It’s not often that we get to say something nice about running backs. Today’s game is dominated by the pass, with rules changes making it awfully hard on secondaries and pass rushers.
But it was throwback week in the NFL on Sunday. LeVeon Bell and Jonas Gray both went over 200 yards in the last two games of the week, and Alfred Blue rambled for 156 at Cleveland.
Each of those backs carried the ball at least 33 times, and it felt like 1975 all over again.
The combined total of 106 carries for those top three rushers is the most in 14 years. To top it, you’ve got to go back to Ricky Williams, Edgerrin James and Curtis Martin in 2000. Only once in the ‘90s did three backs combined for 106 rushing attempts in a single week.
In the last 30 years, there have been six weekends where three backs have combined for more than 105 rushing attempts. They are present below.
Note, by the way, that the 2000 occurrence happened in Week 7. All of the other big weeks came in the second half of the season. Two reasons for this, I believe. For starters, I think weather is a factor. It starts getting colder and windier, and teams need to run more. But more notably, the running game involves a bunch of guys working together and developing timing. The offensive line has to open the holes, and the back has to hit them at just the right time. It takes timing and reps together to develop that kind of relationship.
TRIFECTA OF BACKS COMBINING FOR 106 CARRIES
| 1985 Week 11 | Opp. | Att | Yards | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gerald Riggs, Atl. | Rams | 41 | 123 | 3.0 | 3 |
| Earnest Jackson, Phil. | at St.L. | 34 | 162 | 4.8 | 1 |
| Marcus Allen, Rdrs. | Cin. | 31 | 135 | 4.4 | 0 |
| 1985 Week 16 | Opp. | Att | Yards | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gerald Riggs, Atl. | at N.O. | 39 | 158 | 4.1 | 1 |
| Joe Morris, NYG | Pitt. | 36 | 202 | 5.6 | 3 |
| George Rogers, Wash. | at St.L. | 34 | 206 | 6.1 | 1 |
| 1988 Week 16 | Opp. | Att | Yards | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamie Morris, Wash. | at Cin. | 45 | 152 | 3.4 | 0 |
| Eric Dickerson, Ind. | Buff. | 36 | 166 | 4.6 | 0 |
| Gary Anderson, S.D. | K.C. | 34 | 217 | 6.4 | 1 |
| 1997 Week 9 | Opp. | Att | Yards | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terrell Davis, Den. | at Buff. | 42 | 207 | 4.9 | 1 |
| Bam Morris, Balt. | at Wash. | 36 | 176 | 4.9 | 1 |
| Gary Brown, S.D. | Ind. | 28 | 169 | 6.0 | 1 |
| 2000 Week 7 | Opp. | Att | Yards | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ricky Williams, N.O. | Car. | 38 | 144 | 3.8 | 2 |
| Edgerrin James, Ind. | at Sea. | 38 | 219 | 5.8 | 3 |
| Curtis Martin, NYJ | at N.E. | 34 | 143 | 4.2 | 3 |
| 2014 Week 11 | Opp. | Att | Yards | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LeVeon Bell, Pitt. | at Tenn. | 33 | 204 | 6.2 | 1 |
| Jonas Gray, N.E. | at Ind. | 37 | 201 | 5.4 | 4 |
| Alfred Blue, Hou. | at Clev. | 36 | 156 | 4.3 | 0 |
—Ian Allan