McCaffrey’s durability keying Panthers’ offense
When Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey ripped off a 59-yard run against the Seattle Seahawks, there was no tapping his helmet. He wasn’t coming out of the game.
The second-year running back told Cam Newton in the huddle before the next play “I’m ready to go,” then took a handoff on the next play and picked up another 15 yards.
“Any other average running back would’ve tapped his head and said, `I need a blow,”’ Newton said.
McCaffrey, the former Stanford star, has been the Energizer Bunny of the Panthers’ offense, playing in 97 percent of the team’s offensive plays through 11 games the most in the NFL.
And he’s showing no signs of letting up.
He became the first Carolina player in franchise history to eclipse 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in the same game last Sunday. Despite the loss to the Seahawks, his 237 total yards set a franchise record.
Entering today’s game at Tampa Bay, McCaffrey is fourth in the NFL in total yards from scrimmage with 1,365. He has 757 yards rushing and five touchdowns, 608 yards receiving yards on 71 catches and five more touchdowns.
McCaffrey said he never really gets tired and if he does, he just ignores it.
“I don’t think of it,” McCaffrey said. “When I’m in the game there is so much adrenaline. I never really feel like I’m gasping. You have to push through that.”
“He doesn’t look like it is wearing on him,” said Panthers coach Ron Rivera, whose team is looking to snap a three-game losing streak. “He works hard at everything he does and takes care of himself the way you expect a pro to do. Our other young guys can learn from that example.”
The 5-foot-11, 205-pound McCaffrey is proving to everyone he’s not too small to be an every-down and basically every-play running back.
Newton said McCaffrey is always out to prove something and bristles when someone calls him a “small” running back.
“When they take you at the eighth pick, you have a lot of people counting on you,” McCaffrey said. “So I knew it was going to be a pivotal (role). But at the same time, you still have to earn everything. And that’s kind of my mindset, how it’s always been.”
Said Newton: “C-Mac has defied all odds. The thing that has always put me at comfort with C-Mac is he’s always been a workhorse. He’s always been a playmaker.”
In other games ...
CHIEFS (10-1) AT RAIDERS (2-9)
It’s a bit complicated, but a Chiefs win and losses by Miami, Tennessee, Houston, Indianapolis, Baltimore and Cincinnati in certain combinations hand K.C. a playoff berth. Not that anyone doubts one is coming. The Chiefs have won six of seven in this series and Reid’s teams are 16-3coming off a bye. Here’s a weird stat: Oakland stands fifth in the NFL with 34points on opening drives. It’s third worst with 1.32points per drive after that.
49ERS (2-9) AT SEAHAWKS (6-5) Most intriguing here is Richard Sherman now wearing a 49ers jersey. The star defensive back for seven seasons in Seattle hasn’t done much in San Francisco: Sherman had 32picks for Seattle, most in the NFL during that span. He has zero interceptions and four passes defensed this season. “It’s different. Just the dynamic of the NFC West has changed,” Sherman said. “It’s changed a few times throughout the years. Early on when I first came in the league, San Fran was at the top and winning the division and went to a few NFC championships. In the middle of that, Seattle came up and was battling with Frisco, and for one crazy year Arizona came out of nowhere and had a really good season and made it to the NFC championship. There was a lot more teeth to the rivalry during those middle years.”
VIKINGS (6-4-1) AT PATRIOTS (8-3) More records are within Tom Brady’s reach. With two touchdown passes against Minnesota, Brady would pass Peyton Manning’s 579for the most passing touchdowns in NFL history, including the postseason. He also would beat Brett Favre’s 508 for the third-most regular-season touchdown passes. With the Vikings’ best cornerback, Xavier Rhodes, leaving last Sunday night with a hamstring issue, stymieing Brady could be a major challenge for
Minnesota as it chases NFC North leader Chicago. “I remember when we were going in Cincinnati I’m watching him pregame and he was just throwing these darts,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer says of Brady, “and I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re in trouble today.’ But his accuracy, I think he sees so many things now, I think with the experience. I don’t know that he’s changed all that much.”
BEARS (8-3) AT GIANTS (3-8)
NFC North-leading Chicago aims for a sixth straight win; the Bears won three times in 12days, once without starting quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Chase Daniel started against the Lions on Thanksgiving, going 27for 37for 230yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. But it’s defense that marks these Bears, hardly a surprise. They lead the NFL with fewest firsthalf points allowed (64), are tops with 20interceptions and are tied for the league lead with 16forced fumbles. Giants RB Saquon Barkley is one of four rookies in NFL history with touchdowns rushing and receiving in consecutive games. He has 100-plus yards from scrimmage in 10of 11 games. He probably will find it tough going today.
BROWNS (4-6-1) AT TEXANS (8-3) Houston is on quite a roll with eight consecutive wins, has beaten Cleveland four straight times and six of the past seven meetings. Still, the Browns are dangerous under interim coach Gregg Williams and with top overall draft pick Baker Mayfield playing well. Cleveland ended a 25game road losing streak last week at Cincinnati as Mayfield threw a season-high four touchdown passes. Mayfield must keep a watch for J.J. Watt, whose sensational comeback season peaked with nine tackles, 1 1⁄2 sacks and a forced fumble last Monday night. Watt, tied for second in the NFL with 111⁄2 sacks, had three tackles for losses, one sack, forced and recovered a fumble and had a TD reception in his last game against Cleveland in 2014.
