NFL Power Rankings: 7 Best Backfields in the NFL

Week 5 is now in the books.

Despite record-breaking passing performances early in the season, there are a number of teams still getting it done on the ground.

Let's take a look at the league's top backfields so far this season.

Please note that these Power Rankings are not meant to rank top individual running backs.

These rankings take into account each team's entire backfield.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars

Coming in at the seventh spot are the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Jaguars currently rank 11th in the NFL in rushing yards per game.

Rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert may develop into a nice player, but right now Maurice Jones-Drew is the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Pocket Hercules has gained 476 yards rushing thus far, good for fourth in the league.

The Jaguars are a bad team with only one real offensive playmaker. That is what makes Jones-Drew's performance so impressive.

Every opponent's number one priority is to shut down the Jag's running game, but Jones-Drew has proven to be too good to let that happen.

6. San Diego Chargers

The San Diego Chargers have been a pass dominated team in recent years.

However, through five games this season, the Chargers have found excellent offensive balance.

Mike Tolbert, the man often compared to a bowling ball, has posted some nice numbers for the Chargers. He has gained 105 yards rushing and 231 in the passing game in addition to four total touchdowns.

Though Tolbert's role has diminished recently as the Chargers seek to free up more touches for Ryan Mathews.

Mathews was the Chargers' first-round draft pick last year. He played well his rookie season before going down with an injury.

In his second year, Mathews has continued to build on his promising rookie campaign. He has gained 413 yards on the ground and 261 as a receiver. 

Together the two running backs form one of the league's top backfields.

5. Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills are one of the biggest surprise teams in the NFL this year.

Ryan Fitzpatrick has been solid, but a great deal of their success must be attributed to the running of Fred Jackson.

Jackson currently sits third in the league in both rushing yards and touchdowns. He has piled up 480 yards and five touchdowns.

Jackson has also been effective coming out of the backfield as a receiving option, gaining 232 yards through the air.

If former first-round pick C.J. Spiller is able to break some big plays on his limited touches, this backfield may continue to climb this list.

4. Houston Texans

The Houston Texans have the fifth ranked rushing attack in the NFL, despite the fact that they are just getting Arian Foster back into the swing of things.

Foster, last year's leading rusher, missed some time early with a hamstring injury.

Now, he's back and working to regain his old form.

In addition to Foster, it is important to remember the job that Ben Tate did filling in at the beginning of the season.

Tate is an excellent backup and has enough talent to be a starter for a number of teams across the league.

With star receiver Andre Johnson expected to miss several more weeks due to injury, the Texans could rely even more on the strength of their ground game.

Foster and Tate give the Texans one of football's best one-two punches at the running back position.

3. Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings' backfield is home to the most talented running back in the entire league.

Adrian Peterson has been the NFL's most dynamic back since his arrival back in 2007.

Through the first five games of the season, Peterson has racked up 498 yards and a league high six touchdowns.

Donovan McNabb is no longer the running threat that he once was, but Peterson's talents are more than enough to fill this backfield.

Peterson leads the league in rushing attempts and has single-handedly boosted the Vikings' ground game to third in the league.

2. Oakland Raiders

Darren McFadden has been virtually unstoppable this year.

McFadden is showing the explosiveness that made him the fourth overall pick back in 2008.

The knock on McFadden has been his inability to stay healthy.

In 2011, so far so good.

Run DMC leads the NFL in rushing yards and yards per game.

In addition to McFadden, quarterback Jason Campbell has contributed two rushing touchdowns and picked up seven first downs with his legs.

 Add bruising backup, Michael Bush, into the mix and the Raiders have it all.

McFadden is having a monster season, leading the second ranked rushing attack and carrying the Oakland Raiders to a winning record.

1. Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles are off to a horrendous 1-4 start.

There are a number of reasons that this team has struggled, but a subpar rushing attack is not one of them.

The Eagles have the most dynamic and fearsome backfield in the NFL.

LeSean McCoy, in his third year out of Pitt, has quickly developed into one of the best running backs in the game.

McCoy has rushed for 443 yards and five touchdowns. These totals rank fifth and third respectively in the league.

As great as McCoy is, he alone would not be able to top the likes of Adrian Peterson and Darren McFadden.

The man who puts the Eagles backfield over the top is, you guessed it, Michael Vick.

Love him, or hate him, there is simply no denying Vick's ability to make plays with his legs.

Vick has carried the ball 37 times for 318 yards and 15 of these have gone for first downs.

Adding Vick's production to McCoy's gives the Eagles the No. 1 ranked rushing attack in the NFL.

These two Eagles rank first and second in yards per carry amongst all qualifying players.

The ability to run either McCoy, or Vick out of the same backfield gives the struggling Eagles a chance to be atop at least one positive list.