Lots of poor running performances in Week 1, with 12 teams running for under 70 yards. The entire league combined scored only 19 rushing touchdowns. Should we all be running away from these offenses? Or will be good percentage of them turn things around?
The game has changed; no one will argue that. It’s moved towards more spread formations and quick passing – passing production has been going up for years.
But there’s also the reality that running games need a little bit of time to get dialed in. The backs and offensive linemen need to get their time down.
And while there were plenty of crappy running games in Week 1, a lot of those teams will turn things around – and quickly.
Consider, for example, offenses that have previously struggled to run in their first games. How have those teams fared in Week 2?
In the last 15 years, 99 teams have run for no more than 70 yards in their opener. But 32 of those teams (almost a third) have come back the next week and run for 120-plus yards. Almost half of those teams have run for at least 100 yards in Week 2.
Of the five teams that run for under 25 yards in their first game, two came back the next week and completely turned things around, running for over 200 yards and multiple touchdowns.
About 30 percent of these teams (29 of 99) have again run for no more than 70 yards in their second game (so yes, some of these struggling teams will continue to suck this week). I’ve got those teams tagged with black dots.
The overall numbers, however, suggest big improvement. So if you’re sitting with one of these backs who underperformed in Week 1 – Bell, Gurley, Crowell, Hyde – way too early to be thinking about pushing the panic button.
WORST RUNNING GAMES IN OPENERS | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | Week 1 | Week 2 |
2012 | Carolina | 10-0 | 219-3 |
2012 | • Tennessee | 20-0 | 38-0 |
2013 | Miami | 20-1 | 101-2 |
2010 | Detroit | 20-2 | 115-2 |
2009 | San Francisco | 21-1 | 256-2 |
2014 | Oakland | 25-0 | 101-1 |
2006 | • Tampa Bay | 26-0 | 40-0 |
2009 | Kansas City | 29-0 | 173-0 |
2004 | Tampa Bay | 30-0 | 92-0 |
2005 | Arizona | 31-0 | 82-0 |
2013 | • Pittsburgh | 32-0 | 44-0 |
2012 | San Diego | 32-0 | 148-2 |
2012 | New Orleans | 32-0 | 163-2 |
2005 | Minnesota | 33-0 | 77-1 |
2008 | Jacksonville | 33-0 | 98-1 |
2009 | Detroit | 33-2 | 129-0 |
2005 | • San Francisco | 34-1 | 58-0 |
2003 | Oakland | 34-0 | 134-1 |
2017 | NY Giants | 35-0 | ?-? |
2017 | Pittsburgh | 35-0 | ?-? |
2008 | • St. Louis | 36-0 | 68-0 |
2009 | Pittsburgh | 36-0 | 105-1 |
2017 | NY Jets | 38-1 | ?-? |
2006 | • Detroit | 38-0 | 46-1 |
2009 | • Houston | 38-0 | 63-0 |
2006 | Miami | 38-2 | 91-0 |
2011 | Denver | 38-0 | 131-1 |
2004 | Carolina | 38-0 | 183-1 |
2003 | St. Louis | 40-0 | 88-1 |
2009 | Arizona | 40-0 | 118-1 |
