NFL Playoff Predictions: Projecting RBs Sure to Grind out Month of January

While the huge seasons guys like Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are having have proven the NFL to be a passing league this season, many of the teams reaching the postseason rely on their running games to get things going. 

While spreading the ball out and throwing it all over the field may be the goal of most NFL teams right now, several running backs should be the focus of their franchises when the playoffs roll around.

Here is my list of running backs who should dominate games when January rolls around.

Ray Rice

Ray Rice has been nothing short of fantastic this season for the 11-4 Baltimore Ravens. Rice is currently leading the NFL in total yards with 1,869. He has racked up 1,173 yards on 267 carries (4.4 yards per carries) with 10 touchdowns. Rice has added 696 yards and three more scores on 74 receptions as well.

He has essentially been the Ravens entire offensive attack, and with the team likely headed for a first-round bye, Rice will get a chance to rest up before Baltimore's first playoff game. That's good, because you can bet the Ravens will give him the ball early and often in the postseason in hopes of punishing the opposition.

For years, the Ravens have won with a solid ground game and a punishing defense, and this year has been no different. While quarterback Joe Flacco's play has improved after a shaky start, Rice is still the guy the team relies upon to win games. 

Expect Rice to get a ton of touches for the Ravens in the postseason, and based on the year he has had, he'll likely put up great numbers.

Frank Gore

The San Francisco 49ers are 12-3 and staring straight into a first-round bye in the playoffs. While the team's stout defense deserves much of the credit for that record, veteran running back Frank Gore should get a ton of praise as well.

Gore has bounced back to have a great season this year, racking up 1,202 yards and eight touchdowns on 275 carries. The 49ers are currently seventh in the NFL in rushing offense, averaging 128.5 yards per game, and Gore is obviously a huge part of that. The 28-year-old Miami product has had 15 or more carries 12 times this season, and has been the workhorse back coach Jim Harbaugh's offensive system requires.

In the postseason, Gore should garner at least 25 touches in every game. While rookie Kendall Hunter has had a nice season, Gore is far more reliable, and the 49ers offense should run through him.

Expect him to continue his workman-like season in the playoffs. 

Arian Foster

Remember when Arian Foster injured his hamstring and lots of experts thought he might have a throwaway season because of it? Well, they were all wrong. While Foster did miss two games early in the season, he has bounced back and returned to being the dominant back we learned to appreciate in 2010.

This season, Foster has racked up 1,224 yards and 10 touchdowns on 278 carries while adding 617 yards and two touchdowns on 53 receptions. All in all, it has been another remarkable season for the 25-year-old Tennessee product.

While second-year back Ben Tate has emerged to have an excellent season as well (845 yards and three touchdowns on 159 carries), Foster will continue to be Houston's go-to guy in the postseason.

With the 10-5 Texans having to rely on rookie quarterback T.J. Yates under center, you can expect Foster and Tate to see a ton of carries in the playoffs. Foster is likely to be called upon to dominate, as that might be the only chance Houston has to advance past the opening round.

While Yates hasn't been terrible, he also hasn't looked like a guy who can be relied upon to win games for his team. That means Foster could see as many as 30 touches per game in the postseason.

Based on his track record, I expect him to rise to the challenge.