Ground Attack! Ranking the Top 50 Backfields in NFL History

There are capable offenses, and then there are the ground attacks. Nothing defined football more over the years than gritty running backs pounding through the line.

Sure you have your flashy quarterbacks and wide receivers. But the running backs get piled on, plowed over and just plain beat up.

So the teams that put together great backfields that sometimes featured two running backs were the envy of the teams that didn't.

Here's a list looking at the top 50 backfields in the history of the NFL. Criteria included average yards per game, overall yards gained by the running backs, and a few other offensive considerations to differentiate some of the teams.

50. 2002 New York Jets

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CHAMPAIGN, IL - DECEMBER 15: Running back Curtis Martin #28 of the New York Jets runs the ball against the Chicago Bears during their NFL game on December 15, 2002 at Memorial Stadium at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois. The Bears defea

The Players: Curtis Martin and LaMont Jordan

What They Did: Martin rushed for more than 1,000 yards while Jordan backed him up with an average of more than 22 yards per game.

Fear Factor: The Jets won the AFC East that year after Herm Edwards' "You play to win the game!" speech. Martin's legs and the debut of Chad Pennington put the Jets on the map that year.

49. 1984 Chicago Bears

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11 Nov 1984: Running back Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears (right) runs the ball during a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California. The Rams won the game, 29-13. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart /Allsport

The Players: Walter Payton and Matt Suhey

What They Did: Payton ran for more than 1,600 yards and 11 touchdowns while Suhey averaged 3.4 yards per carry on the year.

Fear Factor: The Bears started 3-0, Payton broke Jim Brown's rushing yards record, and the Bears suffered so many setbacks at the quarterback position that Payton even took a snap that year. They still won the division.

48. 1992 Pittsburgh Steelers

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20 Sep 1992: Running back Barry Foster of the Pittsburgh Steelers moves the ball during a game against the San Diego Chargers at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California. The Steelers won the game, 23-6. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport

The Players: Barry Foster and Merril Hoge

What They Did: With Hoge plowing the road, Foster averaged more than 100 yards per game.

Fear Factor: The Steelers won the AFC Central (now the North) with Bill Cowher as the head coach. The team regained its reputation as a smash-mouth football team that would beat you on the ground.

47. 1988 San Francisco 49ers

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SAN FRANCISCO - NOVEMBER 13: Defensive back Jeff Fuller #49 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts on the field during a game against the Los Angeles Raiders at Candlestick Park on November 13, 1988 in San Francisco, California. The Raiders won 9-3. (Photo

The Players: Roger Craig and Tom Rathman

What They Did: Craig rushed for more than 1,500 yards behind Rathman, who averaged 4.2 yards per carry.

Fear Factor: The Niners won the Super Bowl. This team also had Joe Montana, Steve Young and Jerry Rice.

46. 2004 New York Jets

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 19: Curtis Martin #28 of the New York Jets celebrates with his teammates after his first touchdown in the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Giants Stadium on December 19, 2004 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (P

The Players: Curtis Martin and LaMont Jordan

What They Did: Martin fell just shy of 1,700 yards rushing while Jordan increased his yards per carry to 5.2.

Fear Factor: If it weren't for the New England Patriots, the Jets would've gone much farther. Martin and Jordan continued to terrorize defensive lines around the league.

45. 1966 Cleveland Browns

The Players: Leroy Kelly and Ernie Green.

What They Did: Kelly rushed for more than 1,000 yards and Green had 750 himself, with both averaging more than five yards per carry.

Fear Factor: With Jim Brown retired, the Browns running game just kept right on chugging along. Quarterback Frank Ryan threw for almost 3,000 yards that year, making it a very versatile and dangerous offense.

44. 1993 Dallas Cowboys

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31 Jan 1993: Running back Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys moves the ball during Super Bowl XXVII against the Buffalo Bills at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The Cowboys won the game, 52-17. Mandatory Credit: Mike Powell /Allsport

The Players: Emmitt Smith and Daryl Johnston

What They Did: Despite holding out the first two games over a contract dispute, Smith still rushed for 1,486 yards behind Johnston's blocking. Johnston would go on to the Pro Bowl for his work.

Fear Factor: The Cowboys won the Super Bowl that year. Smith played through injuries, including a shoulder separation.

