Run Heavy Offenses, The Key to Super Bowls
In a QB Dominant League, the Overlooked Running Back Position Continues to Deliver W’s
Push Tush 🍑
The Buffalo Bills just created NFL news by dropping 266 rushing yards in the team’s blowout win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15. The Bills’ stellar rushing display in Week 15 catapulted them up the 2023 NFL Rushing Standings. Conversely, the Cowboy’s offense was painful to watch, and it does not seem like a coincidence that the team has struggled to consistently run the football with Tony Pollard this season.
This has us wondering if the NFL rushing attack is back. While there are exceptions to the rule, the majority of top Super Bowl contenders all have a strong run game.
Let’s take a look at how the best NFL teams are leaning on their legs to rise the NFL standings.
No. 1 Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens lead the league in rushing with 163 yards per game, more than 20 yards more than the No. 2 Lions. This is a complicated attack because the team’s biggest rushing threat is star quarterback Lamar Jackson.
More run pass options for Lamar Jackson #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/hTc92N929u
— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) October 22, 2023
Baltimore lost running back JK Dobbins at the beginning of the season. It has been a true committee approach for the Ravens.
Unfortunately, it looks like the team also lost Keaton Mitchell for the season in Week 15. Expect Baltimore to continue to lean on Gus Edwards and Justice Hill to close out 2023.
Make no mistake, the Ravens rushing attack starts and ends with Action Jackson.
No. 2 San Francisco 49ers
The Niners are the favorites to win the Super Bowl, and it may be their running back not the quarterback that has Vegas backing San Francisco. Christian McCaffrey continues to be a machine taking the pressure off Brock Purdy.
The nice thing about McCaffrey is the playmaker looks effortless catching the ball. McCaffrey is a better receiver than most players who play the position full-time.
Christian McCaffrey has 20 TDs and 1,801 yards on the season. Should he win MVP?
He is tied for 6th best odds at +2000 on @FDSportsbook #FTTB #GamblingX pic.twitter.com/CEyCBZeXlY
— SportsGridTV (@SportsGridTV) December 18, 2023
The odds are stacked against him, but McCaffrey has emerged as a dark horse NFL MVP candidate. McCaffrey gets bonus points for the epic “Rob and Big” reference.
Rob Dyrdek approves the “Rob & Big” reference from #49ers Trent Williams & Christian McCaffrey 😂 pic.twitter.com/aXYEhapJme
— 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙎𝙁𝙉𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 (@TheSFNiners) December 18, 2023
No. 3 Miami Dolphins
Renowned for his dynamic offense and unconventional capri pants style, Head Coach Mike McDaniel is strategically utilizing multiple running backs to position his team among the league’s most explosive offenses in the 2023 NFL Rushing Standings.
Raheem Mostert now holds the Dolphin’s single-season touchdown record with 20 TDs and counting. With three NFL games to go, Mostert still has time to run up the score with more touchdowns.
No stopping Raheem Mostert this season 🔥 pic.twitter.com/UVOYQMqx60
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 18, 2023
Miami also has rookie De’Von Achne contributing to the mix as well.
No. 4 Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills have transformed their offense to lean on Josh Allen’s legs as well as running back James Cook. Don’t get it twisted, Buffalo can still air it out to Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, and company, but the heartbeat of the offense is now the run game.
An interesting wrinkle from the Bills last night was getting into 21 Pony personnel with James Cook and Ty Johnson both on the field.
The Bills ran the ball four times out of Pony, with all four being successful. pic.twitter.com/34WDNzkwGe
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) December 18, 2023
After the blowout win over Dallas, Allen admitted the team wanted to exploit a Cowboys team that is reliant on playing indoors.
“I think just, again, we understand what position we’re in right now, and we got to win games,” Allen said during a December 17 press conference. “It doesn’t matter how we get ’em done. And sometimes a team like that, again, they’re used to playing in a dome.
“They throw the ball quite a bit, and I think teams try to throw on their defense quite a bit. And I don’t know if anybody’s attacked the run as much as we did tonight. And again, we just trusted our guys up front and trusted our backs to make plays and they did.”
No. 5 Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia is a bit different as the running game has felt lacking at times this season. It feels like the Eagles are still figuring out how to best utilize D’Andre Swift.
Yet, for all their growing pains, Philly still boasts a top-10 rushing attack in the 2023 NFL Rushing Standings. Like the Ravens, the Eagles’ run game starts with Jalen Hurts.
Are there two more annoying words than tush or push? It’s annoying to say. It’s annoying to watch. But those cheeks are impossible to stop in short-yardage situations.
NFL exec Troy Vincent on the tush-push and talk about banning it:
“You don’t want to punish anyone for doing something well.” pic.twitter.com/pAoy89OKEa
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 13, 2023
NFL rumors are swirling about the dysfunction going on within the Eagles. If Philly hopes to get their offense back on track, the Eagles need to figure out how to lean on Swift’s strengths.
Otherwise, all the pressure will be on Hurts’ tush and the Eagles’ push.
Author: Sin City Sniper
Author: Sin City SniperThe opinions and view here expressed are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of Point Spreads or any of its affiliates. Point Spreads is not responsible and does not verify for accuracy any of the articles and content pieces included herein; moreover, besides being solely the opinion or views of the authors, these content pieces are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, anyone or anything.
