Image: ESPN via YouTube / Wiki Commons by White House
About This Quiz
It's fourth-and-1Â in the final minutes of the game, and a team needs to score to secure the victory. That means they have to put it all on the line and go for the first down. The best teams in the league have two options in this situation: throw the ball or run it. Of course, the only way that a defense will fear both a pass play and run play is if an offense has an elite quarterback and running back on the field together. If that's the case, then all options are open.
When looking at the landscape of the NFL, the 32 offenses across the league wouldn't be complete without the QB and RB duos that make those offenses versatile against the top defenses. After all, few offenses find success throwing the ball 50 times a game. That's where a running back comes in, as they not only save a quarterback's arm but also relieve some of the pressure from pass rushers keying in on the signal caller.
How familiar are you with every backfield in the NFL? Whether they play for a playoff contender or a team trying to rebuild, these backfield tandems can be seen competing every week during football season. When you're ready, see how competitive you are by tackling this quiz.
Bengals
Ravens
Lamar Jackson and Mark Ingram make up the best rushing offense in the NFL, averaging over 200 yards per game on the ground. Much of that success has to do with Jackson's electrifying running style that puts him at the top of the MVP race.
Colts
Broncos
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Falcons
Both Matt Ryan and Devonta Freeman were starters when the Atlanta Falcons reached Super Bowl LI, where they gave up the biggest lead in Super Bowl history in a loss to the New England Patriots. Since going down in that game, the Falcons haven't fully recovered to make another run at a title.
49ers
Jaguars
Eagles
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Titans
Giants
Packers
Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals tried benching Andy Dalton halfway through 2019, but the move didn't result in better production. Hoping to get their first win on the season, Dalton was reinserted in the starting lineup against the New York Jets, giving the Bengals a win in his first game back.
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Falcons
Cowboys
Even though Ezekiel Elliott is still a young player, he has already won two rushing titles with the Dallas Cowboys, which isn't that big of a surprise considering he was a first round pick. The bigger surprise is Dak Prescott, who has made two Pro Bowls in his short career.
Panthers
Seahawks
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Buccaneers
Panthers
The Carolina Panthers have been up and down throughout the 2019 season, mainly because of Cam Newton's health. Luckily , Christian McCaffrey has been a consistent star, racking up enough stats to put him in the MVP conversation.
Eagles
Raiders
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Lions
The Detroit Lions went through several running backs before finally settling on Bo Scarbrough in the backfield with Matthew Stafford as QB. Stafford needs all the help he can get, as he's still looking for his first Super Bowl appearance since entering the league in 2009.
Redskins
Saints
Seahawks
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Patriots
Coming into 2019, the offense for the New England Patriots was completely decimated by injuries, off the field issues and players retiring. Luckily, Tom Brady still had Sony Michel in the backfield, one of his few trusted weapons.
Jets
Steelers
Titans
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Jaguars
Colts
Andrew Luck was supposed to be the starting quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts coming into the 2019 season. However, he retired just before the season started, leaving Jacoby Brissett to take up the reins.
Giants
Packers
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Panthers
49ers
Giants
After being drafted as the sixth pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, many analysts thought Daniel Jones was overrated coming into the season. However, he showed that he could balance out the offense beside Saquon Barkley, who was taken the year prior as the second overall pick.
Vikings
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Texans
The Houston Texans are best when Deshaun Watson is using both his legs and arm to make plays. This versatility keeps defenses off balance and allows Carlos Hyde to do work on his own running down the field.
Cowboys
Chiefs
Giants
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Patriots
Saints
Packers
Rams
With Todd Gurley there to take handoffs and balance out the offense, Jared Goff had the best season of his career in 2018, leading the Los Angeles Rams all the way to the Super Bowl. However, the Rams' high-powered offense was completely shut down by the New England Patriots, and the team hasn't fully recovered from the loss.
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Panthers
Lions
Chargers
Cardinals
Kyler Murray was the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft after he won the Heisman Trophy in college. The Arizona Cardinals added Kenyan Drake via trade to help Murray in the backfield, and throughout the season, the two have shown how dynamic they can be moving forward.
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Patriots
Rams
Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes took the football world by storm in 2018, his first season as a full-time starter with the Kansas City Chiefs. After throwing for over 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns, Mahomes was awarded the NFL MVP, giving him plenty of momentum coming into 2019 when he was teamed up with LeSean McCoy.
Chargers
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Dolphins
Cardinals
Texans
Bills
Coming into the 2019 season, the Buffalo Bills have only made the playoffs once since 1999. However, they have put together a roster built around a stout defense and a rushing game that made them a serious contender for the first time in 20 years.
