Chris Johnson held out, waiting for a contract that he felt properly paid him for putting together three dynamic seasons and establishing himself as one of the best running backs in the NFL. $53.5-million later, $30 million of which is guranteed, Johnson has not only failed to live up to the money, hes’ failed to show up on just about every Sunday.
Having career averages of 4.93 yards per carry while rushing for 97.53 yards a game and 34 touchdowns over his first three seasons, Johnson has seen those averages bottom out to 2.8 ypc, 43.1 ypg, and one touchdown through the first seven games of the season.
Those are eye-popping numbers for all the wrong reasons. In his first three years combined Johnson only averaged below three yards a carry seven times, five of which came last season. This season he has averaged that five times in eight games.
When Johnson started slowly it was not a complete surprise, he had missed the entire preseason and only had a week to prepare for the first game of the year. As the poor efforts have continued to pile up, questions about Johnson’s speed and seemingly lack of burst have repeatedly been asked. Where is the Chris Johnson that has been one of the most electrifying talents in the league the last three seasons? No one seems to know that answer, not even Chris Johnson.
With each passing week it becomes apparent that Johnson is not likely to emerge from his season long funk. His season hit rock bottom against the Colts in which back up Javon Ringer ended up with the same number of carries (14) but outgained Johnson 60 to 34. It was Ringer that found himself on the field in crunch time with the Titans trying to run the clock out, not Johnson.
Johnson remains the starter but now has Ringer breathing down his neck. Who saw that coming? I don’t think anyone expected Johnson to struggle to this extreme. One has to think that Johnson is too much of a talent to not produce. With eight games left he has the chance to prove he’s still an elite back. Judging by his body of work so far this season, don’t hold your breath.