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Purple Jesus Pursues an Exalted Record
By Jamie Mottram | December 4, 2007
It’s obvious that Adrian Peterson is having one of the best rookie seasons ever. Not so obvious is that, by at least one measure, he’s having the finest season any NFL running back has ever had. It’s his rushing average that I’m on about, and it’s unprecedented.
Purple Jesus is getting 6.5 yards per carry through three-quarters of the season, which is 1.3 yards (or 25%) better than anyone else with at least 100 carries. But let’s go back further.
His current average is 0.9 better than the next best single-season mark of any back this decade with at least 184 carries (Peterson’s current tally). In fact, by my count,* only four backs have ever rushed for six yards per carry over the course of a full season: Joe Perry (6.1 in ‘54 and ‘58), Jim Brown (6.4 in ‘63), O.J. Simpson (6.0 in ‘73) and Barry Sanders (6.1 in ‘97).
So if the Jesus maintains his current average over the final four games, he’ll have posted the greatest yards-per-carry mark in league history. Not bad for a rookie, right Emmitt?
“He’s redefining the way teams defend the running ability.”
Footnote: Jerious Norwood has averaged 6.4 over his first two seasons but only has 168 attempts. Might be high time to give the young man the ball.
* Includes 2000-’07 and top-50 rushers stats. I may be missing someone.
Topics: Purple Jesus, Stats Are Cool |
5 Responses to “Purple Jesus Pursues an Exalted Record”
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December 4th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
Jesus is more of a wide receiver, so he pretty much scoffs at these references.
December 4th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
Skip Hicks was much, much better
December 4th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
I hadn’t heard the name Skip Hicks in years and now this is the second time it’s come up this week (the other was Sunday at the game when Maj was prattling on about young Skins RBs of the ’90s: Ricky Ervins, Reggie Brooks, Hicks … uh, that might of been it).
Anyway, Hicks only averaged 3.4 yards per carry as a Skin.
December 4th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
Just ask Joe Morgan: Stats don’t matter.
Hicks was better.
December 5th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Hicks was no Sultan McCullough though……….