was just kind of getting back and gaining confidence again, but he's got it now.''

While Bush has shown flashes of the electrifying acceleration and lateral agility that made him famous, he's been humbled since being selected second overall in the 2006 NFL draft.

There have been no Pro Bowls, no 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Bush hasn't even rushed for 100 yards in a game since his rookie season. The most he's had since were 97 yards in October 2007, which happens to be the only time he's played in Seattle as a pro.

Earlier this season, he relinquished his 2005 Heisman Trophy after an NCAA probe found he and his parents accepted improper gifts while he was playing at USC for current Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.

Bush and Carroll had a short, friendly reunion when the Seahawks visited New Orleans in November, but Bush did not play in that 34-19 Saints victory.

''I really wanted to come back for that game, but now I have my shot,'' Bush said.

Carroll asserted that Bush, regardless of his lack of NFL accolades, still causes problems for defensive coordinators because of his versatility and big-play ability.

''He is an unusual, unusually gifted football player,'' Carroll said. ''He has his own kind of boundaries of things he does that you need to understand or he'll leave you in the dust. ... We have to know where he is. We have to take care of our matchups and things because they'll use him to beat linebackers and they'll use him to get out of the backfield.''

While discussing his 2010 season, Bush agreed that he had not made many memorable contributions to the Saints' success at this point. Of course, that could change should he shine in the postseason.

''I got injured and that's just the way it goes sometimes,'' Bush said. ''Now that we are where we are, I'm just going to have to step up and make plays and that's really it. I don't like to make it a bigger story than what it really is. I'm just going to go out there and play football and do what I've been doing since I was a little kid. ... Knowing that my number's going to be called more this game, I'm looking forward to it.''

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AP Sports Writer Tim Booth in Seattle contributed to this report.