When you get the magazine (very soon!) you'll see that we're not particularly high on Chris Johnson. He'll be the starter in New York, most likely, but he'll be part of a committee of several runners, including their quarterback and maybe even a defensive tackle around the goal line.
But while we're low on Johnson, as a team, the Jets should run the ball pretty well. Throughout the Rex Ryan era, they've had a pretty effective running game. Just once in his five seasons as head coach have they ranked outside the top 12 in rushing. Averaging out the rankings, only three teams have run the ball better, two with elite running backs and one with the league's most productive running quarterback.
Team rushing rankings over the last five seasons are presented below, sorted by their average over that span.
TEAM RUSHING RANKINGS, 2009-2013 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | Avg |
Minnesota | 12 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 1 |
Carolina | 3 | 13 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 2 |
Kansas City | 13 | 1 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 3 |
NY Jets | 1 | 4 | 22 | 12 | 5 | 4 |
Philadelphia | 22 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 1 | 5 |
Buffalo | 16 | 18 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
New England | 11 | 9 | 20 | 7 | 9 | 7 |
San Francisco | 25 | 19 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 8 |
Houston | 30 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 20 | 9 |
Baltimore | 5 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 30 | 10 |
Oakland | 21 | 2 | 7 | 28 | 12 | 11 |
Denver | 18 | 26 | 1 | 15 | 15 | 12 |
Miami | 4 | 21 | 11 | 17 | 26 | 13 |
Seattle | 26 | 31 | 21 | 3 | 4 | 14 |
Tennessee | 2 | 17 | 31 | 21 | 14 | 15 |
Chicago | 29 | 22 | 9 | 10 | 16 | 16 |
Jacksonville | 10 | 3 | 12 | 30 | 31 | 17 |
Washington | 27 | 30 | 25 | 1 | 6 | 18 |
New Orleans | 6 | 28 | 6 | 25 | 25 | 19 |
Cincinnati | 9 | 27 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 20 |
Green Bay | 15 | 24 | 27 | 20 | 7 | 21 |
Dallas | 7 | 16 | 18 | 31 | 24 | 22 |
NY Giants | 17 | 6 | 32 | 14 | 29 | 23 |
Pittsburgh | 20 | 11 | 14 | 26 | 27 | 24 |
Tampa Bay | 23 | 8 | 30 | 16 | 22 | 25 |
San Diego | 31 | 15 | 16 | 27 | 13 | 26 |
Atlanta | 14 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 32 | 27 |
St. Louis | 19 | 25 | 23 | 19 | 19 | 28 |
Cleveland | 8 | 20 | 28 | 24 | 28 | 29 |
Detroit | 24 | 23 | 29 | 23 | 17 | 30 |
Indianapolis | 32 | 29 | 26 | 22 | 21 | 31 |
Arizona | 28 | 32 | 24 | 32 | 23 | 32 |
--Andy Richardson