Breaking: The NFL rushing leaderboard just flipped after a violent run of Sunday performances. I can confirm the ground game now sits at the center of the playoff race. One back seized the top spot. Several others are sprinting right behind. And one defense, Green Bay, is the cautionary tale of the week.
A new No. 1, powered by force and patience
Derrick Henry bull-rushed his way into the lead with a classic workhorse show. He did it brick by brick. Early downs set the tone. Fourth quarter carries closed the door. His burst through the second level punished arm tackles. His stiff-arm stamped the result.
This was more than one highlight. It was a blueprint. Baltimore stayed on schedule. The play-action game opened up. The defense rested while the clock drained. That is how a rusher changes a game and a standings board in one afternoon.
A dominant day on the ground moves more than yards. It moves seeding, tempo, and locker room belief.
The chase pack is real, and it is dangerous
Christian McCaffrey stays within striking distance. He might be the only back who stresses a defense in every gap and every route. His vision behind zone looks is elite. He bends runs back where linebackers hesitate. Then he beats safeties to the edge. He also cleans up red zone chances with patience, then a quick cut and finish.
Jonathan Taylor is coming with power and pop. The Colts lean on duo and inside zone. When Taylor gets a crease, the run becomes a runway. He shrugs through contact and keeps his pads square. It is the kind of style that holds up in cold games and short weeks.
Breece Hall is gaining steam. The Jets have found timing with their pin-pull designs. Hall’s stride eats space in a blink. He can flip a drive with one cut. When the Jets play with a lead, he looks even faster.
Saquon Barkley is the swing factor in the NFC East. His jump cut still freezes linebackers. The Eagles use him to control pace when the pass game stalls. If he stacks two big games, he can crowd the top tier fast.
Why the leaderboard shifts fast
One 150-yard day can rocket a player two or three spots. Red zone roles matter too. A short-yardage hammer can grab the touchdown lead in a hurry. The difference between first and fourth is often one explosive run and two goal line plunges.
Green Bay’s collapse shows the cost of bad run fits
Green Bay’s loss to Baltimore will stick. The Packers were light in the box too often. They lost edges. They missed tackles. Henry did not need perfect blocking. He needed one crease and a soft shoulder. He got both.
This is how a run defense breaks. Linemen get reached. Linebackers step the wrong way. Safeties arrive flat footed. The chains move. Your pass rush sits on the bench. Your quarterback watches and cools off. By the time you adjust, the legs are tired and the angles are worse.
Matt LaFleur has already called out the issues. The fixes are not fancy. They are physical. They are about trust and leverage.
- Set the edge, every down, regardless of motion
- Fit inside-out, then finish with low, heavy pads
- Tackle through, not to, the ball carrier
- Commit a safety when the front leaks, live with single coverage
If you cannot stop the run, you cannot control the game. Start with edges, then tackling, then numbers in the box.
What it means for January football
The calendar matters now. Cold fields help runners and punish finesse. Offensive lines gain confidence with each body blow. Defenses that do not rotate fresh legs get buried in the fourth quarter.
For contenders, a top rusher changes every drive. Second and six becomes second and two. Play-action becomes a layup. Defensive coordinators panic and pull a nickel for a bigger body. That opens throwing lanes outside.
For the backs near the top, the path is clear. Stack efficient carries. Protect the ball. Own the red zone. The title will come down to who can carry it well when everyone knows what is coming.
The watch list for the final stretch
I expect Henry to see stacked boxes now. He will have to beat them anyway. McCaffrey’s volume will stay high in tight games. Taylor’s touches should rise if the Colts protect leads. Hall and Barkley both have the speed to steal late hardware with one massive outing.
The leaderboard just moved. It will move again. One Sunday can create a new king, and a new problem for a defense that is not ready.
Conclusion: This is the moment when the run game decides seasons. A bruising day can swing home field. A bad day can end a year. Today, a workhorse took the crown. Tomorrow, someone else will chase it with cleats laced and eyes up. The race is on.
