than Derrick Henry and
Dion Lewis? The Titans made a home run addition to the backfield when they
signed former New England Patriot Dion Lewis to a
four-year
Navy
Jayon Brown Jersey , $20 million contract. Lewis¡¯ quick, nimble style of
running and receiving helps provide a change of pace back from the more
traditional, powerful Derrick Henry. The hope is that this new backfield will
take a big step forward under new offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur.The only
question is, how many running back duos are better than the combination of Henry
and Lewis?In today¡¯s NFL, more teams are stocking up in the backfield to get a
multiple set of backs that bring explosiveness to the offense in different ways.
The success of the Falcons and Saints backfields in recent years perhaps
contributed to the change in philosophy. Here¡¯s my rules for anyone considered a
high quality duo: 1) No rookies. This counts anyone who¡¯s at least played one
year in the NFL. 2) The duo can¡¯t be top heavy. Just because you have one stud
player (Steelers) does not mean you can automatically add anyone else. Both
players must contribute heavily to the offense. With that said, let¡¯s get this
started.First, let¡¯s take a look at running back duos that are, without the
slightest bit of hesitation, better than Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis.Alvin
Kamara and Mark Ingram (New Orleans Saints)Brad Rempel-USA TODAY SportsThis goes
without saying. While Mark Ingram will miss the first four games of the season
due to a PED suspension, he¡¯s still a powerful, speedy back in the open field,
and is a quality all-around back. Alvin Kamara was sensational in his rookie
season, showing fantastic elusiveness and constantly broke tackles while showing
off his versatility by moving everywhere on the field and playing at a high
level.Together, these two provide a two-headed monster that have become the new
focal point of the Saints offense.Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman (Atlanta
Falcons)Dale Zanine-USA TODAY SportsKirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsDevonta Freeman
and Tevin Coleman didn¡¯t have as good of seasons in 2017 as they did in 2016,
but they¡¯re still a deadly duo primed to put up more big numbers in 2018.
Devonta Freeman offers some of the absolute best cutback ability in football,
has excellent vision between the tackles, and is a terrific receiving back.
Complementing him is Coleman, who offers outrageous speed and equally aggressive
running and receiving ability.Freeman and Coleman are both starting caliber
running backs that have combined for
2
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Austin Johnson Jersey ,000 yards from scrimmage in the last two
seasons.So, with this in mind, there are two running back duos that I can 100%
consider better than Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis.Next, let¡¯s look at running
back duos that are not necessarily better than Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis, but
would be reasonable debates.Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen (Chicago Bears)Dennis
Wierzbicki-USA TODAY SportsUnder new head coach Matt Nagy, the Bears could have
a top five backfield in 2018. Jordan Howard is the team¡¯s power back, and his
consistency and vision have made him one of the Bears offense¡¯s most prized
players. Tarik Cohen compliments him, and his lightning fast quickness offer a
perfect change of pace back. This is especially true at receiving back, where
Cohen is far more versatile and reliable with his hands.Part of me is itching to
put Howard and Cohen above Henry and Lewis. (Sorry, guys...)LeGarrette Blount
and Theo Riddick (Detroit Lions) Raj Mehta-USA TODAY SportsAfter a disappointing
season from Ameer Abdullah, the Lions invested heavily in the backfield in the
offseason, signing three time Super Bowl champion LeGarrette Blount and drafting
Auburn¡¯s Kerryon Johnson in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Since
Johnson is a rookie, we¡¯re going to go with Blount and Theo Riddick.Blount gives
the Lions a Beast Mode at running back they haven¡¯t had in a long time. Behind
an improved offensive line, his powerful running and good level of balance
should continue to age well into his early 30s. This leaves Theo Riddick as the
heavy contributor in the passing game, and he is one of the best receiving backs
in football; Riddick¡¯s route running is dangerous and slippery, and his ability
to create yards out of nothing have also helped make him a fan favorite in
Detroit.Dalvin Cook and Latavius Murray (Minnesota Vikings)Reese Strickland-USA
TODAY SportsMark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsBefore a heartbreaking end to his
season via a torn ACL, Dalvin Cook was leading the NFL in rushing yards, and he
was doing it in a Pat Shurmur led offense that understood how to cater to his
strengths. He made the Vikings¡¯ decision to start him at the beginning of the
season pay
off
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Josh Kline Jersey , as his vision and cutback ability in space made the
Vikings run game one of the league¡¯s deadliest up until his injury.From that
point forward, Latavius Murray held the fort strong. While not a spectacular
back, Murray has a solid skill set, providing nice cuts and decent vision,
making him a solid backup to Cook.Christian McCaffrey and C.J. Anderson
(Carolina Panthers)Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY SportsJim Dedmon-USA TODAY SportsThe
Panthers¡¯ run game is getting seriously overlooked. Not only is Cam Newton
arguably the best running quarterback in the league, but the Panthers also have
an incredibly underrated duo in Christian McCaffrey and C.J. Anderson.McCaffrey
has gotten a bad rap from many fans as a runner, and while he struggled with his
vision early on, he was also a victim of poor run blocking and an inconsistent
scheme. As a receiver, however McCaffrey is a game changer, with excellent route
running ability as a slot receiver, great pass catching skills for a back, and
is also very agile.In the offseason, the Panthers managed to sign C.J. Anderson
for a massive bargain. Despite playing behind a poor offensive line for much of
his career in Denver, Anderson made a living out of breaking tackles, running
with great balance, polished footwork, and runs at a nice pad level. He¡¯s still
a high quality back that along with McCaffrey should provide a dangerous
combination given a competent scheme. Honorable Mentions: Guys that I can 100%
say are lower than Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis, but are in the ballpark. Ty
Montgomery and Aaron Jones (Green Bay Packers): Montgomery dealt with injuries
throughout
2017
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bounce back in 2018. Fan favorite Aaron Jones is the superior back to Jamaal
Williams, but either way, the Packers have a crazy amount of depth in their
backfield this season.Frank Gore and Kenyan Drake (Miami Dolphins): Frank Gore
is essentially the Tom Brady/Larry Fitzgerald of the running back position, in
that he is still in the league and is still doing damage despite being ancient.
