Teams aren’t running the ball like they used to. We’re not seeing as many rushing ards and touchdowns as in the past. The game has changed.
This is probably largely dictated by rules changes. Coaches don’t get as much access to players anymore, and there are restrictions on padded practices. This makes it harder to develop an offensive line, and for those units to jell. In trying to make the game safer, the league also eliminated the chop block prior to the 2016 season – that blocking technique has been used to help running games.
Whatever the reason, if you take the last 10 years and look at the least productive rushing offenses, seven of the worst 43 (out of 320 teams) came from the 2017 season. That’s using standard fantasy scoring (6 points for touchdowns and 1 for every 10 yards).
When Adam Gase was running Chicago’s offense a few years back, their running backs tied for first in the league in rushing attempts – they had it going really well. And that was before Jordan Howard – with Matt Forte and Jeremy Langford. In Gase’s offense, Jay Ajayi went over 200 rushing yards three times in 2016.
But the Miami running game pretty much ground to a halt last year. Compared to other teams over the last 10 years, we could find only three that finished with overall worse rushing production.
The Bengals traditionally like to run the ball, but they were done in by an underwhelming offensive line, with Joe Mixon finishing far below expectations.
Arizona, Detroit, Seattle and the Giants also struggled.
WORST RUSHING SEASONS, LAST 10 YEARS | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | Att | Yards | Avg | TD | Points |
2014 | Oakland Raiders | 337 | 1,240 | 3.7 | 4 | 148.0 |
2015 | San Diego Chargers | 393 | 1,358 | 3.5 | 4 | 159.8 |
2013 | Cleveland Browns | 348 | 1,383 | 4.0 | 4 | 162.3 |
2017 | Miami Dolphins | 360 | 1,388 | 3.9 | 4 | 162.8 |
2012 | Oakland Raiders | 376 | 1,420 | 3.8 | 4 | 166.0 |
2014 | Arizona Cardinals | 397 | 1,308 | 3.3 | 6 | 166.8 |
2012 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 358 | 1,369 | 3.8 | 5 | 166.9 |
2013 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 378 | 1,260 | 3.3 | 7 | 168.0 |
2012 | San Diego Chargers | 411 | 1,461 | 3.6 | 4 | 170.1 |
2017 | Cincinnati Bengals | 377 | 1,366 | 3.6 | 6 | 172.6 |
2014 | San Diego Chargers | 398 | 1,367 | 3.4 | 6 | 172.7 |
2012 | Dallas Cowboys | 355 | 1,265 | 3.6 | 8 | 174.5 |
2016 | Minnesota Vikings | 380 | 1,205 | 3.2 | 9 | 174.5 |
2017 | Arizona Cardinals | 409 | 1,386 | 3.4 | 6 | 174.6 |
2013 | Baltimore Ravens | 423 | 1,328 | 3.1 | 7 | 174.8 |
2015 | Detroit Lions | 354 | 1,335 | 3.8 | 7 | 175.5 |
2011 | Cleveland Browns | 415 | 1,531 | 3.7 | 4 | 177.1 |
2016 | New York Giants | 398 | 1,412 | 3.5 | 6 | 177.2 |
2015 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 354 | 1,473 | 4.2 | 5 | 177.3 |
2016 | Los Angeles Rams | 375 | 1,252 | 3.3 | 9 | 179.2 |
2014 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 353 | 1,375 | 3.9 | 7 | 179.5 |
2015 | Indianapolis Colts | 396 | 1,438 | 3.6 | 6 | 179.8 |
2012 | Arizona Cardinals | 352 | 1,204 | 3.4 | 10 | 180.4 |
2014 | Tennessee Titans | 356 | 1,447 | 4.1 | 6 | 180.7 |
2017 | Detroit Lions | 363 | 1,221 | 3.4 | 10 | 182.1 |
2015 | Cleveland Browns | 380 | 1,529 | 4.0 | 5 | 182.9 |
2016 | Detroit Lions | 350 | 1,310 | 3.7 | 9 | 185.0 |
2009 | Chicago Bears | 373 | 1,492 | 4.0 | 6 | 185.2 |
2017 | Seattle Seahawks | 409 | 1,629 | 4.0 | 4 | 186.9 |
2015 | Oakland Raiders | 370 | 1,457 | 3.9 | 7 | 187.7 |
2008 | Cincinnati Bengals | 420 | 1,520 | 3.6 | 6 | 188.0 |
2014 | Buffalo Bills | 402 | 1,482 | 3.7 | 7 | 190.2 |
2013 | Atlanta Falcons | 321 | 1,247 | 3.9 | 11 | 190.7 |
2015 | New York Giants | 403 | 1,609 | 4.0 | 5 | 190.9 |
2017 | New York Giants | 394 | 1,549 | 3.9 | 6 | 190.9 |
2011 | Tennessee Titans | 376 | 1,438 | 3.8 | 8 | 191.8 |
2013 | Miami Dolphins | 349 | 1,440 | 4.1 | 8 | 192.0 |
2014 | Chicago Bears | 355 | 1,441 | 4.1 | 8 | 192.1 |
2013 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 394 | 1,383 | 3.5 | 9 | 192.3 |
2009 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 404 | 1,627 | 4.0 | 5 | 192.7 |
2010 | Arizona Cardinals | 320 | 1,388 | 4.3 | 9 | 192.8 |
2017 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 389 | 1,450 | 3.7 | 8 | 193.0 |
2008 | Detroit Lions | 352 | 1,332 | 3.8 | 10 | 193.2 |
2015 | Baltimore Ravens | 383 | 1,478 | 3.9 | 8 | 195.8 |
2015 | San Francisco 49ers | 390 | 1,544 | 4.0 | 7 | 196.4 |
2008 | Cleveland Browns | 409 | 1,605 | 3.9 | 6 | 196.5 |
2013 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 420 | 1,612 | 3.8 | 6 | 197.2 |
2009 | Seattle Seahawks | 395 | 1,566 | 4.0 | 7 | 198.6 |
2009 | Washington | 391 | 1,510 | 3.9 | 8 | 199.0 |
If you instead look at the best rushing seasons of the last 10 years, three teams crack the top 50 – Saints, Jaguars, Cowboys. But no team made the top 25 (out of 320 teams).