43. Jacksonville Jaguars

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23 Nov 2000: Fred Taylor #28 of the Jacksonville Jaguars breaks free for a 44-yard touchdown run during their game against the New York Giants at Giant Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. <Digital Image> Mandatory Credit: Ezra Shaw/ALLSPORT

The Players: Fred Taylor and Mark Brunell

What They Did: Taylor churned through the lines for 1,399 yards and a mobile Brunell got 236 yards on the ground.

Fear Factor: Taylor was the counterpoint to the aerial attack featuring Keenan McCardell and Jimmy Smith. But it wasn't enough to make the playoffs that year.

42. 1963 Green Bay Packers

The Players: Jim Taylor and Tom Moore

What They Did: Taylor rushed for more than 1,000 yards and Moore had 653. They also had Elijah Pitts at halfback, who scored five touchdowns on the year.

Fear Factor: This was a Vince Lombardi team that only lost to the Chicago Bears that year.

41. 2000 Baltimore Ravens

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1 Oct 2000: Jamal Lewis #31 of the Baltimore Ravens gets handed the ball by Tony Banks #12 during the game against the Cleveland Browns at the Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. The Ravens defeated the Browns 12-0.Mandatory Credit: Harry How /Allsport

The Players: Jamal Lewis and Priest Holmes

What They Did: Lewis rushed for more than 1,300 yards while Holmes had more than 500. They both averaged more than four yards per carry.

Fear Factor: This was a preview of the decade to come, as the Ravens and Steelers duked it out just about every season for the division crown. The Ravens won the Super Bowl that year despite getting into the playoffs with the Wild Card.

40. 2008 Minnesota Vikings

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MINNEAPOLIS - DECEMBER 28: Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings runs the ball in for a touchdown as James Butler of the New York Giants defends on December 28, 2008 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings defea

The Players: Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor

What They Did: Peterson only rushed for 1,760 yards and Taylor came up one yard short of 400.

Fear Factor: Gus Frerotte didn't have to work that hard in 2008 because "All Day" was busy showing the league who he was, while Taylor pounded through the line whenever Peterson needed a breather.

39. 1945 Philadelphia Eagles

The Players: Steve Van Buren and Mel Bleeker

What They Did: In a 10-game season, Van Buren ran for 832 yards and 15 touchdowns while Bleeker blocked and averaged 3.3 yards per carry.

Fear Factor: The Eagles running game was one of the best of the era.

38. 1987 Indianapolis Colts

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1988: Eric Dickerson of the Indianapolis Colts stretches as he give the camera a thumbs up. Mandatory Credit: Allen Dean Steele /Allsport

The Players: Eric Dickerson and Albert Bentley

What They Did: Dickerson got more than 1,000 yards in the strike-shortened season. Bentley had 631 and seven touchdowns.

Fear Factor: The Colts won the division despite the strike, but they lost to the Cleveland Browns in the divisional game. Dickerson was in top form the whole season. You knew he was coming, but you couldn't stop him.

37. 1989 Cincinnati Bengals

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PITTSBURGH - OCTOBER 8: James Brooks #21 of the Cincinnati Bengals carries the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers during an NFL game at Three Rivers Stadium on October 8, 1989 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Bengals defeated the Steelers 26-16. (Photo

The Players: James Brooks and Eric Ball

What They Did: Brooks churned out 1,239 yards. Ball blocked and rushed for more than 300 yards.

Fear Factor: This team finished 8-8 despite the running game and the arm of Boomer Esiason. But it also had a young running back on the team named Ickey Woods who would shoot to stardom later.

36. 1977 Dallas Cowboys

The Players: Tony Dorsett and Robert Newhouse

What They Did: Dorsett rushed for 1,007 yards and Newhouse got 721 yards.

Fear Factor: The Cowboys led the league in points scored and they won the Super Bowl that year, defeating the Denver Broncos.

35. 2006 Kansas City Chiefs

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KANSAS CITY, MO - DECEMBER 31: Larry Johnson #27 of the Kansas City Chiefs carries the ball during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 31, 2006 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

The Players: Larry Johnson and Michael Bennett

What They Did: Johnson came up with 1,789 yards and Bennett averaged more than five yards per carry.

Fear Factor: The Chiefs running game continued to be feared, but they lost in the first round of the playoffs to Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.

34. 1968 Cleveland Browns

The Players: Leroy Kelly and Charlie Harraway

What They Did: Ernie Green was still making some of the blocks as Kelly got another 1,239 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns. Harraway was the starting fullback and he got another 334 yards on the ground.

Fear Factor: This Browns team pounded its way to 11 wins, but lost the conference championship to the Baltimore Colts.