It¡¯s unknown if he¡¯ll completely fall apart at age 35, but even if he does,
Kenyan Drake had a sensational second half of 2017. Drake¡¯s elusiveness and cuts
between the tackles make him a favorable breakout candidate in a full 2018 to
many.Kareem Hunt and Spencer Ware (Kansas City Chiefs): It goes without saying
Kareem Hunt is special. He can wear defenses down with his balance and ability
to break tackles, and he possesses some of the smoothest ball skills I¡¯ve seen
from a receiving back, rarely breaking stride even on inaccurate throws. The guy
he took the starting job from, Spencer Ware, is a decent back himself, though
whether or not he¡¯ll be as good as he was before his torn PCL in the 2017
preseason.Jerick McKinnon and Matt Breida (San Francisco 49ers): Kyle Shanahan¡¯s
ability to get his players in the open field is precisely why big things are
expected for the 49ers run game. Jerick McKinnon is a quick, nimble back that is
expected to be the do-it-all player in that backfield. Matt Breida offers a more
patient style of running, and he did more than enough in his rookie season to
establish himself as a valuable piece for the offense moving forward.Jay Ajayi
and Corey Clement (Philadelphia Eagles): After a breakout sophomore campaign in
Miami, Jay Ajayi looked lost in 2017 until he was traded to the Eagles. There,
the power back felt much more at home, constantly getting open space while being
an extremely consistent alternative to LeGarrette Blount. Corey Clement did his
part in the regular season, but it was his Super Bowl performance against the
Patriots (4 receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown) that caught people¡¯s
attention. He looks to be a very promising receiving back behind the best
coaching staff in the NFC.ConclusionUltimately, I would probably have Derrick
Henry and Dion Lewis as the 4th best running back duo behind Alvin Kamara and
Mark
Ingram
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and Tarik Cohen. I think Henry can still do more to polish up his vision, but
for where he is now, he is a quality back. Dion Lewis is one of the best
receiving backs in the game, and does plenty of damage as a runner as
well.Ultimately, the potential of the Titans backfield will be blueprinted by
Matt LaFleur, as we await to see if he can unleash said potential.Titans News:
Bizarro World In some unexpected news, Titans receiver Rishard Matthews has quit
on the team. (Austin Stanley of A to Z sports was the first to break the story
here.) He is reportedly requesting his release because he¡¯s not getting the
snaps he¡¯d like. Boo hoo. It¡¯s your job to show up and be a good teammate, not
quit on the team because you¡¯re not getting enough targets. Rishard was a very
good player for the Titans the last couple years, but risers in Corey Davis and
Taywan Taylor left him 3rd on the totem pole. While I always liked Rishard while
he was here, my lasting impression of him quitting on the team will certainly
leave a sour taste. His last contribution to the team was dropping an easy catch
for what should have been a 3rd down conversion. In good news, Marcus Mariota is
ready to start on Sunday and has no limitations, says Mike Vrabel. I will say
that Mariota seemed much more reserved in terms of what he¡¯s capable of doing
physically during his Wednesday Press Conference. Conklin might return to the
fray for the Titans on Sunday as well. This would be a much needed development
against one of the best front 7¡¯s in football. Rashaan Evans is seeing some
improvement, and hopes to make an impact as soon as possible. Adios Rishard. As
many have said, ¡°if you¡¯re not for the boys, you¡¯re against them.¡±