BEST RUSHING SEASONS, LAST 10 YEARS | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | Att | Yards | Avg | TD | Points |
2016 | Buffalo Bills | 492 | 2,630 | 5.3 | 29 | 437.0 |
2008 | Carolina Panthers | 504 | 2,437 | 4.8 | 30 | 423.7 |
2012 | Washington | 519 | 2,709 | 5.2 | 22 | 402.9 |
2009 | New York Jets | 607 | 2,756 | 4.5 | 21 | 401.6 |
2011 | Carolina Panthers | 445 | 2,408 | 5.4 | 26 | 396.8 |
2014 | Seattle Seahawks | 525 | 2,762 | 5.3 | 20 | 396.2 |
2016 | Dallas Cowboys | 499 | 2,396 | 4.8 | 24 | 383.6 |
2008 | Atlanta Falcons | 560 | 2,443 | 4.4 | 23 | 382.3 |
2009 | Tennessee Titans | 499 | 2,592 | 5.2 | 19 | 373.2 |
2013 | Philadelphia Eagles | 500 | 2,566 | 5.1 | 19 | 370.6 |
2012 | New England Patriots | 523 | 2,184 | 4.2 | 25 | 368.4 |
2008 | New York Giants | 502 | 2,518 | 5.0 | 19 | 365.8 |
2008 | Tennessee Titans | 508 | 2,199 | 4.3 | 24 | 363.9 |
2010 | Oakland Raiders | 504 | 2,494 | 4.9 | 19 | 363.4 |
2012 | Minnesota Vikings | 486 | 2,634 | 5.4 | 16 | 359.4 |
2009 | Carolina Panthers | 525 | 2,498 | 4.8 | 18 | 357.8 |
2008 | Baltimore Ravens | 592 | 2,376 | 4.0 | 20 | 357.6 |
2015 | Buffalo Bills | 509 | 2,432 | 4.8 | 19 | 357.2 |
2009 | Miami Dolphins | 509 | 2,231 | 4.4 | 22 | 355.1 |
2012 | Seattle Seahawks | 536 | 2,579 | 4.8 | 16 | 353.9 |
2008 | New England Patriots | 513 | 2,278 | 4.4 | 21 | 353.8 |
2011 | Houston Texans | 546 | 2,448 | 4.5 | 18 | 352.8 |
2009 | Baltimore Ravens | 468 | 2,200 | 4.7 | 22 | 352.0 |
2012 | San Francisco 49ers | 492 | 2,491 | 5.1 | 17 | 351.1 |
2011 | Philadelphia Eagles | 450 | 2,276 | 5.1 | 20 | 347.6 |
2013 | Minnesota Vikings | 423 | 2,081 | 4.9 | 23 | 346.1 |
2017 | New Orleans Saints | 444 | 2,070 | 4.7 | 23 | 345.0 |
2015 | Carolina Panthers | 526 | 2,282 | 4.3 | 19 | 342.2 |
2010 | Kansas City | 556 | 2,627 | 4.7 | 13 | 340.7 |
2010 | Philadelphia Eagles | 428 | 2,324 | 5.4 | 18 | 340.4 |
2011 | Minnesota Vikings | 448 | 2,318 | 5.2 | 18 | 339.8 |
2009 | New Orleans Saints | 468 | 2,106 | 4.5 | 21 | 336.6 |
2012 | Carolina Panthers | 462 | 2,088 | 4.5 | 21 | 334.8 |
2017 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 527 | 2,262 | 4.3 | 18 | 334.2 |
2014 | Dallas Cowboys | 508 | 2,354 | 4.6 | 16 | 331.4 |
2011 | Denver Broncos | 546 | 2,632 | 4.8 | 11 | 329.2 |
2015 | Minnesota Vikings | 474 | 2,211 | 4.7 | 18 | 329.1 |
2014 | Cincinnati Bengals | 492 | 2,147 | 4.4 | 19 | 328.7 |
2013 | San Francisco 49ers | 505 | 2,201 | 4.4 | 18 | 328.1 |
2012 | Houston Texans | 508 | 2,123 | 4.2 | 19 | 326.3 |
2017 | Dallas Cowboys | 480 | 2,170 | 4.5 | 18 | 325.0 |
2010 | Houston Texans | 423 | 2,042 | 4.8 | 20 | 324.2 |
2010 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 512 | 2,395 | 4.7 | 14 | 323.5 |
2008 | Minnesota Vikings | 519 | 2,332 | 4.5 | 15 | 323.2 |
2010 | New York Giants | 480 | 2,200 | 4.6 | 17 | 322.0 |
2010 | New York Jets | 534 | 2,374 | 4.4 | 14 | 321.4 |
2013 | Buffalo Bills | 546 | 2,307 | 4.2 | 15 | 320.7 |
2013 | New England Patriots | 470 | 2,065 | 4.4 | 19 | 320.5 |
2008 | New York Jets | 422 | 2,004 | 4.7 | 20 | 320.4 |
2015 | Kansas City | 436 | 2,044 | 4.7 | 19 | 318.4 |
—Ian Allan