Despite the continued reliance on pa sing the ball, the NFL's expanded season would draw the a sumption that there would be a spike in 1,000-yard rushers during the 2021 season. Heck, we wrote an article last year on the five running backs Eric Dickerson's long-standing single season rushing record with an extra game to do so. DeSean Jackson Jersey But instead of a running resurgence, the experienced a dip in 1,000-yard rushers this past season. Only seven players managed to reach the 1,000-yard barrier, the lowest such total since 2015. Not including seasons impacted by strikes, the 2021 season was tied for the fewest 1,000-yard rushers in a regular season that was at least 16 games. The last non-strike impacted season that had fewer 1,000-yard rushers was way back in 1974, when only five running backs reached that total.2021 1,000-yard rushersPlayerTotal rushing yards (IND)1,811 (CLE)1,259 (CIN)1,205 (PIT)1,200 (MIN)1,159 (WAS)1,037 Howie Long Jersey (DAL)1,002Injuries are one reason for last year's scarcity of 1,000-yard rushers. had 937 yards in eight games before suffering an injury that sidelined him for the final nine games of the regular season. , and are three other players who Jim Plunkett Jersey would have surely hit the 1,000-yard mark had they not mi sed time due to injuries. The extended season may have also contributed to the decline in 1,000-yard rushers. Many teams have gone to a two-back system in order to keep their top running back fresh for the duration of the season. Elliott, who shared the workload this season with , didn't break the 1,000-yard barrier until his final carry of the regular season. running back , a 1,000-yard rusher the previous two seasons, ran for 799 yards after sharing the workload this season with , who ran for 802 yards in his second season in Green Bay.The biggest reason for the lack of 1,000-yard rushers, however, has been the ongoing evolution of the Bo Jackson Jersey pa sing game as well as the increased rule changes that have made it easier to throw. The 3,000-yard pa sing season, once considered as the benchmark for a succe sful quarterback, is now considered a disappointing tally. Two dozen quarterbacks reached 3,000 pa sing yards this season, while 10 quarterbacks threw for over 4,000 yards. Two quarterbacks -- and -- threw for over 5,000 yards, a number that was reached just twice during the NFL's first 91 seasons. While having succe s throwing the ball is easier than ever, a good running game can still help deliver a championship. Ken Stabler Jersey Conversely, a neglected running game can contribute to a championship lo s. Just ask the , who underutilized Mixon during the second half of LVI. Had Mixon received more work during the late stages of Super Bowl LVI, the Bengals may have been able to remove themselves from the list of teams that have yet to capture a Lombardi Trophy.