NFL Trend: Dual Running Backs Win Championships

Many people will tell you that Defence wins championships. That may be true.

Many people will tell you that great Quarterbacks win championships. That may be true as well.

Many people will also tell you that the best and most complete "team" wins championships. Sure, that's a good argument.

However, there is one trend that, in my opinion, is most important when it comes to winning the Super Bowl: a solid running game that involves two or more backs.

Lets face it, a great running game is more important than a great passing game at this time of the year. The weather is brutal; snow is falling, winds are howling, and depending on where you play, it can get very, very cold. A good running attack can definitely be more effective in these conditions than a good passing attack.

A great defence does not always win championships. Sure, the Ravens did it in 2001, but the Patriot dynasty never had the best defence around, nor did the Colts that won it all in 2007.

An elite Quarterback doesn't always win championships either. Just ask those same 2001 Ravens. Trent Dilfer? How about the Bucs in 2003? Brad Johnson? Even Eli Manning of last year's New York Giants still doesn't qualify as a top-tier QB.

The most complete "team" argument is a good one as well, but there have been complete teams that have not won championships throughout the years. The Bills lost all those Super Bowls, as did the Vikings with that great defence and prolific offence when Randy Moss was around. They didn't even make it to the dance.  

Now that we got that out of the way, let's look at the duo running back trend that has taken over the NFL. Here is a short list of Super Bowl Champions since 2001 with their dual-threat running back system.

2008 New York Giants: Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw
2007 Indianapolis Colts: Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai
2006 Pittsburgh Steelers: Jerome Bettis and Willie Parker
2005, 2004, 2002 New England Patriots: Corey Dillon, Kevin Faulk, Antowain Smith
2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Michael Pittman, Mike Alstott
2001 Baltimore Ravens: Jamal Lewis, Priest Holmes

Individually, all of these running backs are nothing too special, but when combined with the other RBs on the team, the running attack was unstoppable.

Travelling outside of the 21st century, we can spot other Super Bowl champions that had this same pattern. The "perfect" Miami Dolphins had a three-headed monster running the ball: Jim Kiick, Larry Csonka, and Mercury Morris. The 1984-1985 49ers had a solid balance with Roger Craig and Wendell Tyler running the ball. The 1983-1984 LA Raiders had a good running attack as well with Marcus Allen and Frank Hawkins.

As you can see, a balanced and effective running game with two or more tailbacks is indeed the recipe for success.

This year's NFL playoffs will be no different. All eight teams left in the hunt have a running game that balances two, if not three running backs, thus continuing the trend.

So if I were a GM of any NFL franchise thinking about suiting up for the playoffs and a run at the Lombardi Trophy, I would make an established and balanced running attack one of my top priorities, because in the end, it pays off.