While a lot of the focus leading up to Sunday will be on quarterbacks Tom Brady and Jared Goff, and for good reason, the game may very well come down to which team can run the ball most effectively. To do so, a team must have an explosive running back corps, which both the Patriots and the Rams have. The question is which team has the advantage in the running back department? The answer is not so easy.
Note: a rushing attack involves more than just the running backs. It involves the offensive line and other key blockers. For more on these players, check out our articles breaking down the Patriots o-line vs the Rams defensive front and the Rams o-line vs the Patriots defensive front. This article is based strictly on the caliber of running backs each team has.
Sizing Up the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams Running Backs
New England Patriots
Sony Michel
Sony Michel has been everything the Patriots hoped he would be when they selected him in the first round of last year’s draft, and then some. He is the first workhorse, three-down back that the Patriots haven’t had since probably Corey Dillon. Michel has been a breath of fresh air for this offense, making them a lot more multidimensional than years past.
In 13 games this season, Michel was great, amassing 931 rushing yards on 209 attempts and scoring six touchdowns. Since the postseason started though, he has become a different animal. In the divisional round against the Los Angeles Chargers, he rushed for 129 yards and three touchdowns. He followed that up with a 113-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship. If Michel rushes for over 50 yards in the Super Bowl, he will break Dillon’s Patriots record for most yards in a single postseason.
The Patriots have leaned on Michel for most of the rushing attempts this season, and I wouldn’t expect anything different in the Super Bowl, especially given how dominant he’s been as of late. He will definitely be a key part of the game plan on Sunday.
James White
James White has been one of the most consistent players in the Patriots offense over the past four seasons. His importance as a pass catcher cannot be overstated, but he is also capable of picking up chunks of yards on the ground.
White had a career year this season, accumulating over 1,100 scrimmage yards and setting new career highs in receiving (751) and rushing (425) yards. He also scored 12 touchdowns this season, seven in the air and five on the ground. He is one of Tom Brady’s favorite targets, as proven by his team-leading 87 receptions this season.
Although used as both a rusher and a receiver in the regular season, White has taken a back seat to Michel in the rushing game so far in the playoffs. However, he has continued to be productive in the passing game, especially in the divisional round when he tied a postseason record with 15 receptions.
Expect to see him mostly in a receiver role on Sunday, but don’t rule him out as a rusher, especially on third down.
Rex Burkhead
Though an injury-plagued season held him to just eight games this year, Rex Burkhead is always a dual threat out of the backfield. In his eight appearances, he still put up 186 receiving yards and 131 rushing yards this season.
After having no rushing touchdowns in the regular season, Burkhead has come alive in the postseason, rushing for three touchdowns in the past two games. He had by far his best game of the season in the AFC Championship, where he rushed 12 times for 41 yards and the final two touchdowns of the game, including the game-winner in overtime.
I don’t know what to expect from Burkhead in the Super Bowl, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him get some touches in key moments.
James Develin
Even though he’s a fullback, I have to give James Develin some respect as running back, especially after this season. His stats don’t seem impressive, only six rushing attempts for eight yards all year until you see his four touchdowns. This man is a beast in a goal-line situation.
He also is no slouch when it comes to catching the ball. Develin caught 12 passes for 61 yards this season as a fullback. That is truly insane, and it shows how the Patriots aren’t afraid to get anybody involved.
Develin’s role in the Super Bowl will mostly be as a blocker, but don’t be surprised if he gets the ball on a third-and-goal from the one-yard line.
Los Angeles Rams
Todd Gurley
Without a doubt, Todd Gurley will be the most talented running back on the field on Sunday. He has been one of the best all-around backs in the league since his rookie year back in 2015. The only question is will he be 100 percent healthy?
Gurley had an unbelievable season to follow up his Offensive Player of the Year campaign last year. The stats speak for themselves. In 14 games this season, he led the NFL with 21 total touchdowns (17 rushing, four receiving), and he finished third in the league in rushing yards with 1,251 and fourth in scrimmage yards with 1,831.
However, he did not play in the final two regular-season games because of a knee injury, and he hasn’t quite looked like his usual self since. In the divisional round against the Dallas Cowboys, he played very well, rushing for 115 yards and a touchdown, but he was overshadowed by the next guy on this list. Then, he was basically non-existent in the NFC Championship against the New Orleans Saints. In that game, he ran just four times for only 10 yards and he dropped a couple of passes, including one that led to an interception.
Gurley is the biggest question mark going into Sunday. Will we see the 1,200-yard rusher that was dominant all season or the 10-yard rusher that struggled mightily last game? We’ll have to wait and see.
C.J. Anderson
The Rams would probably not be in this Super Bowl if not for the recent terrific play of C.J. Anderson. It has been a journey of a season for Anderson, as he was released by both the Carolina Panthers and the Oakland Raiders before catching on with the Rams and really finding a home.
With Gurley out for the last two games of the regular season, Anderson stepped in and went off for Gurley-type numbers. In the two games he played, Anderson rushed for 299 yards and two touchdowns.
When the playoffs started, he continued to be the go-to guy in the Rams backfield. He ran for 123 yards and two touchdowns in the divisional round against the Cowboys. He also got most of the touches in the NFC Championship, rushing 16 times for 44 yards.
Anderson is also one of the few players on the Rams with Super Bowl experience. He won Super Bowl 50 with the Denver Broncos and scored a touchdown in that game.
Anderson may not have the catching ability that Gurley has, but he has been the hot hand as of late. Even if Gurley is completely healthy, I would still expect to see Anderson get a healthy amount of touches. He’s definitely earned it
The Verdict
So who has the edge in the running back department? That’s still tough to tell with Gurley’s health status still unknown. If he is 100 percent healthy and playing like he did all season, there is no doubt that the Rams have the better running back corps. However, if his knee is still holding him back, the durable backs of New England, all of whom have flexible roles, could have the edge.
As of right now, I would say the dual threat of running and catching, as well as unpredictability of the Patriots offense as a whole, gives them the edge with the running backs. But Mr. Gurley could definitely prove me wrong on Sunday.
