Tennessee Titans 2009 Roster Review: Running Backs

by August West on Feb 2, 2010 11:35 AM CST in Tennessee Titans Commentary

		Rushing						Receiving
	G	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	Lng	TD	Rec	Yds	Y/G	Avg	Lng	TD
2009 - Chris Johnson	16	358	2006	125.4	5.6	91	14	50	503	31.4	10.1	69	2

Chris Johnson's 2009 wasn't just a season, it was a force of nature: it was a hurricane that supported a tornado in its eye... a tsunami made of sweat and unkempt dreads and the NFL's best buccal-grill.

If you got a good look at Chris Johnson on Sundays last year, it probably meant our feeble defense was on the field trying to cover for Nick Harper's refusal to spring for a Hoveround, because between the lines the man was a blur. Defenders would give-up on a play as soon as he streaked through the second level. I swear a few times the opposition's extra point unit was on the field before CJ crossed the goal line.

Now lets put this remarkable season in some context:

Follow us through the jump for the rest of the story...

• NFL's Offensive Player of the Year

• Became only the 6th player out of the thousands in NFL history to surpass 2,000 yards rushing

• Broke Marshall Faulk's total yards from scrimmage record, and if that long run in Seattle isn't called back, probably elevates it to the point that it's unbreakable

• Only unanimous first team All Pro for 2009

• At 358 carries and 50 receptions, CJ2K lead the team in rushes and receptions. Sure, his carry total was high, but it was still the 3rd lowest for a RB who crossed 2,000 yards

• 3 touchdown runs of 85+ yards in one year; no other RB in the history of the NFL has totaled so many in a career. He won the

Now what's really crazy, and I mean just unbelievable, is that CJ did all of that after a somewhat slow (by comparison) start to the season! During the 0-6 start CJ had four games where he didn't break 100 yards, including 57 yards in the opener at Pittsburgh and 34 yards against the Colts. Not that it was all his fault, but imagine if CJ gets a few more breaks in those games: he may have broken Dickerson's record in week 15.

As for LenDale White and Javon Ringer, both promising young backs who will most likely have long and successful careers in one capacity or another in the NFL, they did exactly what they were asked to do: squat. Ringer totaled 8 carries on the year and LenDale totaled 64. Between them they logged exactly 0 carries that mattered, but why in the world would you sit down the best back in the NFL?

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Comments

C..ya..J hasn't even hit his prime yet.

Can you imagine when he does. So far, my favorite RB of ALL time is still Earl Campbell…but if C..ya..J keeps this up & continues to improve…I don’t know?

by titansfan4ever on Feb 2, 2010 1:07 PM CST reply actions

well-written, August

as always

by joshuaboone on Feb 2, 2010 1:24 PM CST reply actions

does anyone know the team win/loss records

for the other 2000 yard rushers?

"hey, quit reading these ridiculous words of wisdom and get back to work!"

by stetix01 on Feb 2, 2010 1:28 PM CST reply actions

Here

Dickerson-84 Rams 10-6
Jamal Lewis-2003 Ravens 10-6
Barry Sanders-97 Lions 9-7
Terrell Davis-98 Broncos 14-2
OJ-73 Bills 9-5

Titans Blogger at Music City Miracles even though gramsey hates it.

"What if I was Peyton Manning?"- CJ to the ref after they picked up a personal foul flag for a late hit on him.

by Jimmy on Feb 2, 2010 1:49 PM CST up reply actions

I think he means career records

Graphic Designer/Researcher/Writer at Music City Miracles.
Official Graphic Goon of On The Forecheck.

by Aditya T (smashville) on Feb 2, 2010 2:10 PM CST up reply actions

Huh?

Titans Blogger at Music City Miracles even though gramsey hates it.

"What if I was Peyton Manning?"- CJ to the ref after they picked up a personal foul flag for a late hit on him.

by Jimmy on Feb 2, 2010 2:12 PM CST up reply actions

The record of their team in their entire career

Graphic Designer/Researcher/Writer at Music City Miracles.
Official Graphic Goon of On The Forecheck.

by Aditya T (smashville) on Feb 2, 2010 3:30 PM CST up reply actions

Why would he mean that?

