Justin Forsett made the right move in following Gary Kubiak
With Ray Rice making the news for the wrong reasons just before the start of the 2014 NFL season, the Baltimore Ravens came into the season with a huge problem at hands at the running back position. Rice would go on to be released and more questions arose for offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak and his offense. Many experts thought it would be third-year back Bernard Pierce who would take over the starting role. After all, Pierce was an excellent handcuff to Rice and he was seen around the league as one of the best backups. Because of a concussion concern and overall ineffectiveness, the Ravens decided that Pierce wasn’t the best player.
With their two backs from the year before out of the picture, the Ravens’ starting running back job came down between talented, yet inexperienced, rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro and veteran Justin Forsett. The original mindset in Baltimore was to start Forsett early, but after a few weeks, to bring in the rookie. However, Forsett made it hard for the Baltimore coaching staff to sit him. Whether he has gotten six carries in a game or 24, Forsett has made the most out of every opportunity.
That’s just the kind of person and player Forsett is. However, Forsett’s road to NFL stardom has been a long and bumpy one. In his first two seasons, Forsett was a special teams player with the Seattle Seahawks and the Indianapolis Colts. He then spent three years with the Seahawks as a rotational running back. In 2012, Forsett was the backup to Arian Foster, and that’s where he first met coach Kubiak. In 2013, Forsett had a short stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars. After being released by the Jaguars, Forsett thought that would be the last time playing in his short seven-year career. After all, when you get released by the worst team in the league, it’s a sign that you’re likely not coming back.
Getting ready to retire after a healthy playing career, Forsett received a call from Kubiak, who had interest in the California graduate to be their backup running back in 2014. Without hesitation, Forsett accepted the invitation, and the rest is history. Forsett was brought in on a one-year contract worth up to $730,000. In his first season with the Ravens and his second with Kubiak, Forsett has been nothing short of incredible.
Right now, Forsett has ran the ball 179 times for 1,009 yards. This gives him an average of 5.6 yards. He has eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career. On top of his success in the ground game, Forsett has caught the ball 35 times for 227 yards. Despite having over 1,200 yards at this point in the season, Forsett is still flying under the radar. With running backs like DeMarco Murray and Le’Veon Bell having historical seasons, Forsett has been left out of the elite running backs group. However, even though Forsett has 400 less yards than Murray, it should be noted that he also has 109 less carries than him. If you put that into perspective with Forsett’s 5.6 yards per carry average, it’s not implausible to say he could be the rushing leader if he got the football more.
Forsett is the type of back that flourishes with dominant quarterbacks. The main example of this is C.J. Anderson of the Denver Broncos. Over the past few weeks especially, Anderson has broken out on the scene. Because of opposing defenses putting extra men in coverage to limit quarterback Peyton Manning, Anderson gets to take advantage of softer fronts.
Forsett, however, does not Manning as his quarterback. Although he has won a Super Bowl in a quarterback-driven league, Joe Flacco is not a difference-maker. For years now, the Ravens have been a run-first football team. In 2014, the Ravens came into the season thinking they would pass the football before, and it made sense because they brought in Steve Smith to pair with Torrey Smith, and they had questions with their running game. With all of the success Forsett has had running the football, it has been hard to not run the ball for the Ravens in 2014. In the past few weeks especially, the Ravens are starting to make Forsett the feature player of their offense. In three straight games, Forsett has ran the ball at least 20 times for 400 yards and four touchdowns.
With the playoffs around the corner and the Ravens in the middle of yet another playoff race, handing the football off to Forsett is the smartest move for this offense. By handing the football off, defenses will put more men in the box to stop the rushing attack, and that will allow the Ravens to set up the deep ball. Whatever it was in 2014, Forsett is playing his best football and the main reason why is his relationship with Kubiak and his ability recognize the offensive scheme. Forsett will always be undervalued, but the time is now for the “experts” to realize that Forsett is one of the best backs in the league.