Denver Broncos: C.J. Anderson the worst starting RB so far

ByKevin Parvizi|

The Denver Broncos are undefeated, and we all know it’s because of the simply sensational work being done by their defense. Their cornerbacks are playing better than any other CBs in the league, their pass rush has been beyond ravenous under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, and I don’t think anyone could have imagined their safeties playing this well. Unfortunately, the Broncos offense has been abysmal, and C.J. Anderson has been particularly disappointing.

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Peyton Manning‘s expectations in 2015 were lowered after his horrendous play down the stretch of the 2014 season, so everyone expected Anderson, who was brilliant during that span of games in 2014, to pick up the slack, especially with Gary Kubiak set to implement a more run-heavy scheme to take pressure off of Manning.

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Instead of blossoming, Anderson has been arguably the worst starting running back in the NFL through five weeks. Seriously, this is a guy who is averaging 2.6 yards per carry, and he’s making absolutely nobody miss. He looks slower than “Molasses” Mike Jenkins out there, and preseason star Ronnie Hillman has outplayed him with 4.6 yards per carry to his name.

While neither Hillman nor Anderson have truly established themselves as reliable No. 1 backs this season, it’s hard to come up with any logical defenses for Anderson’s play. We could pin things on the offensive line, but this unit has improved recently and can no longer explain all of Anderson’s issues.

For example, Anderson hasn’t been stuffed frequently this season, and yet he’s still averaging just 2.6 YPC. Moreoever, only six running backs have converted their rushing attempts for a first down less frequently than the Broncos current RB1. These are awful numbers, and they speak volumes to just how inefficient Anderson has been in his first five games of the 2015 season.

What makes Anderson’s numbers so striking is the fact that they are exactly the opposite of what he put up last season, because he was one of the NFL’s best running backs in the second half of the 2014 season. He bowled over defenders, made highlight-reel cuts and jukes, looked like an elite pass-catching back, played beautiful pass protection, and looked like one of the NFL’s toughest backs en route to averaging 4.7 yards per carry with ten touchdowns from scrimmage.

His tape and numbers made me fall head-over-heels for him, but it looks like I was just another fool who fell in love with him. I couldn’t see Anderson turning into a fluke, especially after how he carried Manning and the offense during the Broncos worst of times last year.

Unfortunately, much of the Broncos struggles on offense can be pinned on Anderson’s huge step back in his second season as the team’s starting running back, and it’s fair to wonder just how long his leash is going forward. Hillman had just three yards per carry on seven attempts against Dan Williams and the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, but, well, that’s better than the putrid 2.0 YPC mark that C.J. Anderson put up on 11 attempts.

Instead of being one of the NFL’s ten best running backs and a fantasy superstar (I expected him to be both of those things this year), Anderson has done absolutely nothing well. Just 24 and with only 186 carries on his body coming into the season, Anderson has looked like a 34-year-old with thousands of carries on his odometer, and he’s become even more jurassic than Steven Jackson or Willis McGahee.

Sep 17, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Denver Broncos running back C.J. Anderson (22) warms up before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Denver won the game 31-24. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

The Broncos offense needs better, and there are no more valid excuses for Anderson’s play right now.

The offensive line doesn’t account for the fact that Anderson has two full yards per carry less than Hillman, and it certainly doesn’t account for the fact that his yards after contact per carry average is among the worst in the NFL.

First downs are hard to come by for him, and missed tackles are in even shorter supply. And without a single run of at least 15 yards on his resume this season, Anderson has shown no playmaking juice, which is something the Denver Broncos cannot afford at this juncture.

Sadly, the Broncos might have to keep riding his struggles until he either improves or until Hillman adds some game-to-game consistency to his already-strong change-of-pace resume.

Anderson’s talent and 2014 tape are undeniable, but it’s hard to be patient with a back who can’t even crack an average of 28 rushing yards per contest.

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