NFL Quarterback Drought Leading To Running Back Revival

Nov 1, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) celebrates after scoring a seventy one yard touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

For the first time in what feels like years, the St. Louis Rams have a winning record at the halfway point of the season.  At 4-3 they have thrown their hat into the NFC West ring and already sit 2-0 in division play with wins over Seattle and Arizona.  So one would think the turnaround comes from new quarterback Nick Foles, right?

Granted, he’s an upgrade over what the Rams have had in recent years but the numbers don’t show a player who is the primary reason his team is winning.  He has not passed for over 200 yards in six-straight games and has more than one touchdown pass in just one of them.  No, the true source of why St. Louis is relevant is of course their stout defense but also the emergence of rookie running back Todd Gurley.

He is the engine that drives the Rams offense.  Since his debut at the end of September, he has taken the league by storm.  In just four games he has rushed for 566 yards and three touchdowns on 88 carries.  That is a yards per carry average of 6.43.  It’s not just good, it’s dominant.  What makes it even scarier is that Gurley is 21-years old.  So defenses have a long time to look forward to stuff like this.

Experts will say this is a rare throwback to yesteryear.  A tip of the cap by Jeff Fisher and his coaching staff to old school football.  In truth however, there is a growing belief that this is becoming the next norm in the ever-changing NFL.  Teams that return to leaning heavily on running the football and playing great defense.  Why?

The simple lack of elite quarterbacks.

Look around the league and ask the question:  which quarterbacks are elite?  The names that come up are as familiar as rock stars.

• Tom Brady
• Peyton Manning
• Aaron Rodgers
• Drew Brees

They are the ones who, year after year put together the most productive seasons and have the most success.  Others like Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, Matt Ryan and Tony Romo flirt with the elite label for a time before reverting to a second tier that houses the very good quarterbacks.  Others like Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, Matthew Stafford, and Cam Newton  are younger guns who flash moments of brilliance can’t seem to string great performances together.

There is also one other thing the elites have in common besides success.  That is age.  Manning is 39, Brady is 38, Brees is 36 and Rodgers is the child of the group at 31 and turns 32 next month.  As these future Hall of Famers begin to fade, questions are asked about who their heirs will be.  Therein lay the problem.

Nobody has an answer.  Several experts feel a significant quarterback drought is at hand.  Not necessarily due from a lack of talent but a lack of patience from owners, front offices and coaching staffs.  The win-now mentality of this modern league has made the developmental process for quarterbacks almost impossible, further hampered by the widespread popularity of spread offenses in college.

Things are so simplified at that level, many quarterbacks come to the pros with zero understanding of how to read defenses, go through progressions, call audibles or adjust protections like the best ones can.  This has forced pro teams to adjust in one of two ways.  Either they find an offensive coordinator who can adjust to what the player can do or, like the Rams, revert to an earlier model that has proven it can win games.

So, almost like a shifting tide, pro football is swinging back towards the value of running backs.  Names like Ezekiel Elliot and Leonard Fournette dominate the headlines as well as defenses on the field with draft buzz growing every week.

Suddenly teams aren’t necessarily looking for the next Andrew Luck or Derek Carr but the next Adrian Peterson or Todd Gurley.  Sure, everybody would love that franchise quarterback who can carry a team on his back but until the next wave arrives from college or the NFL learns the value of patience, it will be a new golden age for running backs.