Christian McCaffrey is piling up yards; he might even make a run in Week 17 at Chris Johnson’s single-season record for yards from scrimmage. But those yards haven’t resulted in the Panthers winning many games; they’re sitting at 5-10.
That seems weird. You would think if a running back was gobbling up a bunch of yards (and scoring 18 touchdowns) his team would be tending to win games. But that hasn’t been the case.
Checking into the numbers of other running backs who’ve gone over 2,000, it hasn’t been all that unusual with other backs either.
Since 2000, 35 running backs have gone over 2,000 combined yards. Only 20 of those players came from teams that finished with winning records. (Seven of those teams finished 8-8, while the other eight finished with losing records.)
Only two others came from teams finishing with records worse than 6-10 – LaDainian Tomlinson off the 4-12 Chargers in 2003, and Saquon Barkley off the 5-11 Giants last year.
Carolina host New Orleans in Week 17. That’s a meaningful game for the Saints, so there will be no cheap yards given away. But some chance the Panthers try to help McCaffrey break the all-time record for yards. He’s 215 behind Chris Johnson.
2,000-YARD RUNNING BACKS | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Record | Run | Rec | Total | TD |
2009 | Chris Johnson, Tenn. | (8-8) | 2,006 | 503 | 2,509 | 16 |
2005 | Tiki Barber, NYG | (11-5) | 1,860 | 530 | 2,390 | 11 |
2003 | LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D. | (4-12) | 1,645 | 725 | 2,370 | 17 |
2006 | Steven Jackson, St.L. | (8-8) | 1,528 | 806 | 2,334 | 16 |
2006 | LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D. | (14-2) | 1,815 | 508 | 2,323 | 31 |
2012 | Adrian Peterson, Minn. | (10-6) | 2,097 | 217 | 2,314 | 12 |
2000 | Edgerrin James, Ind. | (10-6) | 1,709 | 594 | 2,303 | 18 |
2019 | Christian McCaffrey, Car. | (5-10) | 1,361 | 933 | 2,294 | 18 |
2002 | Priest Holmes, K.C. | (8-8) | 1,615 | 672 | 2,287 | 24 |
2003 | Jamal Lewis, Balt. | (10-6) | 2,066 | 205 | 2,271 | 14 |
2014 | DeMarco Murray, Dall. | (12-4) | 1,845 | 416 | 2,261 | 13 |
2003 | Ahman Green, G.B. | (10-6) | 1,883 | 367 | 2,250 | 20 |
2010 | Arian Foster, Hou. | (6-10) | 1,616 | 604 | 2,220 | 18 |
2002 | Ricky Williams, Mia. | (9-7) | 1,853 | 363 | 2,216 | 17 |
2014 | LeVeon Bell, Pitt. | (11-5) | 1,361 | 854 | 2,215 | 11 |
2006 | Larry Johnson, K.C. | (9-7) | 1,789 | 410 | 2,199 | 19 |
2000 | Marshall Faulk, St.L. | (10-6) | 1,359 | 830 | 2,189 | 26 |
2006 | Frank Gore, S.F. | (7-9) | 1,695 | 485 | 2,180 | 9 |
2002 | LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D. | (8-8) | 1,683 | 489 | 2,172 | 15 |
2001 | Priest Holmes, K.C. | (6-10) | 1,555 | 614 | 2,169 | 10 |
2003 | Deuce McAllister, N.O. | (8-8) | 1,641 | 516 | 2,157 | 8 |
2001 | Marshall Faulk, St.L. | (14-2) | 1,382 | 765 | 2,147 | 21 |
2013 | LeSean McCoy, Phil. | (10-6) | 1,607 | 539 | 2,146 | 11 |
2006 | Tiki Barber, NYG | (8-8) | 1,662 | 465 | 2,127 | 5 |
2016 | David Johnson, Ariz. | (7-8-1) | 1,239 | 879 | 2,118 | 20 |
2003 | Priest Holmes, K.C. | (13-3) | 1,420 | 690 | 2,110 | 27 |
2007 | Brian Westbrook, Phil. | (8-8) | 1,333 | 771 | 2,104 | 12 |
2004 | Tiki Barber, NYG | (6-10) | 1,518 | 578 | 2,096 | 15 |
2005 | Larry Johnson, K.C. | (10-6) | 1,750 | 343 | 2,093 | 21 |
2017 | Todd Gurley, LAR | (11-5) | 1,305 | 788 | 2,093 | 19 |
2011 | Ray Rice, Balt. | (12-4) | 1,364 | 704 | 2,068 | 15 |
2009 | Ray Rice, Balt. | (9-7) | 1,339 | 702 | 2,041 | 8 |
2004 | Edgerrin James, Ind. | (12-4) | 1,548 | 483 | 2,031 | 9 |
2018 | Saquon Barkley, NYG | (5-11) | 1,307 | 721 | 2,028 | 15 |
2018 | Ezekiel Elliott, Dall. | (10-6) | 1,434 | 567 | 2,001 | 9 |
—Ian Allan