I figured I’d punch out a quick Factoid applauding the work of Ben Johnson. He’s done remarkable things with the Bears, specifically with their running game. They’re averaging 52 more rushing yards per week this year, with D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai starting to look like what Johnson had in Detroit with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. But pulling up the numbers, I’m going to do something different instead.
With the numbers in front of me, they’re not quite as jaw-dropping as I expected. The Bears currently slot as the 16th-most improved running team of the 32-team era. That’s cool. But there were two teams last year with even bigger increases: Tampa Bay (with Liam Coen helping to lift the Bucs from last to 4th) and the Commanders (helped along by the addition of a running quarterback).
| MOST IMPROVED RUNNING GAMES | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Run/G | Prev | Diff |
| 2022 | Atlanta | 159.9 | 85.4 | 74.5 |
| 2012 | Washington | 169.3 | 100.9 | 68.4 |
| 2011 | Denver | 164.5 | 96.5 | 68.0 |
| 2004 | Pittsburgh | 154.0 | 93.0 | 61.0 |
| 2024 | Tampa Bay | 149.2 | 88.8 | 60.4 |
| 2024 | Washington | 154.1 | 93.6 | 60.4 |
| 2015 | Buffalo | 152.0 | 92.6 | 59.4 |
| 2022 | Chicago | 177.3 | 118.7 | 58.6 |
| 2018 | Seattle | 160.0 | 101.8 | 58.2 |
| 2008 | Atlanta | 152.7 | 95.0 | 57.7 |
| 2002 | Minnesota | 156.7 | 100.6 | 56.1 |
| 2003 | Baltimore | 167.1 | 112.0 | 55.1 |
| 2019 | Baltimore | 206.0 | 152.6 | 53.4 |
| 2014 | Dallas | 147.1 | 94.2 | 52.9 |
| 2002 | Miami | 156.4 | 104.0 | 52.4 |
| 2025 | Chicago | 153.8 | 102.0 | 51.8 |
| 2012 | Seattle | 161.2 | 109.8 | 51.4 |
| 2007 | Minnesota | 164.6 | 113.8 | 50.9 |
| 2024 | Philadelphia | 179.3 | 128.8 | 50.5 |
| 2010 | Oakland | 155.9 | 106.3 | 49.6 |
The more notable numbers, I thought, are at the other end of the scale. The Eagles, Ravens and Cardinals are all averaging over 40 fewer rushing yards per game.
The Eagles are off their pace from last year by 71 yards per week. That’s the largest decline since the Falcons in 2007 (with Michael Vick suspended for hosting dogfights, with the Falcons switching to pocket passers Joey Harrington and Chris Redman). Philadelphia’s decline is more notable, in my opinion, because they haven’t been hit by any seismic off-field events – Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts are healthy, and the offensive line has most of its guys. They’re just unable to run the ball like they have in the past.
The Ravens are also down by over 50 yards per week. They had Lamar Jackson out for a month, and he’s played hurt at times. But the running game didn’t look as good even at the start of the season. Derrick Henry is 31.
With the Cardinals, they’re off by 44 yards. They’ve played most of the year without James Conner and Trey Benson, and now over half of their games without Kyler Murray. But the bigger change, I think, was offensive line coach Klayton Adams leaving to take the coordinator position in Dallas. He’s helped the Cowboys improved by 22 yards per game (No. 4 this year, just behind Liam Coen’s Jags).
The Bucs are also a notable declining, coming in at 39 yards lower than last year. That cements Coen as perhaps a notable running game influencer (he’s improved the Bucs and Jaguars the last two years, and now the current Tampa Bay team has declined without him).
| LEAST IMPROVED RUNNING GAMES | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Run/G | Prev | Diff |
| 2007 | Atlanta | 95.0 | 183.7 | -88.7 |
| 2025 | Philadelphia | 108.5 | 179.3 | -70.8 |
| 2005 | NY Jets | 83.0 | 149.3 | -66.3 |
| 2016 | Minnesota | 75.3 | 138.2 | -62.9 |
| 2007 | Kansas City | 78.0 | 133.9 | -55.9 |
| 2010 | Tennessee | 107.9 | 162.0 | -54.1 |
| 2004 | San Francisco | 90.6 | 142.4 | -51.9 |
| 2014 | Buffalo | 92.6 | 144.2 | -51.6 |
| 2025 | Baltimore | 136.8 | 187.6 | -50.8 |
| 2012 | Denver | 114.5 | 164.5 | -50.0 |
| 2011 | NY Giants | 89.2 | 137.5 | -48.3 |
| 2014 | Oakland | 77.5 | 125.0 | -47.5 |
| 2021 | Baltimore | 145.8 | 191.9 | -46.1 |
| 2011 | Kansas City | 118.3 | 164.2 | -45.9 |
| 2019 | LA Rams | 93.7 | 139.4 | -45.8 |
| 2016 | LA Rams | 78.3 | 122.3 | -44.0 |
| 2025 | Arizona | 100.6 | 144.2 | -43.6 |
| 2007 | San Francisco | 92.3 | 135.8 | -43.4 |
| 2012 | Oakland | 88.8 | 131.9 | -43.1 |
| 2003 | Miami | 113.6 | 156.4 | -42.8 |
—Ian Allan