We like to think that teams use a designated runner at the goal line. We like to think that if the ball winds up on the 1- or 2-yard line, so-and-so will be the guy who plunges it in.
Remember Robb Riddick with the Bills in the late ‘80s? He was one of those guys.
The reality is, however, is that those touches tend to get spread around. Just like you can’t catch on a wide receiver catching all of his team’s passing touchdowns, you can’t count on running backs getting all of the rushing scores (or even all of the short scores).
Andy Richardson has been carefully logging and tracking all of the key short-yardage situations all year. This time around, I’m stripping out every play where a team needs 1 yard to either score or keep a drive alive (on third or fourth down).
Through 13 weeks (and this is surprising, I think) only four running backs have made more 60 percent of their team’s rushing attempts in those situations. DeMarco Murray, Matt Forte, Jamaal Charles and Steven Jackson.
That’s it.
Only 22 guys have had 40 percent of those carries. They are as follows. On this chart, I’m showing the player, the number of carries he had, and the number of those carries for the entire team.
| PLAYERS WITH 40% OF ONE-YARD CARRIES | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Player | Ind | Team | Pct |
| 1. | DeMarco Murray, Dall. | 21 | 22 | .955 |
| 2. | Matt Forte, Chi. | 19 | 22 | .864 |
| 3. | Jamaal Charles, K.C. | 13 | 20 | .650 |
| 4. | Steven Jackson, Atl. | 12 | 19 | .632 |
| 5. | Matt Asiata, Minn. | 6 | 10 | .600 |
| 6. | Marshawn Lynch, Sea. | 12 | 20 | .600 |
| 7. | Fred Jackson, Buff. | 9 | 16 | .563 |
| 8. | Chris Ivory, NYJ | 11 | 20 | .550 |
| 9. | Frank Gore, S.F. | 12 | 22 | .545 |
| 10. | Eddie Lacy, G.B. | 8 | 15 | .533 |
| 11. | LeSean McCoy, Phil. | 9 | 17 | .529 |
| 12. | Arian Foster, Hou. | 12 | 24 | .500 |
| 13. | Lamar Miller, Mia. | 9 | 18 | .500 |
| 14. | Rashad Jennings, NYG | 12 | 24 | .500 |
| 15. | Andy Dalton, Cin. | 12 | 26 | .462 |
| 16. | Benny Cunningham, St.L. | 5 | 11 | .455 |
| 17. | Shonn Greene, Tenn. | 5 | 11 | .455 |
| 18. | Alfred Morris, Wash. | 10 | 23 | .435 |
| 19. | Cam Newton, Car. | 9 | 21 | .429 |
| 20. | Toby Gerhart, Jac. | 12 | 29 | .414 |
| 21. | LeVeon Bell, Pitt. | 9 | 22 | .409 |
| 22. | Mark Ingram, N.O. | 8 | 20 | .400 |
Shifting our focus to effectiveness, the Broncos, Eagles and Cowboys have been the best at actually being successful in these situations. Over 80 percent of the time, those teams have gotten the 1 yard to either score or keep a drive alive.
Washington and St. Louis have been the worst, under 50 percent. Other teams under 60 percent include three you might have picked to be leaders in the preseason: Carolina, New England and San Francisco.
| ONE-YARD RUSHING, TEAMS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | No | Att | Pct |
| Denver | 16 | 19 | .842 |
| Philadelphia | 14 | 17 | .824 |
| Dallas | 18 | 22 | .818 |
| Tampa Bay | 13 | 17 | .765 |
| Kansas City | 15 | 20 | .750 |
| NY Jets | 15 | 20 | .750 |
| San Diego | 9 | 12 | .750 |
| Detroit | 14 | 19 | .737 |
| Cincinnati | 19 | 26 | .731 |
| Tennessee | 8 | 11 | .727 |
| Seattle | 14 | 20 | .700 |
| Minnesota | 7 | 10 | .700 |
| Atlanta | 13 | 19 | .684 |
| Cleveland | 13 | 19 | .684 |
| Chicago | 15 | 22 | .682 |
| NY Giants | 16 | 24 | .667 |
| Indianapolis | 14 | 21 | .667 |
| Miami | 12 | 18 | .667 |
| Arizona | 9 | 14 | .643 |
| Baltimore | 21 | 33 | .636 |
| Pittsburgh | 14 | 22 | .636 |
| Houston | 15 | 24 | .625 |
| Buffalo | 10 | 16 | .625 |
| Jacksonville | 18 | 29 | .621 |
| New Orleans | 12 | 20 | .600 |
| Green Bay | 9 | 15 | .600 |
| Oakland | 9 | 15 | .600 |
| San Francisco | 13 | 22 | .591 |
| New England | 16 | 28 | .571 |
| Carolina | 12 | 21 | .571 |
| Washington | 11 | 23 | .478 |
| St. Louis | 5 | 11 | .455 |
Here are the individual numbers. I put in the 51 players who’ve had at least 5 of those carries. I’m showing the number of successful attempts, the total number of carries, and the success rate.