2005 | Chicago | 41-1 | 187-2 |
2011 | Tennessee | 43-0 | 74-1 |
2012 | Arizona | 43-1 | 105-1 |
2010 | Indianapolis | 44-0 | 160-1 |
2017 | Arizona | 45-1 | ?-? |
2012 | • Oakland | 45-0 | 23-0 |
2011 | NY Jets | 45-0 | 101-1 |
2012 | Green Bay | 45-0 | 106-0 |
2007 | Green Bay | 46-0 | 83-2 |
2005 | Green Bay | 46-0 | 116-0 |
2007 | Cleveland | 46-0 | 226-1 |
2013 | • Cleveland | 47-0 | 65-0 |
2016 | • Jacksonville | 48-1 | 69-0 |
2008 | Miami | 49-0 | 72-1 |
2010 | Baltimore | 49-1 | 109-0 |
2010 | San Francisco | 49-0 | 142-2 |
2013 | • NY Giants | 50-0 | 23-1 |
2010 | Buffalo | 50-0 | 124-1 |
2017 | San Francisco | 51-0 | ?-? |
2003 | Cincinnati | 51-0 | 129-1 |
2005 | Philadelphia | 51-0 | 140-1 |
2014 | San Diego | 52-1 | 101-0 |
2016 | Atlanta | 52-0 | 139-1 |
2008 | • Indianapolis | 53-0 | 25-1 |
2014 | NY Giants | 53-1 | 81-0 |
2015 | New Orleans | 54-0 | 104-2 |
2014 | Indianapolis | 54-1 | 169-0 |
2003 | Chicago | 55-0 | 80-0 |
2016 | Washington | 55-1 | 82-1 |
2006 | Indianapolis | 55-1 | 125-2 |
2007 | Cincinnati | 55-0 | 137-0 |
2011 | Tampa Bay | 56-0 | 105-2 |
2017 | Cleveland | 57-1 | ?-? |
2003 | • NY Jets | 57-1 | 21-0 |
2016 | • Cincinnati | 57-1 | 46-0 |
2005 | NY Jets | 57-0 | 98-0 |
2017 | Philadelphia | 58-0 | ?-? |
2013 | Baltimore | 58-1 | 99-1 |
2010 | Atlanta | 58-0 | 221-2 |
2017 | New Orleans | 60-0 | ?-? |
2007 | • NY Jets | 60-0 | 69-0 |
2004 | Oakland | 61-0 | 73-0 |
2008 | • Detroit | 62-1 | 49-0 |
2003 | Green Bay | 62-2 | 200-1 |
2017 | LA Rams | 63-2 | ?-? |
2015 | • Philadelphia | 63-2 | 7-0 |
2012 | Indianapolis | 63-1 | 84-0 |
2015 | Oakland | 63-0 | 97-1 |
2013 | Cincinnati | 63-1 | 127-1 |
2013 | Green Bay | 63-1 | 139-1 |
2017 | Atlanta | 64-1 | ?-? |
2017 | LA Chargers | 64-0 | ?-? |
2017 | Washington | 64-0 | ?-? |
2014 | • Jacksonville | 64-0 | 25-0 |
2011 | • Seattle | 64-0 | 31-0 |
2011 | • Dallas | 64-1 | 45-0 |
2016 | • Miami | 64-1 | 70-1 |
2015 | Indianapolis | 64-0 | 93-0 |
2011 | Indianapolis | 64-0 | 109-0 |
2003 | San Diego | 64-0 | 121-0 |
2016 | Tennessee | 64-0 | 139-0 |
2004 | • Miami | 65-0 | 25-0 |
2016 | • Minnesota | 65-0 | 30-0 |
2016 | • LA Rams | 65-0 | 64-0 |
2016 | Buffalo | 65-1 | 86-0 |
2008 | Cincinnati | 65-0 | 88-1 |
2006 | Carolina | 65-0 | 107-1 |
2013 | Denver | 65-0 | 109-2 |
2013 | Tampa Bay | 65-1 | 160-0 |
2003 | • Detroit | 66-0 | 52-0 |
2007 | • Miami | 66-0 | 61-0 |
2011 | Pittsburgh | 66-0 | 124-2 |
2013 | • St. Louis | 67-0 | 69-0 |
2003 | Indianapolis | 67-0 | 127-1 |
2014 | Kansas City | 67-0 | 133-2 |
2009 | Atlanta | 68-0 | 151-1 |
2015 | • Detroit | 69-1 | 38-0 |
2015 | • Denver | 69-0 | 61-0 |
2005 | Denver | 70-0 | 98-1 |
2006 | Houston | 70-0 | 108-0 |
2013 | Seattle | 70-0 | 172-2 |
2003-16 | Average | 51-.34 | 101-.70 |
—Ian Allan