Why Bears' Jordan Howard might be poised to steal Ezekiel Elliott's rushing crown

Alpha

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Jordan Howard got snubbed.

During the unveiling of the NFL's annual top-100 list, when the best 100 players in the league are decided by the players, Howard found himself without a number. Despite his dazzling rookie campaign, he didn't make the list. Meanwhile, Ezekiel Elliott landed in the top 10.

That's strange considering Howard was arguably just as efficient -- if not more efficient -- than his fellow rookie Elliott last season. It's also strange considering Howard arguably has the best chance of stealing Elliott's rushing crown in 2017.

In Elliott's first season with the Cowboys after they made him the fourth overall pick in the draft, he racked up a league-high 1,631 rushing yards. Howard, after the Bears made him the 150th overall pick in the draft, finished second, though he lagged behind Elliott by 318 yards. It wasn't a close race.

Barring unforeseen injuries, look for Howard to close the gap or even overtake Elliott in the category. At the very least, Howard belongs in the same conversation as Elliott as one of the game's best running backs. And he's coming for Elliott's crown.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/why-bears-jordan-howard-might-be-poised-to-steal-ezekiel-elliotts-rushing-crown/
 

Dragon Slayer

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I made a bet with a cowboy fan that Howard would have a better career. Howard is having a very productive season and he's facing a stacked box on most plays. Imagine what he will do when teams can't stack the box on him in the next few years.
 

Washington

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He does need to learn how to catch better. He had another drop against Cinn. He surely does deserve to be in the top 100.
 

Alpha

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I made a bet with a cowboy fan that Howard would have a better career. Howard is having a very productive season and he's facing a stacked box on most plays. Imagine what he will do when teams can't stack the box on him in the next few years.
Howard was a steal in the draft, I am loving that pick and loving his dominance in the run. I think Jerry Jones is a dumb ass picking Elliott 4th overall.
 

Bearly

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Pre camp article? Elliott has no shot this year with that suspension and Howard is 4th with at least a shot but the rushing title conversation is a much bigger one this year.
 
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People put to much weight on where he was drafted, who cares if a player is good they're good, fuck what round they were drafted in.
 

Big Tyme D

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Howard is currently 4th in the league and tops in the NFC. Which is amazing considering how teams have played the Bears this year... always stacking the line.
 

Alterego

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Howard is currently 4th in the league and tops in the NFC. Which is amazing considering how teams have played the Bears this year... always stacking the line.

crazy that there are only 73 yards separating Howard (4) from Bell (1) and only a 14 yard difference between 2 and 4

Bell - 1105
Hunt - 1046
Gurley - 1035
Howard 1032
 

Starion

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Howard last year had better yards per attempt than Zeke.

I'll admit to liking Zeke before that draft. Highsight makes me so glad he wasn't an option to tempt Pace.

Howard was THE steal of that draft.
 

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Well, Zeke is the better overall back, but Howard is certainly his own beast.
 

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Elliot is faster, he punishes defenses on every run, he has more stamina by a wide margin, and he can catch. Don’t get me wrong though, I love Howard. But people severely over rate the Cowboys run blocking and they severely under rate how good the Bears Oline really is, especially since that Oline is creating holes in 8 man boxes.
 

PolarBear

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Let's not turn this into another Zeke vs Howard argument because its absurd. Jordan howard is a really good back but Zeke is whole different beast.

You can feel his impact on every run.
 

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Yeah, Zeke and Bell are easily head and shoulders above everyone else. After that, Gurley and David Johnson are very close behind. Howard's a great runner, but every one of those four are more complete backs that I'd trade Howard for before I blinked an eye.
 

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Let's not turn this into another Zeke vs Howard argument because its absurd. Jordan howard is a really good back but Zeke is whole different beast.

You can feel his impact on every run.

That's basically the premise of the thread.
 

mecha

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wasn't that Ditkaman dickhead trying to say Howard was the second coming of Payton not too long ago? that's a true to life absurd argument. Howard has no real finesse at all, he just kind of runs through people. what he's achieving given the deficiencies the Bears offense has exhibited all season is pretty great however.
 

legendxofxlink

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Yeah, Zeke and Bell are easily head and shoulders above everyone else. After that, Gurley and David Johnson are very close behind. Howard's a great runner, but every one of those four are more complete backs that I'd trade Howard for before I blinked an eye.

Since you mentioned a hurt RB, I think Dalvin Cook is in the conversation when healthy. That dude was clearly a top 5-10 RB earlier this year along with Kamara, who has looked perfect in that offense.
 

AussieBear

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crazy that there are only 73 yards separating Howard (4) from Bell (1) and only a 14 yard difference between 2 and 4

Bell - 1105
Hunt - 1046
Gurley - 1035
Howard 1032

well if you include total yards..da howard drops..

bell and gurley are the first position players in typg to make the list after qbs.. there are actually 11 rbs before howard.

over 125 ypg

bell
gurley
elliott

over 100 ypg

cook (hurt so not as many games avg may be high)
hunt
fournette
mccoy

between 90-100 ypg

ingram
kamara
johnson

under 90 ypg

gordon

then finally da howard @ 86.6
 

AustinIllini

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Howard was a steal in the draft, I am loving that pick and loving his dominance in the run. I think Jerry Jones is a dumb ass picking Elliott 4th overall.

I would criticize Jerry, but that draft may have been the best in franchise history.

Dak Prescott was picked with the Cowboys compensatory fourth rounder, and he looks almost as good as Wentz and probably better than Goff, taken 2 and 1 in that draft.

And I'm not sure the Boys go 13-3 last year with Howard, unless they had drafted Jalen Ramsey instead.
 

LiverpoolBearsFAn

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I think the part of the original article that's worth discussing is Howard not being in the league top 100 last year?

Not including the guy who had the second most rushing yards (despite not even starting the first three weeks) doesn't reflect well on the general brain trust of NFL players. I can only think its the level of concussions around the league to blame. His non inclusion pretty much renders the whole thing pointless.
 

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