Fansided

Ray Rice: 5 Teams That Should Sign Him For A Playoff Run

By Ryan Phillips

Aug 7, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice (27) smiles during the game against the San Francisco 49ers at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 7, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice (27) smiles during the game against the San Francisco 49ers at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 3, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Trent Richardson (34) is tackled by New York Giants safety Antrel Rolle (26) during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 3, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Trent Richardson (34) is tackled by New York Giants safety Antrel Rolle (26) during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

Indianapolis Colts

At this rate, the Colts are on pace to completely spoil a brilliant season from quarterback Andrew Luck. At 7-4, the Colts sit atop the terrible AFC South and are virtually assured of a spot in the playoffs. The problem is, they have an incredibly weak rushing offense that could hamstring any plans for a deep postseason run.

The Colts lead the NFL in yards per game (433.8), and they boast the top passing offense in the league as well (323.1 yards per game). But they are 17th in the NFL in rushing yards per game (110.7). The combination of Trent Richardson and Boom Herron isn’t going to excite anyone, and while Ahmad Bradshaw was having a solid year, a broken leg ended his season. Richardson is one of the league’s least-effective runners. He is currently averaging 3.4 yards per carry, and has lost his starting job to Herron. So yeah, the Colts backfield is a mess.

Ray Rice could probably come in and start for Indianapolis next week if he’s in the kind of shape his representatives claim he is. If Luck is going to take the Colts deep into the postseason, he needs a solid running back to take the pressure off of him. He needs someone who can gain tough yards, catch passes out of the backfield and pass protect. If you leave his disaster of a 2013 season out of consideration, Rice has a lengthy track record of doing all three of those things.

If you’re not convinced yet, remember that Indianapolis head coach Chuck Pagano knows Rice from back in his days as the defensive coordinator in Baltimore. In addition to that, Colts owner Jim Irsay knows what it’s like to get a second chance and might be the kind of guy who could help Rice rehab his image. Indianapolis is clearly the best fit for Rice, and he could help them immediately.

Next: Arizona Cardinals

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