Forget the Game, what about the F...ing INJURIES?!

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by dgack

Hey GTripp,

Speaking of which teams we should compare to, I'd love to see some analysis compared to Denver. The whole "CP is a system back" argument got me thinking about how well Denver has kept their run game together over the years.

This doesn't really answer your question....but:

In 2004, Reuben Droughns rushed for 1,240 yards at 4.5 per carry. Want to cite those stats as proof that Broncos backs are system backs? Well in 2005, Reuben Droughns rushed for 1,232 yards at 4.0 yards per carry with the Browns (who didn't have an O-line or a QB). In 2005, Mike Anderson was the Broncos rushing leader with 1,014 yards at 4.2 yards per carry. In 2006 he rushed for 183 yards at 4.7 yards per carry with the Ravens. In 2006, Tatum Bell rushed for 1,025 yards at 4.4 yards per carry. Bell is currently playing for the Lions and has rushed for 182 yards at 4.1 yards per carry.

As we all know, Denver had to go out and sign a aging big-name free agent with drug problems named Travis Henry. The Broncos haven't had anyone that has produced numbers close to Portis'. The Broncos have had a few 1,000 yard rushers, but it's not like they're producing Pro Bowl running backs every year.

In fact, between 2004 (the year Portis left Denver) and 2006, Portis rushed for more yards despite playing the early half of the of 2006 season with injuries and ending up on IR for the latter half of the season. Portis almost rushed for almost as many yards in two seasons as the Broncos leading rushers did in three.