At some point within the last few years, someone declared the superstar running back, and especially the one-back offense, a thing of the past. Maybe it was one of the 76 former players and coaches on the NFL Network’s Sunday morning panel, or perhaps it was a fantasy football expert offering reasons why you should pass on Adrian Peterson and settle for Gio Bernard. Regardless, we’ve watched this theory in action all season with teams like the Raiders, Jaguars, Eagles, and Falcons, among others, employing RB committees. In some cases, it works. Others, not as much. Some, not at all.
But while the bell cow is definitely endangered, it is still far from extinct, and the recent emergence and dominance of several young backs could change the way that other teams think about a committee moving forward. David Johnson, LeVeon Bell, and Ezekiel Elliott were far and away the best RBs in the NFL this season, and they also happen to be the nominees for FedEx Ground Players of the Year.
Seeing as Eddie George is a former NFL running back, Heisman Trophy winner, and college football hall-of-famer (don’t even ask him about Ohio State’s recent meltdown, because he is so over that “horrific showing”), as well as a spokesman for the FedEx Air and Ground Players awards, I figured he’d be a good person to ask about this theory of mine that the superstar running back is alive and thriving in the NFL.
Do you agree with the idea that the star-back offense is a thing of the past, or are enough guys proving that they’re capable of can carrying the load?
I think enough guys have proven that. If you look at the playoff teams, the teams that are favored to win have the element of a running game. LeGarrette Blount for New England, Ezekiel Elliott for Dallas, LeVeon Bell for Pittsburgh, Jay Ajayi for Miami – they all have a running game and physical presence. To win in this league, you have to be able to run the football. Go back to who played in the Super Bowl last year, Carolina and Denver had the element of a running game.
Does Zeke do what he did this season behind an average offensive line?
I don’t know if he gets 1,500 [yards] but he gets close to that. Look at what he was able to do at Ohio State. Look at what he was able to do without gaping holes. He runs through a lot of tackles and breaks tackles. He makes guys miss with one cut, and he has the speed to go the distance. I believe he has a great offensive line and he’s a great player because of it, but he is a good running back regardless of who he has in front of him.
Does Dallas need to worry about his touches next season?
Based on the amount of carries he had in college, and certainly this year in the NFL, when you approach that 300 number, you have to start looking at being more efficient with his carries and spreading him out. You don’t want to burn this kid out. We’ve seen what happens to the running backs who get up into the high 300s and 400 range in terms of carries, and the wear-out is tremendous. In college, 15 games last year, and now in the NFL another 16 games plus the playoff schedule, that’s a lot of carries. You have to think, do we want to bring in another back to complement Zeke? He’s still the guy you’re gonna go to, but you don’t want him to burn out with his running style, because he runs with reckless abandon.
Stick with your Ohio State brothers, is Carlos Hyde being wasted in San Fran? Better yet, is he the kind of featured back they can rebuild around?
Carlos certainly has the ability and attributes to be a great running back, but he’s got to stay healthy. I know he’s been dinged up this year. Overall, San Francisco is in a flux. They’re changing out another head coach, after the Chip Kelly debacle, and now they have to find a new identity. Given the right head coach, the right leader, and the right philosophy, he could be a really good running back.
Should people be talking about Jordan Howard more? Is what he did as a rookie more impressive than what Zeke did, since his offense and line were significantly worse?
The numbers speak for themselves. Given his situation, his best games are yet to come. When you have a back that was able to do what he did without a massive offensive line, you can only imagine what he can do once he gets the help, both at the quarterback position as well as up front. That’s what makes it so impressive, and I think his upside is tremendous.
What’s wrong with Todd Gurley? Is he simply a victim of a terrible offense or is there more than meets the eye?
It was a lack of offensive identity. When you’re the Rookie of the Year last year, they’re loading up the box against a team with serious quarterback issues. The quarterback couldn’t make consistent plays to keep them off of [Gurley]. I’ve been the victim of that myself. People go, “Is he worn down? Is he injured?” The bottom line is if the defense puts nine men in the box and your offensive lines isn’t opening any holes, that’s what happens. If they address certain things within their offensive line and the quarterback plays better – Jared Goff has a breakout season – you’ll see much bigger games and runs from Todd Gurley.
Let’s focus on the ground nominees. If you’re starting a team tomorrow, who is your centerpiece player: David Johnson, Zeke, or LeVeon Bell? Or is there someone else off the radar that you would roll with?
LeVeon Bell is so versatile, but David Johnson is a guy who is underrated. He has 1,200 yards rushing and another 800 yards receiving, and he has the ability to make guys miss in a one-on-one situation. I haven’t seen Ezekiel do that much this year, due to the play of his offensive line, but [Johnson] creates other lanes and opportunities. What looks like a gain of two or three, he will turn into 15 yards because of his ability to make guys miss in the open field, and with his ability to catch out of the backfield. With that said, I’m giving a slight edge to David Johnson.
What about the air guys? Who is your franchise QB if you’re building a roster today?
Matt Ryan. I’ve always been impressed with him. Every year he’s shown flashes of greatness, and now he is mature to the point that he’s probably going to be this year’s MVP. He’s cool under pressure, he’s battle-tested, and he’s refined his game. I trust him with the football and he can get the ball to his receivers in some pretty tight spaces.
Disagree with George’s assessment? Fans can currently vote for the FedEx Air and Ground Players of the Year at NFL.com. When the winners are announced in February, FedEx will make $50,000 donations in both winners’ names to the USO, in support of programs that “keep service members connected to family, home and country during their time in the military and transition to civilian life.”
