Some folks consider the NFC South to be the best division in the NFL heading into 2017. We’ll be taking a look at each position group for each team in the division and ranking them leading up to the season, hoping to give you a better feel for the teams the Panthers will be facing twice on the schedule, as well as the hometown team itself. Check out our previous editions in which we rank the head coaches, pass catchers, linebackers, offensive and defensive line units. While the arms race in the NFC South continues to escalate, the running game in the division gets ignored as a focal point, even though keeping the ball on the ground and eating up the clock is a necessity for a successful season. While the hog mollies up front have a lot to do with the success of the run game, the players handling the ball will ultimately decide the success of the team. With that being said, let’s take a look at the running backs in the NFC South.
4) Saints
Top Threat: Adrian Peterson
Photo: David Grunfeld/NOLA.com
Perhaps the most interesting signing of the 2017 offseason was Adrian Peterson signing with the New Orleans Saints. For the past decade, New Orleans has been a heavy passing offense, ever since Drew Brees took the helm in 2006. So the signing of a former NFL MVP and once-top running back in Adrian Peterson is a bit of a head-scratcher. Last year, the Saints ranked 16th in the league in rushing averaging 108.9 yards per game, behind Mark Ingram’s first career 1,000 yard season in the pros. Peterson will definitely have an effect, for his career he has averaged over 95 yards/game; to put that in perspective, in Ingram’s 2016 campaign, the best of his career, he averaged 65 yards/game. If Peterson can show that he still has more gas in his tank, and Ingram can continue his recent success on the ground – the Saints could become a very underrated ground attack offense, but with Brees still at the helm, expect the Saints to still throw 40 to 50 times a game.
3) Buccaneers
Top Threat: Doug Martin
Photo: ESPN
Tampa Bay’s running game has been pretty good the past few seasons, but saw a drop off in 2016, ranking 24th in rushing while averaging just over 100 yards a game last season. Leading the way for the Buccaneers rushing attack is Doug Martin, who had an injury plagued season last year, and will miss the first three games of 2017 due to a failed drug test. Martin has shown flashes that he can be a top back in the league, but has also had three seasons where he’s failed to even reach 500 yards. The inconsistency in Martin is a concern, and now with a failed drug test, his future is in doubt. Tampa does have good depth however, with Jacquizz Rodgers, who rushed for over 500 yards last season in just five starts and has shown burst and quickness in small spurts.Charles Sims will also be returning in a complimentary role. If Martin can stay consistent with his “good” production and Rodgers can continue to stride and make improvements, the Bucs could have a great one-two punch.
2) Falcons
Top Threat: Devonta Freeman
Photo: USA Today
The Falcons most underrated success on their way to the Super Bowl in 2016 was found within their backfield. Last season, the Falcons had the fifth best running game in the league averaging 120.5 yards per game behind one of the best (and young) one-two punches in the league in Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. Freeman has had back to back 1,000 yard seasons and 22 rushing touchdowns, while Coleman averaged 4.4 yards a carry, and had over 500 yards and eight scores in limited playing time last season. With both backs still so young and more than likely not even in their prime yet, the Falcons could have one of the best tandems in the league – much like the Panthers had with Double Trouble, in Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart from 2008-2012.
1) Panthers
Top Threat: Jonathan Stewart
The Panthers could very well have one of the best running back tandems in the league with a completely healthy Jonathan Stewart and a highly talented rookie in Christian McCaffrey. Both running backs come with questions though, as Stewart has been plagued by nagging injuries and McCaffrey hasn’t played a down in the NFL, so to crown them may be a bit premature. In Stewart’s early years, he had to split the load with Deangelo Williams, so while has wasn’t amassing 1,000 yard seasons, he was showing production averaging over four yards per carry. Stewart came close to a thousand yard season in 2015, but missed time at the end of the season due to injury. Last season, the Panthers ranked 10th in the NFL in rushing with 113.4 yards per game, relying heavily on Stewart’s legs. Stewart still can be productive, but injuries are the only thing holding him back; if he can stay healthy for 16 games, it would be a bit of a surprise. As for McCaffrey, it’s hard to judge how a top 10 pick will fare in the NFL, but seeing some of the clips of him in training camp gives good reason to believe the Panthers drafted a truly talented player. If McCaffrey turns out to be the player the Panthers are hoping for, a decreased workload helps Jonathan Stewart stay healthy for an entire season, the Panthers running game is downright scary. And let’s not forget about a 6’6″ quarterback who has rushed for 48 touchdowns in his career.
Previous Results:
Head Coach: New Orleans Saints
Defensive Line: Carolina Panthers
Pass Catchers: Atlanta Falcons
Linebackers: Carolina Panthers
Offensive Line: Atlanta Falcons
Running Backs: Carolina Panthers
Secondary: ??????
Quarterbacks: ??????