33. 2004 New England Patriots

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 26: Corey Dillon #28 of the New England Patriots carries the ball against the New York Jets on December 26, 2004 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Patriots won the game 23-7. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty I

The Players: Corey Dillon and Kevin Faulk

What They Did: Dillon rushed for more than 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns. Faulk and Patrick Pass gave Tom Brady other options out of the backfield.

Fear Factor: This was a team coached to a Super Bowl by Bill Belichick. It doesn't get much scarier than this.

32. 2005 Kansas City Chiefs

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KANSAS CITY, MO - DECEMBER 24: Larry Johnson #27 of the Kansas City Chiefs is tackled by Luis Castillo #93 of the San Diego Chargers in the fourth quarter on December 24, 2005 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Kansas City Chiefs won 20-7 ove

The Players: Larry Johnson and Priest Holmes

What They Did: Priest Holmes started the year, but Johnson finished it with 1,750 yards. Prior to his injury, Holmes had 451 yards.

Fear Factor: It was Dick Vermeil's last year as a coach. His teams were always tough, and the Chiefs missed the playoffs despite finishing with a 10-6 record.

31. 1997 Detroit Lions

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13 Oct 1996: Running back Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions during the Lions 37-21 loss to the Oakland Raiders at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California. Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn /Allsport

The Players: Barry Sanders and Tommy Vardell

What They Did: Sanders had his usual monster year, with 2,053 yards, while "Touchdown" Tommy Vardell blocked and scored six times.

Fear Factor: The Lions had the best running back in the league, but they didn't have enough on the rest of the teams to make the playoffs, finishing 9-7.

30. 1959 Cleveland Browns

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19 SEP 1993: A CANDID PORTRAIT OF FORMER CLEVELAND BROWNS RECORD SETTING RUNNING BACK JIM BROWN DURING THE BROWNS 19-16 WIN OVER THE LOS ANGELES RAIDERS. MANDATORY CREDIT: MARKUS BOESCH/ALLSPORT

The Players: Jim Brown and Bobby Mitchell

What They Did: Before there was Ernie Green, there was Bobby Mitchell. Mitchell got 743 yards in addition to Brown's 1,329 yards that year.

Fear Factor: The Browns had one of the best running games in the league, but they didn't have much else that year, finishing 7-5.

29. 1985 Los Angeles Raiders

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LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 15: Marcus Allen #32 of the Los Angeles Raiders runs the ball against the Seattle Seahawks during the game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 15, 1985 in Los Angeles, California. The Raiders won 13-3 (Photo by G

The Players: Marcus Allen and Frank Hawkins

What They Did: Allen had more than 1,700 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns while Hawkins opened holes and got 269 yards of his own.

Fear Factor: On the legs of Allen, the Raiders finished 12-4 and won the division that year.

28. 1965 Cleveland Browns

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CLEVELAND - MAY 20: Hall of fame football player Jim Brown attends Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic during the 2009 Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena on May 20, 2009 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO

The Players: Jim Brown and Ernie Green

What They Did: In Brown's last year in the league, he finished his career with 1,544 yards and 17 touchdowns. Green and Leroy Kelly backed him up.

Fear Factor: The Browns tried to win back-to-back championships this year, finishing 11-3. But they lost the championship game to Vince Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers.

27. 1995 Dallas Cowboys

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19 Nov 1995: Full back Daryl Johnston of the Dallas Cowboys lines up in position during a game against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland Alameda Stadium in Oakland, California. The Cowboys won the game 34-21. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport

The Players: Emmitt Smith and Daryl Johnston

What They Did: Johnston continued to prove why he was one of the best fullbacks in the league, helping Smith rush for 1,773 yards.

Fear Factor: It was another Super Bowl year for the Dallas Cowboys, with Troy Aikman, Jimmy Johnson, Smith and Michael Irvin.

26. 1997 Pittsburgh Steelers

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21 Dec 1997: Kordell Stewart #10 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in action during the game against the Tennessee Oilers at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee. The Oilers defeated the Steelers 16-6. Mandatory Credit: Andy Lyons /Allsport

The Players: Jerome Bettis and Kordell Stewart

What They Did: "Slash" Stewart was converted to a full-time quarterback. But he still had 476 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground, while Bettis rushed for 1,665 yards.

Fear Factor: This was Stewart and Bettis at the height of their powers. While Bettis would continue to have success for many years afterward, this was Stewart's swan song.