Titans Blogger at Music City Miracles even though gramsey hates it.

"What if I was Peyton Manning?"- CJ to the ref after they picked up a personal foul flag for a late hit on him.

by Jimmy on Feb 2, 2010 3:30 PM CST up reply actions

no, jimmy got it right. (sorry if i wasnt clear)

just wanted to know what effect it had on the teams winning record. looks like cj has the worst record at 8-8. even the lowly lions did better than we did.

"hey, quit reading these ridiculous words of wisdom and get back to work!"

by stetix01 on Feb 3, 2010 6:39 AM CST up reply actions

Yeah

I have no idea what I was thinking yesterday. Doesn’t make sense.

Graphic Designer/Researcher/Writer at Music City Miracles.
Official Graphic Goon of On The Forecheck.

by Aditya T (smashville) on Feb 3, 2010 8:03 AM CST up reply actions

I just hope he doesn't break down next season.

Ain't no time for hesitatin'
All you got to do is groove

by BonzosMontreaux on Feb 2, 2010 3:15 PM CST reply actions

Hey! What the hell? Why would you even say that?

"And with the 15th pick, the Tennessee Titans select..."

by Drubaru on Feb 2, 2010 3:33 PM CST up reply actions

Dude. 358 carries is A LOT of carries, regardless of age. That's good for 44th highest all time.

It’s a legitimate concern. He had the most rushes in the league by 27 attempts. Historically, when you have that many carries, there is a decline the next year.

Any expectation other than some sort of a regression is ridiculous. CJ had arguably the best season ever by a running back. There is no reason we should anticipate an improvement.

by SuperHorn on Feb 2, 2010 4:20 PM CST up reply actions

and the coaching staff has already said he'll never get that many carries again...

Now, if any RB was ever going to average near 7.0 YPC in the NFL, CJ’s the one… even then he’d need just over 300 carries to push for Dickerson’s record.

Music City Miracles blogger and official Jon Bovi tour manager.

by August West on Feb 2, 2010 4:41 PM CST up reply actions

I agree

As fun as it was to see CJ breaking records, thats waaaaaay to many carries. And its not as if he was running out of bounds either – CJ finishes runs and plays much bigger than he is. That takes a serious toll on your body, I don’t care who you are. I would bet that CJ never has that many carries ever again.

by vancouverTITAN on Feb 2, 2010 10:02 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

I hope he doesn't honestly

He’s too special for the Titans to waste by running him into the ground after 3 or 4 seasons

by madhjsp on Feb 3, 2010 7:08 AM CST up reply actions

As SuperHorn said

Statistically there is a dropoff after a 300 carry season. Sometime’s it is incredibly large. Look at what happened to Turner this year. It’s a legitimate fear that something happens to him. Don’t react to me like i just wished it on the guy.

Ain't no time for hesitatin'
All you got to do is groove

by BonzosMontreaux on Feb 2, 2010 4:53 PM CST up reply actions

You've cursed him!

with the curse of… Sergio.

Music City Miracles blogger and official Jon Bovi tour manager.

by August West on Feb 2, 2010 4:56 PM CST up reply actions

I'm not looking for CJ to repeat this year's numbers.

I’m just not excited about the thought of him “break(ing) down.” I don’t think for a second you are wishing it on him. I just don’t like putting it out there.

"And with the 15th pick, the Tennessee Titans select..."

by Drubaru on Feb 2, 2010 4:59 PM CST up reply actions

LT never had a season under

1000 yards until last year and he got close to 350 carries many times. He actually had 372 his second year (along with 79 rec) in the league and still came back with over 1600 rushing yards the next year (and 100 rec)…. and did it with only 313 carries. CJ will be fine. Everyone bitches about his high amount of carries but you’d be bitching about how the Titans didn’t get him 2000 yards if he only had 15 carries in Seattle.

"Oh, you should never, never doubt what nobody is sure about." Gene Wilder - Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

by Chris Faulkner on Feb 3, 2010 11:20 AM CST reply actions