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Vikings
Redskins
Bears
Mitch Trubisky has the athleticism to run the football himself, but he often neglected to use his legs during the 2019 season because defenses have been stacking the box. However, when he's smart about when to run the ball, the Chicago Bears' chance of winning goes up.
Patriots
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Packers
For years, the Green Bay Packers have relied on the arm of Aaron Rodgers, refusing to surround him with enough talent to compete at a high level. Rodgers was always good enough to make it work, but as he ages, the Packers are going to have to find more players like Aaron Jones to help him out.
Buccaneers
49ers
Steelers
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Chargers
Vikings
Browns
The Cleveland Browns had a ton of hype coming into 2019, and much of that hype had to do with the backfield in Cleveland. However, Baker Mayfield hasn't been able to hold up his end of the stick, as he has particularly struggled with turning the ball over.
49ers
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Titans
Raiders
Vikings
Saints
Drew Brees and Alvin Kamara make up one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL. Kamara is an elite running back who can both run the ball and catch passes, while Brees is a veteran quarterback who many rank as one of the greatest of all time.
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Jets
Titans
49ers
The San Francisco 49ers have separated themselves from just about every team in the NFL. Though their defense is the main reason for this, their offense has been good enough to get wins with players like Jimmy Garoppolo and Raheem Mostert.
Seahawks
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Jets
Chargers
Philip Rivers has been leading the Los Angeles Chargers since 2004 when the team was still located in San Diego. There have been many changes since then, including in the backfield, but none of those changes have resulted in a Super Bowl.
Steelers
Saints
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Titans
Redskins
Buccaneers
Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger and James Conner had a lot to prove after the departure of two key offensive players in the offseason. They proved nothing in the first game of 2018, falling 33-3 to the New England Patriots.
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Titans
Raiders
Jets
The New York Jets have desperately been trying to find their way out of the bottom rung of the NFL, which is why they acquired Le'Veon Bell in the 2019 offseason. However, his pairing with Sam Darnold has done little to improve the Jets' chances of making the Super Bowl.
Vikings
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Titans
Derrick Henry has proven he's one of the best running backs in the league while playing for the Tennessee Titans. Add in the arm of Ryan Tannehill, who has completely revamped his career in Tennessee, and it becomes pretty clear why the Titans are in the playoff race.
Seahawks
Raiders
Vikings
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Seahawks
Raiders
Head coach Jon Gruden has to figure out who he can trust after taking over the Oakland Raiders in 2018. That means the futures of both Derek Carr and Josh Jacobs are in question, even though they have performed relatively well in 2019.
Vikings
Buccaneers
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Titans
Raiders
Eagles
Jaguars
With Leonard Fournette on the roster and a tough defense, the Jacksonville Jaguars thought they were a quarterback away from making a championship run. That hasn't been true in 2019, as the team continued to lose games despite signing Nick Foles.
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Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins have been the butt of many jokes, especially to start the 2019 NFL season. The team went 0-7 before they finally got a win over the New York Jets, another team that struggled in 2019.
Jets
Steelers
Raiders
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Vikings
Seahawks
Buccaneers
Redskins
Adrian Peterson was once the best running back in the NFL, but he's had to take over a mentor role on the Washington Redskins, who have struggled to make the playoffs since he joined the team. Of course, since he's playing beside a young quarterback, his cachet is very important for the team's future.
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Vikings
Kirk Cousins was heavily criticized in the early part of the 2019 season for failing to find his star players. The one player who did always get them, however, was Dalvin Cook, who eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the first time in his career.
Rams
Bills
Seahawks
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Raiders
Buccaneers
Before the start of the 2019 regular season, there were questions on whether the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would stick with Jameis Winston moving forward. They decided to keep him in the starting spot, but his inability to protect the football has been a detriment, even with second-year running back Ronald Jones II on the field.
Seahawks
Panthers
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Jets
Falcons
Seahawks
Russell Wilson continues to be one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the league, and Chris Carson has been huge in keeping some of the pressure of carrying the Seattle Seahawks off Wilson's back. Without as much pressure, Wilson has been able stay healthier than he was in past seasons.
Colts
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Redskins
Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles made a tough decision following the 2018 season when they decided to go with Carson Wentz instead of Nick Foles moving forward. Foles was the Super Bowl MVP from the previous year, but ultimately, Wentz was viewed as the better longterm investment.
Packers
Seahawks
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Chargers
Bears
Broncos
The Denver Broncos are several years removed from their victory in Super Bowl 50, and they still haven't found a quarterback to replace Peyton Manning, who retired following the championship game. Drew Lock is young and developing, but the Broncos are looking to win now if they want to capitalize on their defensive talent.
Saints
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