25. 1979 Houston Oilers

The Players: Earl Campbell, Tim Wilson and Rob Carpenter

What They Did: Campbell rushed for 1,697 yards and 19 touchdowns while Wilson, as a fullback, still got 319 yards and two touchdowns. Carpenter got 355 yards and three touchdowns as the backup.

Fear Factor: This was a backfield that could get yards no matter who got the ball.

24. 1983 San Francisco 49ers

David Paul Morris/Getty Images

SAN FRANCISCO - SEPTEMBER 20: (L-R) Former San Francisco 49ers Joe Montana, Roger Craig and Dwight Clark walk onto the field for a half time presentation during home opener as the San Francisco 49ers host the Seattle Seahawks at Candlestick Park Septembe

The Players: Roger Craig and Wendell Tyler

What They Did: Craig had a great year with 825 yards and seven touchdowns. Tyler compiled 856 yards and four touchdowns.

Fear Factor: The 49ers offense in the 80s under Bill Walsh was one of the largest point-generators in the history of the NFL.

23. 2008 Atlanta Falcons

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ATLANTA - DECEMBER 28: Running back Michael Turner #33 of the Atlanta Falcons looks for room to run while taking on the St. Louis Rams at Georgia Dome on December 28, 2008 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Falcons defeated the Rams 31-27. (Photo by Doug Benc/Get

The Players: Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood

What They Did: Turner pounded out 1,699 yards while Norwood had 489 yards and four touchdowns.

Fear Factor: With quarterback Matt Ryan in his rookie season, Turner showed the league he was a real threat in 2008, and that the Falcons had life after Michael Vick.

22. 1986 Los Angeles Rams

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ANAHEIM, CA - SEPTEMBER 14: Running back Eric Dickerson #28 of the Los Angeles Rams runs with the ball against defensive back Dwaine Board #76 of the San Francisco 49ers during the game at Anaheim Stadium on September 14, 1986 in Anaheim, California. T

The Players: Eric Dickerson and Barry Redden

What They Did: A great one-two punch, Dickerson rushed for more than 1,800 yards while Redden got 467 yards of his own.

Fear Factor: Eric Dickerson was a nightmare to defend. He got those 1,800 yards despite the Rams using three quarterback that year.

21. 1976 Buffalo Bills

The Players: O.J. Simpson and Jim Braxton. The first appearance of "The Electric Company."

What They Did: Braxton opened the lane. The Juice fired up and got more than 1,500 yards rushing.

Fear Factor: The offense centered around Simpson, who ran over everybody, as he was known to do during his time in the league.

20. 2009 Miami Dolphins

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FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 08: Ronnie Brown #23 of the Miami Dolphins carries the ball as Leigh Bodden #23 of the New England Patriots defends on November 8, 2009 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The Players: Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown

What They Did: Williams had more than 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns while Brown got 648 yards and eight touchdowns.

Fear Factor: Bill Parcells was in the front office and the Dolphins were trying to build on the success of their surprise 2008 season. The respect the running game commanded in 2009 wasn't enough to make the playoffs.

19. 1961 Green Bay Packers

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LOUISVILLE, KY - APRIL 30: Former Heisman trophy winner Paul Hornung talks with former Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Nick Zito during morning workouts for the 129th Kentucky Derby on April 30, 2003 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by

The Players: Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung

What They Did: Taylor ran for more than 1,300 yards and 15 touchdowns while Hornung had almost 600 yards. This was on a team with Bart Starr, in a season that was only 14 games long.

Fear Factor: Lombardi, led by Taylor and Hornung, got the NFL championship that year.

18. 2006 San Diego Chargers

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SAN DIEGO - DECEMBER 31: Running back LaDainian Tomlinson #21 of the San Diego Chargers looks on against the Arizona Cardinals at Qualcomm Stadium on December 31, 2006 in San Diego, California. The Chargers won 27-20. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

The Players: LaDainian Tomlinson and Michael Turner

What They Did: Tomlinson and Turner lit it up. L.T. got more than 1,800 yards and Turner got 502 yards. They averaged more than six yards per carry.

Fear Factor: With Phillip Rivers at quarterback, this three-pronged attack won 14 games in the regular season. The Curse of Marty Schottenheimer and Martyball struck again, in the AFC championship game.

17. 1998 Broncos

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13 Dec 1998: Terrell Davis #30 of the Denver Broncos carries the ball for a touch down during the game against the New York Giants at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford , New Jersey. The Giants defeated the Broncos 21-16. Mandatory Credit: Al Bello /Allsp

The Players: Terrell Davis and Derek Loville

What They Did: Terrell Davis had 2,000 yards in one of the most potent offenses in the history of the league.

