- Messages
- 58,561
- Reaction score
- 9,051
Zeke Elliott challenging Eric Dickerson's rookie rushing record
Ezekiel Elliott leads the NFL in rushing yards before and after contact this season ESPN Stats & Information
Jon Kramer & Marty Callinan
After a come-from-behind win against Tampa Bay on Sunday Night, the Dallas Cowboys have moved back into the No. 1 spot in this week's ESPN's NFL Power Rankings.
Most rush yards by a rookie
1983 Eric Dickerson 1,808
1981 George Rogers 1,674
2012 Alfred Morris 1,613
1979 Ottis Anderson 1,605
1999 Edgerrin James 1,553
2016 Ezekiel Elliott 1,551*
*Through 14 games
Ezekiel Elliott did what he's done all season, rushing for 159 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries in the victory, and is now averaging 110.8 rushing yards per game this season.
Elliott's 1,551 yards this season ranks him sixth on the all-time rookie rushing list, and within striking distance of Eric Dickerson's rookie record of 1,808 yards set in 1983.
Can Elliott catch Dickerson and set the rookie rushing record? We compared their two seasons:
Elliott is currently averaging 22.1 carries per game, shy of Dickerson's average of 24.4 in 1983. So while Dickerson averaged slightly more rush yards per game (113.0) than Elliott is currently doing, Elliot is averaging more yards per carry (5.0 to 4.6).
Elliott has been behind Dickerson's pace throughout the season, as seen in the graphic below, but is gaining as of late. Dickerson had fewer than 100 yards rushing in each of his final two games.
Elliott faces the Detroit Lions (Monday Night) and Philadelphia Eagles in his final two games this season. He carried 22 times for 96 yards in his team’s OT win over the Eagles in Week 8.
Both opponents rank in the middle of the pack in terms of rush defense; the Lions are allowing 4.2 yards per carry (18th in the NFL) and the Eagles have allowed 4.3 per carry (21st).
The Lions have allowed two 100-yard rushers this season, with the last instance coming in Week 4. The Eagles have only allowed one 100-yard rusher this season. Matt Jones had 135 yards against them in Week 6.
Zeke getting what’s blocked for him and more
Elliott has certainly benefited from having one of the best offensive lines in football. Over the last two seasons, Cowboys running backs have averaged nearly three yards per rush before being contacted by a defender, which ranks second in the league behind the Buffalo Bills in that span.
But Elliott has the rare combination of a strong line, great vision and the ability to break tackles.
Elliott currently leads the league in both rushing yards before and after contact this season. He is on pace to pick up over 1,000 yards on the ground before contact and on pace to gain over 700 yards rushing after contact.
The only players in the last eight seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards before contact and over 700 yards after contact in a season were Adrian Peterson in 2012 for the Minnesota Vikings (won MVP) and DeMarco Murray in 2014 for the Cowboys (won AP Offensive Player of the Year).
A heavy workload
Elliott enters Week 16 with a league-high 341 touches. No other rookie is within 100 touches.
The last rookie with more touches than Elliott through his team’s first 14 games of a season was LaDainian Tomlinson in 2001 for the San Diego Chargers. Tomlinson had three more touches than Elliott entering Week 16 of that season, but Tomlinson had 561 fewer yards and four fewer touchdowns from scrimmage than Elliott.
Dickerson had 390 touches through 14 games in his record-setting rookie season, most by a rookie through 14 team games in the Super Bowl era. Elliott is on pace for 389 touches this season. The last rookie with more than that was Tomlinson, with 398 in 2001.
Ezekiel Elliott leads the NFL in rushing yards before and after contact this season ESPN Stats & Information
Jon Kramer & Marty Callinan
After a come-from-behind win against Tampa Bay on Sunday Night, the Dallas Cowboys have moved back into the No. 1 spot in this week's ESPN's NFL Power Rankings.
Most rush yards by a rookie
1983 Eric Dickerson 1,808
1981 George Rogers 1,674
2012 Alfred Morris 1,613
1979 Ottis Anderson 1,605
1999 Edgerrin James 1,553
2016 Ezekiel Elliott 1,551*
*Through 14 games
Ezekiel Elliott did what he's done all season, rushing for 159 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries in the victory, and is now averaging 110.8 rushing yards per game this season.
Elliott's 1,551 yards this season ranks him sixth on the all-time rookie rushing list, and within striking distance of Eric Dickerson's rookie record of 1,808 yards set in 1983.
Can Elliott catch Dickerson and set the rookie rushing record? We compared their two seasons:
Elliott is currently averaging 22.1 carries per game, shy of Dickerson's average of 24.4 in 1983. So while Dickerson averaged slightly more rush yards per game (113.0) than Elliott is currently doing, Elliot is averaging more yards per carry (5.0 to 4.6).
Elliott has been behind Dickerson's pace throughout the season, as seen in the graphic below, but is gaining as of late. Dickerson had fewer than 100 yards rushing in each of his final two games.
Elliott faces the Detroit Lions (Monday Night) and Philadelphia Eagles in his final two games this season. He carried 22 times for 96 yards in his team’s OT win over the Eagles in Week 8.
Both opponents rank in the middle of the pack in terms of rush defense; the Lions are allowing 4.2 yards per carry (18th in the NFL) and the Eagles have allowed 4.3 per carry (21st).
The Lions have allowed two 100-yard rushers this season, with the last instance coming in Week 4. The Eagles have only allowed one 100-yard rusher this season. Matt Jones had 135 yards against them in Week 6.
Zeke getting what’s blocked for him and more
Elliott has certainly benefited from having one of the best offensive lines in football. Over the last two seasons, Cowboys running backs have averaged nearly three yards per rush before being contacted by a defender, which ranks second in the league behind the Buffalo Bills in that span.
But Elliott has the rare combination of a strong line, great vision and the ability to break tackles.
Elliott currently leads the league in both rushing yards before and after contact this season. He is on pace to pick up over 1,000 yards on the ground before contact and on pace to gain over 700 yards rushing after contact.
The only players in the last eight seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards before contact and over 700 yards after contact in a season were Adrian Peterson in 2012 for the Minnesota Vikings (won MVP) and DeMarco Murray in 2014 for the Cowboys (won AP Offensive Player of the Year).
A heavy workload
Elliott enters Week 16 with a league-high 341 touches. No other rookie is within 100 touches.
The last rookie with more touches than Elliott through his team’s first 14 games of a season was LaDainian Tomlinson in 2001 for the San Diego Chargers. Tomlinson had three more touches than Elliott entering Week 16 of that season, but Tomlinson had 561 fewer yards and four fewer touchdowns from scrimmage than Elliott.
Dickerson had 390 touches through 14 games in his record-setting rookie season, most by a rookie through 14 team games in the Super Bowl era. Elliott is on pace for 389 touches this season. The last rookie with more than that was Tomlinson, with 398 in 2001.