Trivia: Teams where the Rushing Leader

Trivia: Teams where the Rushing Leader > Passing Leader

by Chase Stuart on February 21, 2015

Since 1950, there have been only 24 seasons where a team’s rushing leader rushed for more yards than its passing leader gained through the air. The last team to accomplish this feat was the 2009 Titans, when Chris Johnson rushed for 2,006 yards. That year, the Titans split the duties at quarterback, with Vince Young throwing for 1,879 yards and Kerry Collins finishing with 1,225.

Can you guess which team had the largest differential?

Trivia hint 1	Select Show
The team’s top running back gained 1,064 more rushing yards than the team’s top passer threw for that season.

Trivia hint 2	Select Show
It happened during the 1970s.

Trivia hint 3	Select Show
The leading passer was Joe Ferguson.

Click 'Show' for the Answer	Select Show
In 1973, Ferguson threw for 939 yards, while backup Dennis Shaw threw for 300 yards. But the ’73 Bills were driven by the Juice and the Electric Company: O.J. Simpson rushed for 2,003 yards, while LT Dave Foley and LG Reggie McKenzie (no, not that Reggie McKenzie) were Pro Bowlers, and future HOFer and right guard Joe DeLamielleure was a rookie.

Here’s the full list:

Year	Tm	Quarterback	Pass Yd	Running Back	Rush Yd	Diff
1973	BUF	Joe Ferguson	939	O.J. Simpson	2003	1064
2003	BAL	Kyle Boller	1260	Jamal Lewis	2066	806
1986	RAM	Jim Everett	1018	Eric Dickerson	1821	803
1984	CHI	Jim McMahon	1146	Walter Payton	1684	538
1973	GNB	Jerry Tagge	720	John Brockington	1144	424
1976	BUF	Joe Ferguson	1086	O.J. Simpson	1503	417
1994	DET	Dave Krieg	1629	Barry Sanders	1883	254
1969	CHI	Jack Concannon	783	Gale Sayers	1032	249
1986	CHI	Mike Tomczak	1105	Walter Payton	1333	228
1981	NOR	Archie Manning	1447	George Rogers	1674	227
1956	CLE	Tommy O'Connell	551	Preston Carpenter	756	205
2000	CIN	Akili Smith	1253	Corey Dillon	1435	182
1971	NYJ	Bob Davis	624	John Riggins	769	145
2009	TEN	Vince Young	1879	Chris Johnson	2006	127
1968	CIN	John Stofa	896	Paul Robinson	1023	127
1968	CHI	Virgil Carter	769	Gale Sayers	856	87
1984	RAM	Jeff Kemp	2021	Eric Dickerson	2105	84
1967	HOU	Pete Beathard	1114	Hoyle Granger	1194	80
1979	CHI	Mike Phipps	1535	Walter Payton	1610	75
1998	PHI	Koy Detmer	1011	Duce Staley	1065	54
2004	CHI	Chad Hutchinson	903	Thomas Jones	948	45
1988	IND	Chris Chandler	1619	Eric Dickerson	1659	40
1988	NWE	Doug Flutie	1150	John Stephens	1168	18
1971	DEN	Steve Ramsey	1120	Floyd Little	1133	13

Since 2009, the closest any team has come was the 2012 Chiefs, when Jamaal Charles rushed for 1,509 yards and Matt Cassel led Kansas City with 1,796 passing yards. Last year, the “closest” situation was in Washington, when Alfred Morris rushed for 1,074 yards, and Kirk Cousins led the team with 1,710 passing yards.

Tagged as: Weekend Trivia

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