With Adrian Peterson in limbo all season, the NFL's mythical running-back title belt is up for grabs.
DeMarco Murray rushed for 484 more yards than the next closest player. Le'Veon Bell was the most dynamic blend of running and receiving talent.
To hear Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork tell it, they all stand behind Marshawn Lynch.
"It seems like he's been getting better and better," Wilfork said Friday. "The more and more he plays the game, it seems like he kicks it to another gear. And that's the sign of a great football player. He's hands down the best back in the game because he can hurt you anytime he has the ball in his hands."
Peterson included, no running back has been more consistently excellent since Lynch landed in Seattle.
Lynch's 101 forced missed tackles in 2014 are the most by any back since Pro Football Focus began recording data in 2007. He also boasts the three highest marks for missed tackles in a playoff game during that span. That speaks to Lynch's effectiveness independent of his offensive line.
Over the past four years, Lynch has averaged 1,612 yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns. He's been even better in the postseason, with five 100-yard performances and eight touchdowns.
Lynch is the tone-setter on one of the three best rushing offenses in NFL history. If the Seahawks win a second consecutive Super Bowl with Lynch as the offensive focal point, he will upstage Shaun Alexander as the Seattle back most likely to be rewarded by Hall of Fame voters.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast reacts to the Patriots' deflated footballs controversy and tells you whom to trust in Super Bowl XLIX. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