Fear Factor: If Davis wasn't scoring—he had 21 touchdowns—John Elway was beating you. This team finished 14-2 and won the Super Bowl.

16. 1954 San Francisco 49ers

The Players: Joe Perry and John Henry Johnson

What They Did: In a 12-game season, Perry had more than 1,000 yards and Johnson had 681. Combined they had 17 touchdowns, with Johnson having a one-touchdown edge.

Fear Factor: This was an offense that also had Y.A. Tittle at quarterback. But the defense gave up a lot of points in too many games.

15. 1980 Houston Oilers

The Players: Earl Campbell and Rob Carpenter

What They Did: Campbell had 1,934 yards on the ground. Carpenter managed to get 359 rushing yards while also opening lanes.

Fear Factor: The Oilers running attack, with Campbell at the helm, was a force to be reckoned with.

14. 1983 Los Angeles Rams

George Rose/Getty Images

ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 2: Running back Eric Dickerson #29 of the Los Angeles Rams tries to escape from defensive tackle Doug English #78 of the Detroit Lions during the game at Anaheim Stadium on Ocotber 2, 1983 in Anaheim, California. The Rams won 21-10

The Players: Eric Dickerson and Barry Redden

What They Did: Same duo as the 1986 squad, but three years younger. Dickerson had more than 1,800 yards on the ground while Redden had 342 yards and fullback Mike Guman did the blocking.

Fear Factor: This team made it deeper into the playoffs, giving it an edge over the '86 team, which is statistically similar.

13. 2008 Tennessee Titans

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

DETROIT , MI - NOVEMBER 27: LenDale White #25 of the Tennessee Titans celebrates a second quarter touchdown with Chris Johnson #28 while playing the Detroit Lions on November 27, 2008 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Im

The Players: Chris Johnson and LenDale White

What They Did: Johnson had 1,228 yards rushing and White had 773 yards that year. Combined, they had 24 touchdowns.

Fear Factor: In an offense very similar to this year's, Johnson and White commanded the ground attack while Kerry Collins led the team to a 13-3 record, losing in the divisional round to the Ravens.

12. 2008 New York Giants

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 21: Running back Brandon Jacobs #27 of the New York Giants celebrates with teammates Derrick Ward #34 and Shaun O'Hara #60 in the end zone after scoring a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers in over time on December 21,

The Players: Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward

What They Did: Both Jacobs and Ward had more than 1,000 yards rushing. Jacobs had 15 touchdowns to go along with it.

Fear Factor: With Eli Manning under center, this Giants team finished 12-4. That was thanks in large part to how effective the running game was at keeping the defenders honest.

11. 1983 Washington Redskins

George Rose/Getty Images

WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 20: Running back John Riggins #44 of the Washington Redskins runs up field with the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Rams at RFK Stadium on November 20, 1983 in Washington, D.C. The Redskins won 42-20. (Photo by George

The Players: John Riggins and Joe Washington

What They Did: Riggins ate up more than 1,300 yards and 24 touchdowns on the ground while Washington ran for 772 yards. Even Joe Theisman got 234 yards and one touchdown on the ground that year.

Fear Factor: With Riggins' ability to get yards and score touchdowns behind a good offensive line, the Redskins made it to the Super Bowl, only to lose to the Raiders.

10. 2009 Carolina Panthers

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CHARLOTTE, NC - NOVEMBER 15: Jake Delhomme #17 of the Carolina Panthers hands off the ball to Jonathan Stewart #28 during their game against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium on November 15, 2009 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Stre

The Players: Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams

What They Did: Both backs had more than 1,100 yards rushing and 17 combined touchdowns.

Fear Factor: What should have been another playoff run was derailed by poor play at quarterback.

9. 1973 Buffalo Bills

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JAN 1 1980: O.J. Simpson of the Buffalo Bills in action during a game against the Denver Broncos at Rich Stadium in Buffalo, New York. Mandatory Credit: Getty Images

The Players: O.J. Simpson and Jim Braxton. The Electric Company gets fired up.

What They Did: Simpson had more than 2,000 yards this season, with Braxton adding 494 yards of his own. Simpson was averaging six yards per carry that year.

Fear Factor: Simpson proved he was unstoppable this season, and he would go on to have many more successful years in the league.

