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The NFL's Running Renaissance
This past off-season, the Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, and Las Vegas Raiders acted under the growing narrative that you don’t need to pay a top-tier running back to be successful and that in fact, is a poor roster-building decision to do so. So far this season, the recently departed...
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This past off-season, the Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, and Las Vegas Raiders acted under the growing narrative that you don’t need to pay a top-tier running back to be successful and that in fact, is a poor roster-building decision to do so.
So far this season, the recently departed Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, and Josh Jacobs are leading the league as number one, two, and three in rushing yards.
Big names like these three are scattered across the rushing leaderboard and more teams are relying on a powerful running game to be the engine that drives their offense. We have been made to believe the NFL is a passing league now, but this season, running backs are taking a meaningful stand.
Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson
The story of the 2024 running game resurgence starts with the Baltimore Ravens.The Ravens 2023 campaign finished with a disappointing loss in the AFC Championship to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. This loss felt especially sour because the Ravens, who built an identity on running the football and controlling games, ran the ball just 16 times for 81 yards.
The mind-boggling decision to abandon the run in the most important game of the season inspired their big off-season move to sign four-time All-Pro and 2020 Offensive Player of the Year Derrick Henry.
The Titans moved on from the 30-year-old, expecting some decline after eight years of NFL wear and tear. But the Ravens saw this as an opportunity to bolster their backfield with reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and return to their relentless and dynamic rushing attack.
What a decision it was. The Ravens are off to a 6-3 start and have been excellent on offense.
As many predicted, Henry’s power and downhill speed have perfectly complemented Jackson’s elusive running style. The pair has combined for 1,557 rushing yards through nine games, which is more than any other team has been able to manage. Henry leads the league with 1,052 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns and is on pace for his second 2,000-yard rushing season.
Jackson currently sits as the betting favorite for the 2024 NFL MVP.
Saquon Barkley
Just like the Titans, the New York Football Giants had a tough off-season decision with Saquon Barkley set for a new, massive contract. After a year of tense negotiations, the Giants and Barkley failed to reach a deal, and he instead inked a three-year, $37 million deal with division rival Philadelphia Eagles.For years, the Eagles were seen as the model for building a cost-effective rushing attack. They paid their running backs sparingly, rotating through multiple players with complimentary skill sets. They invested in their offensive line, which became one of the league’s best. Watching the Eagles play supported the theory that a running back is only as good as his offensive line.
But this season, the Eagles took a chance on Barkley which can be seen as a running game experiment. They already had the offensive line and proved they could be effective without a top player at the running back position.
But what if they had one? What if they had one of the most explosive players in the league carrying the football?
Their gamble has more than paid off. With the retirement of Jason Kelce and injuries up front, the offensive line has not been what we have come to expect in Philadelphia. This has been no problem for Barkley, who spent his whole career behind abysmal offensive lines in New York. Barkley has 925 rushing yards with six touchdowns and has also been impressive in the passing game, with 20 catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns.
Barkley could join Henry on a 2,000-yard watch if he continues this pace.
