Factoid
I find that Kansas City is really annoying me this year. Here we are, a team that is grinding up tons of rushing yardage, but the team is scoring remarkably few rushing touchdowns – just 12 so far.
So I looked into it.
Since the move to the 16-game schedule in 1978, 32 other teams have averaged over 160 rushing yards per game. Of that group, all but five teams averaged more than a rushing touchdown per game. Kansas City is currently on pace to finish with 13.7 rushing TDs, which is better than only two of the teams on this list.
My theory is that Kansas City is doing a good job of using play-action flips around the goal line. With different playcalling, many of those touchdown passes instead would have been touchdown runs.
GREAT RUSHING TEAMS THAT DON’T SCORE RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS
Teams that have averaged at least 160 rushing yards since the move to the 16-game schedule. They are in order by how many rushing touchdowns they scored. Three teams have scored 30-plus rushing touchdowns; Kansas City currently projects to finish near the bottom.
Yds TD Year
2578 32 2006 San Diego Chargers
3165 30 1978 New England Patriots
2625 30 1983 Washington
2761 27 1985 Chicago Bears
2710 27 1988 Cincinnati Bengals
2795 26 1981 Detroit Lions
2603 25 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers
2582 24 1979 St. Louis Cardinals
2571 24 1979 Houston Oilers
2646 23 1979 New York Jets
2974 22 1984 Chicago Bears
2783 22 1978 Dallas Cowboys
2634 22 2007 Minnesota Vikings
2633 22 1981 Kansas City
2756 21 2009 New York Jets
2700 21 1986 Chicago Bears
2599 21 1980 Detroit Lions
2672 20 2004 Atlanta Falcons
2629 20 2003 Denver Broncos
2986 19 1978 Kansas City
2605 19 1983 New England Patriots
2592 19 2009 Tennessee Titans
2669 18 2003 Baltimore Ravens
2635 18 1980 Houston Oilers
2799 17 1980 Los Angeles Rams
2774 17 2001 Pittsburgh Steelers
2610 17 1983 Pittsburgh Steelers
2864 16 1984 Los Angeles Rams
2711 15 1981 Dallas Cowboys
2727 14 1983 Chicago Bears
2697 14 2010 Kansas City
2695 10 1983 Baltimore Colts
2939 9 2006 Atlanta Falcons
--Ian Allan
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Posted by Robert Stolz | Dec. 23 at 04:22 AM
Our league rewards a huge bonus for TD runs of over 25yds and TD passes/receptions of over 50yds -- big plays win a lot of weeks. I have J.Charles on my team this year and while I can't prove it, I feel like he has to have set some kind of record for long runs and long receptions that get stopped inside the 5 yard line. It seems like every game he breaks one for 40 yards, only to be dragged down or pushed out of bounds at the 2. Enter Thomas Jones or, more often, Bowe. Frustrating to see him a few yards from having a really big year for me.