I saw a story go by where Marty Mornhinweg was saying Alex Collins will continue to be Baltimore’s main runner. It’s not surprising. Danny Woodhead and Terrance West are coming back from injuries, but Collins has won the job. He’s been getting it done.
For reasons I can’t explain, however, they don’t seem to like Collins in short-yardage and goal-line situations. That’s contributed to him going the entire season without scoring a touchdown. He’s had 2 carries from the 5-yard line, but he hasn’t had any attempts when the all has been within 4 yards of the end zone.
I’m not sure why this is. At 217 pounds, he’s big enough for those kind of carries. But instead, they’ve been using Javorius Allen (who’s 5 pounds heavier) for most of those plays. West had that role at the start of the season.
For the season, Baltimore has run the ball 12 times when it has needed 1 yard to either score or to keep a drive alive (on third or fourth down). Collins hasn’t had any of those carries. Allen has gone 7 of 10 in those situations.
As a team, Baltimore has been a little above average on those plays.
"AND ONE" RUSHING (thru Week 10) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Team | "Good" | Att | Pct |
Dallas | 17 | 18 | .944 |
Kansas City | 9 | 10 | .900 |
Oakland | 7 | 8 | .875 |
Cincinnati | 5 | 6 | .833 |
Indianapolis | 14 | 17 | .824 |
Arizona | 9 | 11 | .818 |
Minnesota | 8 | 10 | .800 |
Cleveland | 14 | 18 | .778 |
Miami | 7 | 9 | .778 |
Seattle | 7 | 9 | .778 |
Tampa Bay | 7 | 9 | .778 |
Carolina | 10 | 13 | .769 |
Baltimore | 9 | 12 | .750 |
New Orleans | 15 | 20 | .750 |
Pittsburgh | 9 | 12 | .750 |
Tennessee | 11 | 15 | .733 |
Philadelphia | 11 | 16 | .688 |
Atlanta | 13 | 19 | .684 |
Chicago | 8 | 12 | .667 |
Green Bay | 10 | 15 | .667 |
Jacksonville | 12 | 18 | .667 |
Washington | 10 | 15 | .667 |
Buffalo | 11 | 17 | .647 |
Denver | 7 | 11 | .636 |
New England | 11 | 20 | .550 |
Houston | 7 | 13 | .538 |
San Francisco | 12 | 23 | .522 |
LA Chargers | 7 | 16 | .438 |
NY Giants | 5 | 12 | .417 |
LA Rams | 7 | 17 | .412 |
NY Jets | 5 | 13 | .385 |
Detroit | 3 | 9 | .333 |
For those who are interested, here are the individual numbers so far for the 47 players with at least 4 attempts in those situations.
Four players have converted over 90 percent of those plays, and they’re all guys in their first or second year.
The more notable names are at the bottom. LeGarrette Blount is a big back running behind a good line on the team’s only one-loss team, but he’s gone only 3 of 8. Most people generally agree Todd Gurley is having a great year, but he’s gone only 7 of 16 those plays. Lamar Miller has been the worst of all, successful on just 1 of 5 attempts.
Mike Gillislee was supposed to be the 1-yard guy for the Patriots, but I think they’ve given up on him. He’s just 6 of 13, which I think fueled the switch last week to Rex Burkhead now being in that role.
"AND ONE" RUSHING (thru Week 10) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Player | "Good" | Att | Pct |
D.Kizer, CLV | 6 | 6 | 1.000 |
C.Wentz, PHI | 6 | 6 | 1.000 |
K.Hunt, KC | 5 | 5 | 1.000 |
E.Elliott, DAL | 14 | 15 | .933 |
R.Turbin, IND | 8 | 9 | .889 |
D.Johnson, CLV | 6 | 7 | .857 |
C.Newton, CAR | 6 | 7 | .857 |
D.Freeman, ATL | 9 | 11 | .818 |
R.Kelley, WAS | 4 | 5 | .800 |
J.Ajayi, MIA | 4 | 5 | .800 |
F.Gore, SF | 4 | 5 | .800 |
A.Smith, KC | 4 | 5 | .800 |
L.Bell, PIT | 6 | 8 | .750 |
T.Watson, PIT | 3 | 4 | .750 |
T.Taylor, BUF | 3 | 4 | .750 |
T.Rawls, SEA | 3 | 4 | .750 |
T.Brady, NE | 3 | 4 | .750 |
M.Lynch, OAK | 3 | 4 | .750 |
J.Stewart, CAR | 3 | 4 | .750 |
J.Rodgers, TB | 3 | 4 | .750 |
C.Beathard, SF | 3 | 4 | .750 |
A.Kamara, NO | 3 | 4 | .750 |
A.Jones, GB | 3 | 4 | .750 |
A.Dalton, CIN | 3 | 4 | .750 |
M.Ingram, NO | 8 | 11 | .727 |
L.Fournette, JAX | 5 | 7 | .714 |
D.Henry, TEN | 5 | 7 | .714 |
C.Ivory, JAX | 5 | 7 | .714 |
J.Allen, BLT | 7 | 10 | .700 |
L.McCoy, BUF | 6 | 9 | .667 |
D.Murray, TEN | 4 | 6 | .667 |
Jo.Howard, CHI | 6 | 10 | .600 |
D.Foreman, HST | 3 | 5 | .600 |
T.Coleman, ATL | 3 | 6 | .500 |
O.Darkwa, NYG | 3 | 6 | .500 |
Z.Zenner, DET | 2 | 4 | .500 |
J.Charles, DEN | 2 | 4 | .500 |
A.Peterson, NO | 2 | 4 | .500 |
M.Gillislee, NE | 6 | 13 | .462 |
C.Hyde, SF | 6 | 13 | .462 |
T.Gurley, LAR | 7 | 16 | .438 |
M.Gordon, LAC | 6 | 14 | .429 |
T.Montgomery, GB | 3 | 7 | .429 |
I.Crowell, CLV | 2 | 5 | .400 |
B.Powell, NYJ | 2 | 5 | .400 |
L.Blount, PHI | 3 | 8 | .375 |
L.Miller, HST | 1 | 5 | .200 |
—Ian Allan