Is Christian McCaffrey The Real Deal?
It’s time we stop doubting Christian McCaffrey.
Let’s start by saying Christian McCaffrey aka. CMC is indeed the real deal. All the criticism he received in college, before the draft, after the draft and all the way to his sophomore year in the NFL needs to be put to rest.
For the last few years “experts” have said that he’s too small, he can’t run between the tackles, he won’t be an all-purpose back, yadda yadda yadda.
They’re all wrong.
Now initially, with Norv Turner running the offense, you would have thought CMC wouldn’t fit the scheme being Turner normally likes a workhorse back like Emmit Smith or Frank Gore, but CMC can do it all and more.
Going into week 4, CMC is third in rushing yards with 271 and second in total yards from scrimmage with 428 behind only Alvin Kamara. In week three against the Bengals, he carried the ball a whopping 28 times for 184 yards. Against a stout Bengals front seven that is a heck of a day.
Here’s a stat that will make you think real hard about CMC’s initial scouting report. According to Football Outsiders, the Panthers are the second best team running between the guards with 5.28 yards per carry and run a whopping 79 percent of rushing attempts between the guards. Not only can CMC run between the tackles, but he literally runs up the very middle the majority of rushing attempts.
Just to put the icing on the cake, CMC currently ranks eights in broken tackles.
CMC has averaged 24 carries per game through three weeks and I highly doubt that will be changing considering the Panthers offense is playing very well as of late.
He has done every last thing that the critics said he would struggle with on the biggest stage with everyone doubting him. The dude can play, so prepare to see Christian McCaffrey carrying the football on Sundays for a long, long time.
Written by Christopher Schweitzer
Beasley Media Group Inc.
