I’m kicking myself for not mentioning Ezekiel Elliott two weeks ago. The dots were there to be connected. Elliott would not have asked for his release unless he was confident there was a team was going to pick him up. Why give up two game checks?
We went through the same scenario last year. Dalvin Cook (like Zeke, an older back at the end of the road) asked for the Jets to release him in December. Cook signed with the Ravens, logging a few carries late in their playoff game against Houston. (I vaguely recall one effective carry, and about a half dozen others than didn’t amount to much.)
With Elliott, it’s the other Harbaugh brother making the move, and it’s one we should have seen coming. The Chargers were the natural fit. They have J.K. Dobbins, and not much else at the position. Gus Edwards has limitations and is trying to work his way back from a sprained ankle. Their youngsters (Hassan Haskins, Kimani Vidal) have failed to blossom.
So Elliott looks like a depth piece and possible spot-duty option. Maybe they use him in some short-yardage and goal-line situations. He’s bigger than Dobbins, and has been effective in the past on those kind of plays. And Elliott might be better as a passing downs back than anybody they’ve got, particularly in protection.
But I don’t see Elliott adding much as a runner. He’s 29, and I don’t think he’s got much of anything left. He’s averaged 3.5 and 3.1 yards per carry the last two seasons.
Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman have a history of putting together strong running games, but that hasn’t happened. The Chargers have put up good rushing numbers against a few of the lesser defenses, but they more usually have a below-average ground game. They’ve shifted course as the season has progressed, relying more on Justin Herbert’s arm. Elliott won’t change that.
Below see the rushing totals for each team in its last 10 games. (Numbers are doctored a little bit in that if the team didn’t take its final game seriously, I went with games 7-16 rather than games 8-17.) Chargers down at 106 yards per game, which comes in ahead of only three other playoff teams.
There are five playoff teams that averaged at least 140 rushing yards in their last 10 games, and four of them are squaring off on Sunday – Packers at Philadelphia, and Commanders at Tampa Bay.
(In chart below, playoff teams tagged with black dots.)
| RUSHING IN FINAL 10 GAMES | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Att | Yards | Avg | TD |
| • Philadelphia | 395 | 1,997 | 5.1 | 20 |
| • Baltimore | 315 | 1,713 | 5.4 | 11 |
| • Tampa Bay | 298 | 1,590 | 5.3 | 10 |
| • Washington | 322 | 1,562 | 4.9 | 11 |
| Indianapolis | 306 | 1,470 | 4.8 | 12 |
| • Green Bay | 308 | 1,411 | 4.6 | 20 |
| Arizona | 270 | 1,399 | 5.2 | 13 |
| • Detroit | 318 | 1,391 | 4.4 | 16 |
| Atlanta | 317 | 1,382 | 4.4 | 13 |
| • Buffalo | 286 | 1,360 | 4.8 | 22 |
| • Pittsburgh | 298 | 1,228 | 4.1 | 6 |
| Dallas | 277 | 1,186 | 4.3 | 3 |
| New England | 257 | 1,153 | 4.5 | 7 |
| New Orleans | 249 | 1,140 | 4.6 | 5 |
| Carolina | 246 | 1,115 | 4.5 | 13 |
| • LA Rams | 278 | 1,079 | 3.9 | 7 |
| San Francisco | 241 | 1,077 | 4.5 | 11 |
| • Minnesota | 272 | 1,075 | 4.0 | 5 |
| NY Giants | 242 | 1,072 | 4.4 | 10 |
| • LA Chargers | 259 | 1,062 | 4.1 | 13 |
| • Denver | 277 | 1,039 | 3.8 | 6 |
| Tennessee | 261 | 1,017 | 3.9 | 5 |
| • Kansas City | 250 | 990 | 4.0 | 6 |
| • Houston | 247 | 989 | 4.0 | 9 |
| NY Jets | 214 | 984 | 4.6 | 4 |
| Cleveland | 236 | 969 | 4.1 | 6 |
| Seattle | 232 | 945 | 4.1 | 7 |
| Cincinnati | 223 | 914 | 4.1 | 5 |
| Chicago | 230 | 903 | 3.9 | 4 |
| Miami | 235 | 873 | 3.7 | 7 |
| Jacksonville | 244 | 859 | 3.5 | 7 |
| Las Vegas | 223 | 758 | 3.4 | 4 |
Statistics compiled using search tools at Pro-Football-Reference.com
—Ian Allan