Well, let me tell ya ’bout them fellas who run real fast with the football in that 2016 NFL season. We call ’em rushin’ leaders, I guess. They carry that ball and try not to get tackled, kinda like me carryin’ a basket of eggs from the henhouse, gotta be quick and careful!
Ezekiel Elliott, now he was the top dog that year. That boy ran like a scalded dog, I tell ya. He racked up a whole heap of yards, somethin’ like 1,631 yards, they say. That’s a whole lot of runnin’, more than I do chasin’ chickens around the yard, that’s for sure!
Now, there were other fellas too, tryin’ to catch up to Ezekiel. But he was just too fast, like a greased pig at the county fair. They had their games played, and how many times they carried the ball, and how far they went each time. They call it “yards per carry” or some such nonsense. All I know is, the more yards, the better you are at runnin’ that ball.
- Games Played (Gms): That’s just how many games they played in the season. Like, how many times I go to the market in a month, you know?
- Rushing Attempts (Att): This here is how many times they tried to run with the ball. Kinda like how many times I try to get that stubborn mule, Bessie, to move.
- Rushing Yards (Yds): This is the big one, this is how far they ran with the ball, all added up. Like how far I walk to get the mail, but a whole lot more, I reckon.
- Rushing Average (Avg): This is how many yards they got each time they carried the ball, on average. Like how many eggs I get from each chicken, on average, some days more, some days less.
They had all sorts of stats, more than you can shake a stick at. Folks get real worked up about these numbers. Me, I just care if they win the game. But I guess these numbers tell you who’s good at runnin’ and who ain’t.
Now, they got this fella Derrick Henry too. He wasn’t the top dog in 2016, but they say since then, he’s been runnin’ like crazy. Got more yards than anyone since that year. He wasn’t the main rusher in 2016 season. They keep track of this stuff for years and years, like how they keep track of who won the pie-eatin’ contest at the county fair.
And then there’s this Emmitt Smith fella. They say he’s the best runner of all time, got the most yards ever. That’s a lot of runnin’! He ain’t playin’ no more, but they still talk about him, like they talk about that big storm we had back in ’72. He’s the king of the rushin’ mountain in this rushing stat. These younger fellas are just tryin’ to catch up to old Emmitt! Good luck to ‘em, I say!
So, that’s the story of them rushin’ leaders in 2016. Ezekiel Elliott was the best, but there were other good runners too. And they all try to beat each other, runnin’ and dodgin’ and tryin’ not to get tackled. It’s like a big ol’ game of tag, but with a football.
They got awards for these fellas too. Matt Ryan, he was the best at throwin’ the ball that year, they call him offensive player of the year. And Khalil Mack, he was the best at stoppin’ the other team from runnin’ and throwin’, so they call him defensive player of the year. Drew Brees was the throwin’ leader man, threw the ball farther than anyone. Kinda like me throwin’ feed to the chickens, but a whole lot fancier. And of course, Ezekiel Elliott was the best at runnin’. It’s a whole heap of awards, but all I care is if my team win the football game, ya know!
And that’s all I gotta say about that. It’s a lot of runnin’ and a lot of numbers, but that’s football for ya. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go chase them chickens outta the garden again.
Some other good fellas who ran a lot that year but weren’t the number one was Aaron Jones Sr. and T.Y. Hilton. T.Y. was good at catching the ball too, not just runnin’ it. That boy is talented! And they say that since that 2016 season Derrick Henry has rushed the most yards until 2024. That is a long time to run so much, that boy’s legs must be tired, I tell ya.
This whole rushing leader thing, it just tells you who was the best at running with that there football in the 2016 season. It is as simple as that! Ezekiel was the top dog back then, but maybe somebody else will be the top dog next year. That’s football!
