Yesterday, I looked at rushing success rate for individual running backs. Today, I perform the same analysis for running backs, but at the team level (and ignoring runs by non-RBs).
Here’s how to read the table below. The Rams led the NFL in rushing success rate by running backs last season. Los Angeles RBs had 363 carries (after removing 3rd or 4th and long runs that did not pick up a first down) and 228 of them were successful, a 62.8% conversion rate. That was the best rate in the NFL. As noted yesterday, Todd Gurley was great (60.2%), but the other Rams running backs had even higher rates. It was truly a remarkable rushing attack in Los Angeles last year, at least until the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl.
| Rk | Team | Rush | Succ | Succ Rt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LAR | 363 | 228 | 62.8% |
| 2 | NOR | 384 | 228 | 59.4% |
| 3 | IND | 347 | 200 | 57.6% |
| 4 | GNB | 277 | 155 | 56% |
| 5 | CAR | 278 | 155 | 55.8% |
| 6 | BAL | 352 | 196 | 55.7% |
| 7 | KAN | 287 | 159 | 55.4% |
| 8 | LAC | 344 | 188 | 54.7% |
| 9 | SEA | 440 | 239 | 54.3% |
| 10 | OAK | 343 | 185 | 53.9% |
| 11 | DEN | 348 | 187 | 53.7% |
| 12 | MIA | 311 | 167 | 53.7% |
| 13 | DAL | 350 | 181 | 51.7% |
| 14 | NWE | 382 | 197 | 51.6% |
| 15 | PHI | 340 | 174 | 51.2% |
| 16 | SFO | 354 | 179 | 50.6% |
| 17 | PIT | 297 | 149 | 50.2% |
| 18 | DET | 356 | 178 | 50% |
| 19 | CHI | 360 | 177 | 49.2% |
| 20 | CIN | 302 | 145 | 48% |
| 21 | JAX | 323 | 155 | 48% |
| 22 | WAS | 323 | 155 | 48% |
| 23 | TEN | 365 | 174 | 47.7% |
| 24 | CLE | 340 | 162 | 47.6% |
| 25 | ATL | 298 | 141 | 47.3% |
| 26 | MIN | 292 | 138 | 47.3% |
| 27 | BUF | 340 | 152 | 44.7% |
| 28 | TAM | 293 | 130 | 44.4% |
| 29 | HOU | 361 | 158 | 43.8% |
| 30 | NYG | 316 | 136 | 43% |
| 31 | ARI | 310 | 133 | 42.9% |
| 32 | NYJ | 344 | 144 | 41.9% |
Meanwhile, the Jets had the worst running game in the NFL, at least in terms of keeping things on schedule. That only made life tougher for Sam Darnold. It felt like the Jets were always fighting an uphill battle, and the stats bear it out. Also of note: the other New York team, the one with the star running back, had the third-worst rushing attack in the NFL last season, as measured by success rate.
What about the defenses? The Jaguars and Texans had the two best run defenses in the NFL last year, although Houston’s run defense got shredded in the playoffs. The Chiefs basically turned every running back into Todd Gurley.
| Rk | Defense | Opp Rush | Opp Succ | Opp SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JAX | 318 | 131 | 41.2% |
| 2 | HOU | 313 | 131 | 41.9% |
| 3 | NOR | 276 | 123 | 44.6% |
| 4 | CAR | 306 | 141 | 46.1% |
| 5 | BAL | 289 | 134 | 46.4% |
| 6 | PIT | 313 | 149 | 47.6% |
| 7 | DAL | 315 | 151 | 47.9% |
| 8 | PHI | 256 | 123 | 48% |
| 9 | MIA | 405 | 196 | 48.4% |
| 10 | IND | 345 | 167 | 48.4% |
| 11 | DET | 326 | 159 | 48.8% |
| 12 | NYG | 356 | 175 | 49.2% |
| 13 | SFO | 355 | 175 | 49.3% |
| 14 | SEA | 293 | 145 | 49.5% |
| 15 | NYJ | 345 | 171 | 49.6% |
| 16 | CHI | 294 | 146 | 49.7% |
| 17 | BUF | 357 | 179 | 50.1% |
| 18 | WAS | 333 | 167 | 50.2% |
| 19 | DEN | 360 | 185 | 51.4% |
| 20 | CLE | 357 | 185 | 51.8% |
| 21 | MIN | 355 | 186 | 52.4% |
| 22 | TAM | 324 | 170 | 52.5% |
| 23 | OAK | 388 | 205 | 52.8% |
| 24 | GNB | 353 | 187 | 53% |
| 25 | ARI | 431 | 231 | 53.6% |
| 26 | LAR | 330 | 177 | 53.6% |
| 27 | LAC | 316 | 172 | 54.4% |
| 28 | NWE | 310 | 169 | 54.5% |
| 29 | TEN | 347 | 192 | 55.3% |
| 30 | CIN | 366 | 212 | 57.9% |
| 31 | ATL | 326 | 190 | 58.3% |
| 32 | KAN | 362 | 221 | 61% |
Please leave your thoughts in the comments.