NFL Football 2011

Shonn Greene and La Dainian Tomlinson of the New York Jets
Shonn Greene and La Dainian Tomlinson of the New York Jets

What is better than having a great running back on your team? Having two!

Last season, eight clubs boasted two running backs with at least 500 rushing yards apiece, including four playoff teams -- Kansas City, New England, the New York Jets and Seattle.

"Certain teams use a system with multiple backs," says Chiefs head coach TODD HALEY. "If you have multiple backs with different styles, you can force defenses to prepare for more than one guy and that is where the advantage lies."

The AFC West champion Chiefs did just that. Powered by the dynamic combination of JAMAAL CHARLES (left) and THOMAS JONES (right), Kansas City boasted the top rushing attack in the NFL at 164.2 yards per game on its way to the playoffs. Charles finished the season second in the league in rushing yards with 1,467 (ARIAN FOSTER, 1,616). Meanwhile, Jones picked up 896 yards of his own, providing Kansas City with an impressive duo in the backfield.

"You don't want to tab them as Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside, but those two backs are pretty good at what they do," says Buffalo Bills head coach CHAN GAILEY. "That is a very good duo."

The Jets also had an impressive backfield, with LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON (below, No. 21) and SHONN GREENE (below, No. 23) combining for 1,680 yards on the ground en route to the team's second consecutive appearance in the AFC Championship Game.

"You know how I feel about running backs," says Jets head coach REX RYAN. "The ideal thing is you keep pounding and pounding them, and use as many backs as you can."

The teams that employed two running backs with at least 500 rushing yards apiece in 2010:

Team Running Backs Yards
Source: NFL
Kansas City ChiefsJamaal Charles1,467
Kansas City ChiefsThomas Jones896
Miami DolphinsRonnie Brown734
Miami DolphinsRicky Williams673
New England PatriotsBenJarvus Green-Ellis1,008
New England PatriotsDanny Woodhead547
New York GiantsAhmad Bradshaw1,235
New York GiantsBrandon Jacobs823
New York JetsLaDainian Tomlinson914
New York JetsShonn Greene766
Oakland RaidersDarren McFadden1,157
Oakland RaidersMichael Bush655
San Diego ChargersMike Tolbert735
San Diego ChargersRyan Matthews678
Seattle SeahawksMarshawn Lynch573
Seattle SeahawksJustin Forsett523

 

NFL 2011 - Best Running Backs: Good Things Come in Pairs