In my eyes, DeMarco Murray has been the best. He’s got 21 of those carries, and he’s been able to get the necessary 1 yard on 17 of them. That’s a nice ratio when the defense knows you’re getting the ball. (That said, he’s running behind a great offensive line.)
Among guys at over 75 percent, I will point out sneaky good Lamar Miller (8 of 9), and some lesser-used guys who’ve been pretty consistent – Joique Bell, Juwan Thompson, Matt Asiata and Terrance West.
Guys who’ve struggled include Mark Ingram at just 3 of 8 (with all of those misses seemingly in those recent games against Cincinnati and Baltimore). Alfred Morris and Bernard Pierce are at just 40 percent.
| ONE-YARD RUSHING, INDIVIDUALS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Player | No | Att | Pct |
| Joique Bell, Det. | 6 | 6 | 1.000 |
| Derek Carr, Oak. | 5 | 5 | 1.000 |
| Andy Dalton, Cin. | 11 | 12 | .917 |
| Lamar Miller, Mia. | 8 | 9 | .889 |
| Blake Bortles, Jac. | 6 | 7 | .857 |
| Juwan Thompson, Den. | 5 | 6 | .833 |
| Matt Asiata, Minn. | 5 | 6 | .833 |
| Terrance West, Clev. | 5 | 6 | .833 |
| DeMarco Murray, Dall. | 17 | 21 | .810 |
| Shonn Greene, Tenn. | 4 | 5 | .800 |
| Jed Collins, Det. | 4 | 5 | .800 |
| Austin Johnson, N.O. | 4 | 5 | .800 |
| LeSean McCoy, Phil. | 7 | 9 | .778 |
| LeVeon Bell, Pitt. | 7 | 9 | .778 |
| Cam Newton, Car. | 7 | 9 | .778 |
| Jamaal Charles, K.C. | 10 | 13 | .769 |
| Joe Flacco, Balt. | 9 | 12 | .750 |
| Eddie Lacy, G.B. | 6 | 8 | .750 |
| Trent Richardson, Ind. | 6 | 8 | .750 |
| Chris Ivory, NYJ | 8 | 11 | .727 |
| Matt Forte, Chi. | 13 | 19 | .684 |
| Steven Jackson, Atl. | 8 | 12 | .667 |
| Fred Jackson, Buff. | 6 | 9 | .667 |
| Lorenzo Taliaferro, Balt. | 6 | 9 | .667 |
| Mike James, T.B. | 4 | 6 | .667 |
| Brian Hoyer, Clev. | 4 | 6 | .667 |
| Ronnie Hillman, Den. | 4 | 6 | .667 |
| Colin Kaepernick, S.F. | 4 | 6 | .667 |
| Andre Williams, NYG | 4 | 6 | .667 |
| Ahmad Bradshaw, Ind. | 5 | 8 | .625 |
| Benny Cunningham, St.L. | 3 | 5 | .600 |
| Knile Davis, K.C. | 3 | 5 | .600 |
| Andrew Luck, Ind. | 3 | 5 | .600 |
| Darrel Young, Wash. | 3 | 5 | .600 |
| Giovani Bernard, Cin. | 3 | 5 | .600 |
| Marshawn Lynch, Sea. | 7 | 12 | .583 |
| Rashad Jennings, NYG | 7 | 12 | .583 |
| Arian Foster, Hou. | 7 | 12 | .583 |
| Frank Gore, S.F. | 7 | 12 | .583 |
| Alfred Blue, Hou. | 4 | 7 | .571 |
| Jeremy Hill, Cin. | 5 | 9 | .556 |
| Stevan Ridley, N.E. | 5 | 9 | .556 |
| LeGarrette Blount, Pitt.-N.E. | 6 | 11 | .545 |
| Toby Gerhart, Jac. | 6 | 12 | .500 |
| Justin Forsett, Balt. | 3 | 6 | .500 |
| Jonathan Stewart, Car. | 3 | 7 | .429 |
| Tom Brady, N.E. | 3 | 7 | .429 |
| Denard Robinson, Jac. | 3 | 7 | .429 |
| Alfred Morris, Wash. | 4 | 10 | .400 |
| Bernard Pierce, Balt. | 2 | 5 | .400 |
| Mark Ingram, N.O. | 3 | 8 | .375 |
—Ian Allan