1000+ yard rushers

[THUMPER]

I was curious to see how many times we have had a 1000+ yard rusher and how that compares with other teams since 1970. In the 39 seasons from 1970 - 2008 we have had a RB surpass 1000 yards 23 times! That is 3rd among all teams with only the Bills(25) and Rams(24) ahead of us.

We were followed by the Commanders(22), Giants(21), Bears(21), and Falcons(20).

I didn't do the stats for any of the expansion teams after 1970 (Bucs, Seahawks, Jags, Panthers, Browns, or Texans) so it was just the teams that have been playing the whole time since the merger.

The Chiefs and Dolphins came is with the lowest number of years at 10 each. That is truly pathetic! The Patriots and Saints came in next at 11 each. New England surprised me because they have only had one RB with multiple 1000+ yard seasons since 1970, Curtis Martin with 3 (Jim Nance had 2 in the 60s).

Our 1000+ yard seasons were by: Emmitt(11), Dorsett(8), Hill(2), Walker(1), and Julius Jones(1). People forget that Calvin Hill was our first 1000 yard rusher and he did it twice in the early 70s. He is still 4th all-time for us behind Emmitt, Dorsett, and Don Perkins.

The Eagles were the only team in the NFC East with less than 20 years, they only had 13! The East is definitely a grind it out division except for them. They were just ahead of the sorry Cardinals who had 12.

I thought the NFC North would have more than they did but only Chicago scored high with Detroit coming in 2nd at 17 and the Vikes and Packers tied with 14.

The Stealers, Titans(Oilers) & Colts had 19 each with the Broncos just behind at 18. That one surprised me since they were not known for their big runners for a lot of years but since Shanny came there it has been one guy after another.

Anyway, just thought it was interesting and the offseason is boring.

 

[NextGenBoys]

Nice stats...The thing that really surprises me is the Bills and Rams have the most??? I know there was OJ/Thomas for Buf and Dickerson and Faulk for the Rams, but thats only two players. I definately would've guessed that Pitt and Miami would be higher.

 

[joseephuss]

Nice stats...The thing that really surprises me is the Bills and Rams have the most??? I know there was OJ/Thomas for Buf and Dickerson and Faulk for the Rams, but thats only two players. I definately would've guessed that Pitt and Miami would be higher.

Miami had all of those Marino years, which took away from 1000 yard rushers. After the 70s and Csonka they didn't really have a premier rusher. Even Csonka shared the backfield duties with Morris. They had a top rushing team if not a top rushing individual during the 70s.

Pittsurgh for years was a running back by committee team after Franco Harris.

Just goes to show how lucky Dallas was to have some premier running backs. And Landry still preferred to utilize as many running backs as possible on his teams.

 

[THUMPER]

Nice stats...The thing that really surprises me is the Bills and Rams have the most??? I know there was OJ/Thomas for Buf and Dickerson and Faulk for the Rams, but thats only two players. I definately would've guessed that Pitt and Miami would be higher.

The Bills also had Joe Cribbs(3), Travis Henry, Marshawn Lynch, and Willis McGahee, each with multiple years over 1000 yards.

The Rams also had Lawrence McCutcheon & Stephen Jackson each with 4, Wendell Tyler, Greg Bell & Jerome Bettis each with 2.

The Falcons were the ones who really surprised me with 20 but they had William Andrews and Jamaal Anderson with 4 each, Gerald Riggs and Warrick Dunn with 3, and then 6 other guys with one each, including Michael Vick.

 

[THUMPER]

Miami had all of those Marino years, which took away from 1000 yard rushers. After the 70s and Csonka they didn't really have a premier rusher. Even Csonka shared the backfield duties with Morris. They had a top rushing team if not a top rushing individual during the 70s.

Pittsurgh for years was a running back by committee team after Franco Harris.

Just goes to show how lucky Dallas was to have some premier running backs. And Landry still preferred to utilize as many running backs as possible on his teams.

Landry always liked to have at least 2 guys who could carry the ball whenever needed, plus at least one more that could step in as a change of pace guy. Back in the day he had Perkins and Amos Marsh, then Dan Reeves and Walt Garrison, Calvin Hill, Duane Thomas, Robert Newhouse, Scott Laidlaw, Doug Dennison, Tony Dorsett, Ron Springs, Timmy Newsome, and Herschel Walker. He used his fullbacks as runners, not as blocking specialists like Moose was.

He actually had a particular body type he looked for in a RB and only occasionally varied from it (Hill & Dorsett were exceptions). 5'10"-6'0" 200-208 lbs was his target. Guys that were good blockers, good runners, and good receivers. They didn't have to be fast but they did have to be tough.

Preston Pearson was another one who didn't fit the typical Landry style and was used as a specialist once they recognized that he had a real knack for getting first downs as a receiver.

 

[dbair1967]

Not many teams can claim to be as blessed as we were at QB, RB and WR over the yrs...from Meredith-Staubach-White-Aikman, Thomas-Hill-Dorsett-Walker-Emmitt and Hayes-Pearson/Hill-Irvin