Factoid
Do you believe any of this talk about teams using the running back by committee approach more than they did in the past? Are running backs really carrying smaller workloads.
I’ve presented some information on this previously. I’m not going to dig that all up right now. But check out this chart. It shows all of the running backs who’ve put up over 4,000 yards – total yards – in back-to-back seasons.
The NFL went to the 16-game season in 1978.
In the ‘80s, when folklore suggests running backs weren’t splitting time – I hear that back then every team had a running back carrying the ball 30 times per game – there were only three running backs who went over 4,000 yards (in two years).
In the ‘90s, it happened seven times.
In this century – with players now lucky to stay on the field for back-to-back plays – it’s happened 13 times.
Hmm.
RUNNING BACKS WITH 4,000 YARDS IN TWO SEASONS
Yards Years
4,005 1975-76 O.J. Simpson, Buff.
4,456 1983-84 Eric Dickerson, Rams
4,080 1983-84 Walter Payton, Chi.
4,086 1984-85 Walter Payton, Chi.
4,151 1991-92 Thurman Thomas, Buff.
4,064 1994-95 Barry Sanders, Det.
4,262 1997-98 Terrell Davis, Den.
4,138 1997-98 Barry Sanders, Det.
4,656 1998-99 Marshall Faulk, Ind.-St.L.
4,618 1999-00 Marshall Faulk, St.L.
4,442 1999-00 Edgerrin James, Ind.
4,336 2000-01 Marshall Faulk, St.L.
4,456 2001-02 Priest Holmes, K.C.
4,542 2002-03 LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.
4,397 2002-03 Priest Holmes, K.C.
4,146 2003-04 LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.
4,486 2004-05 Tiki Barber, NYG
4,517 2005-06 Tiki Barber, NYG
4,292 2005-06 Larry Johnson, K.C.
4,281 2005-06 Shaun Alexander, Sea.
4,155 2005-06 LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.
4,186 2006-07 LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.
4,118 2009-10 Chris Johnson, Tenn.
4,061 2010-11 Arian Foster, Hou.
—Ian Allan
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Posted by BRYAN BERTSCH | May. 26 at 10:08 AM
This is interesting, but it still seems like an exception. Looking at the recent backs (LT, Shaun Alexander Larry Johnson, Priest Holmes specifically) they had virtually no running by committee, where most teams do. However, guys like Tiki Barber and Arian Foster did have quality committee backs that did well, but they were still mainly on the field 1-2 series per half. Great information, though! Running backs definitely still have tremendous value.