NFL Kicks Off Season With Premiere Running Backs Chasing History

Jet, Sept 17, 2001

The past two seasons have been the greatest ever for NFL running backs. They have been breaking and setting lofty league records.

Six running backs--all of them Black--have started the 2001 season toting historic records. They all have at least five 1,000-yard NFL seasons to their credit--the same record-setting number of players claiming that honor as last year.

Pittsburgh Steelers' Jerome Bettis, St. Louis Rams' Marshall Faulk, Tennessee Titans' Eddie George, New York Jets' Curtis Martin, Dallas Cowboys' Emmitt Smith and Seattle Seahawks' Ricky Watters are all starting the season chasing personal high records, as well as focusing on a Super Bowl championship.

Why are running backs having such success on the ground?

"Many defenses have to be a little more open and have to spread cover over the talented receivers," Pro Football Hall of Famer Lynn Swann told JET. "Running backs have larger gaps just in terms of linemen spreading out. When you couple that with the passing attack, the secondary (defense) has to be more geared on stopping the pass more than the run."

These quick and bright running backs definitely use that to their advantage.

In Bettis' eight-year career, he has recorded seven, 1,000-yard seasons. Nicknamed "the Bus" because of his powerful moves and his large traveling bus that has his face painted on the exterior, Bettis says the game has evolved from years ago.

"It's to the point where if you want to be successful, you have to know how to run the football," Bettis, 29, told JET from the Steelers' training camp. "Also, the success of running backs is attributed to quarterbacks in the late '80s, and early '90s. They changed the game by accomplishing a threatening pass offense and we're reaping their success."

Faulk, 28, scored his career-high of 18 touchdowns last season and earned the NFL's MVP award. Going into his eighth year, the Pro Bowler, who can catch the ball for a touchdown just as easily, hopes to rush for his third consecutive 1,000-yard season.

The 2000 season proved to be a career-best for the Titans' George. The 27-year-old rushed for 1,509 yards and scored 14 touchdowns. Kicking off 2001, his sixth season, as the highest-paid running back in the league, George's whole career has consisted of 1,000-yard seasons, leading the Titans to the postseason for two years straight.

In 11 seasons, Smith, 32, has made an impact on the NFL that puts him in an elite club. As the third-ranked rusher on the NFL's all-time list, the Cowboys running back also has won four NFL rushing titles, three Super Bowl titles, a league MVP and a Super Bowl MVP award.

Martin, the New York Jets' six-year veteran, also brags of consistent rushing-yard seasons. The 28-year-old, who earned Pro Bowl honors three times, looks to extend his offensive-threat streak.

Seattle's Watters has piled up over 10,000 rushing yards in his 11 NFL seasons. The stealthy, 32-year-old Seahawk remains the only player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards with three different franchises (San Francisco, Philadelphia and Seattle).

While fans look for running backs to put up the same supreme numbers as last year, other rushers that made their mark on the field and in the history books last season look to continue their peak performances on the field.

Corey Dillon of the Cincinnati Bengals rushed for 278 yards versus Denver, breaking Pro Football Hall of Famer Walter Payton's 23-year old single-game record.

Indianapolis Colts' Edgerrin James won his second NFL rushing title in as many seasons. He became the fourth player in NFL history to accomplish this feat.

Mike Anderson of the Denver Broncos rushed for an NFL rookie-record 251 yards.

Philadelphia Eagles' Duce Staley rushed for 201 yards against Dallas. This is the most single-game rushing yardage by an Eagle in more than 50 years.

Jamal Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens, who suffered a season-ending knee injury during preseason, set a Ravens single-season rushing record of 1,364 yards as a rookie.