COLTS (6-5) AT JAGUARS (3-8) Indy is up, Jacksonville is awful. A victory would give the Colts their first six-game winning streak since opening their 2009 AFC championship season 14-0. Andrew Luck has a TD pass in an NFL-best 34straight games and three or more TDs in eight consecutive games, tying Peyton Manning for No. 2all time. The Jaguars have dropped seven straight, fired offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and benched QB Blake Bortles. Cody Kessler was 0-8as Cleveland’s starter in 2016. Jacksonville is without RB Leonard Fournette, suspended one game for leaving the bench and instigating a fight in Buffalo.
BRONCOS (5-6) AT BENGALS (5-6) The Bengals have lost five of six and now are without Andy Dalton (thumb); third-year quarterback Jeff Driskel gets his first NFL start Sunday. Ground games could be key here. Broncos RB Phillip Lindsay ranks second among NFL rookies with 780 yards rushing, and with Dalton out, Joe Mixon — 89 yards vs. the Browns — should be busy toting the ball for Cincinnati. Broncos star linebacker Von Miller has sacks in six straight games.
RAVENS (6-5) AT FALCONS (4-7) Only the sixth meeting, with Baltimore’s 19-13 OT victory in Atlanta in 1999 the only win by a visiting team. Baltimore owns the NFL’s top-ranked defense, allowing a league-low 18 points per game, and has found a winning formula on offense as undrafted rookie Gus Edwards has rushed for at least 100 yards in two straight games. Rookie QB Lamar Jackson has been dynamic on the
ground while Joe Flacco heals a hip injury. The highly disappointing Falcons have their second three-game losing streak this season, but Matt Ryan needs two completions to pass Carson Palmer for 11th on the career list, and has topped 300 yards passing and a 100 QB rating in five of the past six games.
PANTHERS (6-5) AT BUCCANEERS (4-7)
Carolina’s three straight losses endanger its playoff chase. The Panthers’ Cam Newton completed 19 of 25 for 247 yards with two touchdowns vs. zero interceptions in last meeting between NFC South rivals. Top draftee D.J. Moore has 17 receptions for 248yards in the past two games. Bucs DE Jason Pierre-Paul has 10 1⁄2 sacks.
JETS (3-8) AT TITANS (5-6)
For Tennessee to have any thoughts about making the postseason, it must win games such as this. The Jets have lost five in a row and other than placekicker Jason Myers, offer little resistance. Myers has five field goals of 55 yards or longer this season, most by any kicker since 2000. The Titans have won 13 of their past 16 home games and do a few things pretty well. They have 56total penalties, fewest in the league, and have allowed 25TDs, tied for fifth fewest in the NFL.
CARDINALS (2-9) AT PACKERS (4-6-1) Not much to watch with these alsorans. Cardinals star Larry Fitzgerald needs four catches to pass Hall of Famer Jerry Rice (1,281 with 49ers) for most receptions in NFL history with one team. Fitzgerald has scored in all five of his previous games against the Packers. Packers WR Davante Adams has a career-high 1,022 yards receiving, scoring at least 10 TDs for a third straight season.
BILLS (4-7) AT DOLPHINS (5-6) Don’t look for a scoring spree here: Buffalo ranks 31st in offense, Miami is 28th. Although the Bills have topped 300 yards in the past two games after failing to do so in the first six, their passer rating of 58.9 is worst in the NFL. They have been outscored by 111 points. Miami does have regular QB Ryan Tannehill back from a shoulder injury. He has won his past seven home starts.
RAMS (10-1) AT LIONS (4-7)
The Rams have their eyes on winning out to put the heat on New Orleans for overall home-field advantage in the NFC. First up, a pair of NFC Central opponents — at Chicago next week is the tougher test. Los Angeles clinches the NFC West with a win or Seattle loss. Todd Gurley leads the league with 1,484 scrimmage yards and 17 scrimmage TDs, and DT Aaron Donald has been practically unblockable at times. He had two strip-sacks in the win over the Chiefs. The Lions have lost four of five as Matthew Stafford has thrown for three TDs and four INTs in the past four games.
CHARGERS (8-3) AT STEELERS (7-3-1) The scoreboard might explode at Heinz Field as Class of 2004QBs Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger light it up. Rivers set an NFL record for highest completion rate (96.6 percent) and tied the mark for consecutive completions (25) in last week’s rout of Arizona. He has multi-TD games in every outing this season, but will be without running back Melvin Gordon (knee). Roethlisberger’s 97-yard touchdown pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster last week gave him four 90-plus yard passes, most in NFL history. He threw for 462 yards in the loss at the Broncos, his sixth game of 450-plus yards. No other QB in NFL history has more than four. Pittsburgh has won four of the past five meetings and is 15-3 at home against the Chargers.