8. 2006 Atlanta Falcons

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LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 03: Warrick Dunn #28 of the Atlanta Falcons takes a hand off from teammate Michael Vick #7 against the Washington Redskins December 3, 2006 at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

The Players: Warrick Dunn and Michael Vick

What They Did: As a quarterback, Vick gained more than 1,000 yards rushing while Dunn also had 1,140 yards on the ground. Jerious Norwood also had 623 rushing yards, making the Falcons one of the most dominant running teams in the history of the league.

Fear Factor: While the Falcons were moving the ball up and down the field, they had problems actually getting in the end zone that year, finishing with a disappointing 7-9 record.

7. 1975 Buffalo Bills

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The Players: O.J. Simpson and Jim Braxton

What They Did: Simpson had 1,817 yards rushing and Braxton had 853 yards. Combined they had 25 touchdowns on arguably one of the most prolific offenses of the 1970s.

Fear Factor: Another case of an unbalanced team. As fearsome as Simpson and Braxton were, the defense wasn't up to the task and the Bills finished 8-6.

6. 1985 Cleveland Browns

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LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 16: Full back Kevin Mack #34 of the Cleveland Browns looks for running room during a game against the Los Angeles Raiders at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 16, 1986 in Los Angeles, California. The Raiders won 27-14.

The Players: Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner

What They Did: Mack had more than 1,100 yards and Byner had 1,002 yards on the ground.

Fear Factor: This year saw the emergence of the offense that would dominate the AFC Central (now the North) for the rest of the decade. Bernie Kosar took over quarterbacking duties during the year and he wouldn't lose his starting job until Bill Belichick had one of the biggest brainfarts in the history of the NFL in 1993, when he cut him for Todd Philcox.

5. 1984 Los Angeles Rams

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ANAHEIM, CA - DECEMBER 23: Running back Eric Dickerson #29 of the Los Angeles Rams looks for room to run against the New York Giants during the 1984 NFC Wild Card playoff game at Anaheim Stadium on December 23, 1984 in Anaheim, California. The Giants w

The Players: Eric Dickerson and Dwayne Crutchfield

What They Did: Dickerson flat out dominated the league, rushing for 2,105 yards, while Crutchfield and Barry Redden combined for another 584 yards.

Fear Factor: Dickerson already had made a name for himself the previous year. Even though teams knew what was coming, they couldn't stop him.

4. 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers

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1977: Quarterback Terry Bradshaw #12 of the Pittsburgh Steelers drops back to pass as teammate Franco Harris #32 runs to get open during a game against the Oakland Raiders at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Raiders defeated the Steelers

The Players: Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier

What They Did: Harris and Bleier each had more than 1,000 yards on the ground with Harris scoring 14 touchdowns.

Fear Factor: This was the Steelers in the 1970s. Teams did not want to play these guys. That being said, this was one of the few years the Steelers didn't win the Super Bowl during their run, losing to the Raiders in the AFC championship game.

3. 1977 Chicago Bears

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ANAHEIM, CA - 1978: Running back Walter Payton #34 of the Chicago Bears runs with the ball against the Los Angeles Rams during a game in the 1978 NFL season at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Tony Duffy/Getty Images)

The Players: Walter Payton and Roland Harper

What They Did: Payton ran for more than 1,800 yards, averaging 5.5 yards per carry, while Harper had 457 yards when he wasn't opening lanes for Payton.

Fear Factor: Sweetness had his running abilities on full display this year. The Bears lost in the playoffs to the equally dominant Dallas Cowboys.

2. 1963 Cleveland Browns

The Players: Jim Brown and Ernie Green

What They Did: Brown had his usual Hall of Fame season with 1,500 yards, 17 touchdowns and 5.3 yards per carry. Green continued to prove why he was one of the best halfbacks in the league, running for 436 yards and averaging 3.9 yards per carry.

Fear Factor: This was one of the best teams in the league, with one of the best backfields in the history of the league.

1. 1972 Miami Dolphins

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DETROIT - FEBRUARY 03: Super Bowl MVPs Larry Csonka and Joe Namath attend the NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue's press conference on Feburary 3,2006 at the Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan . (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The Players: Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris

What They Did: Csonka rushed for more than 1,100 yards while Morris hit 1,000 yards on the nose. They had 18 touchdowns combined and each averaged more than five yards per carry.

Fear Factor: This was the 1972 undefeated Super Bowl champion Dolphins team. Only the 2007 Patriots can compare to this team, and the Patriots lost the Super Bowl.