The NFL has morphed from a ground-and-pound league.
It's all about passing, more passing and then, a little more passing.
Right when you think a run's coming, it's really a play-action pass.
OK, a little exaggeration there, but with 10 passers eclipsing the 4,000-yard plateau and three of them accumulating 5,000-plus, it's quite clear that aerial attacks rule the NFL.
While the passing yards will surely pile up this January, running backs will still be valuable.
Let's look at the biggest X-factor backs heading as the postseason approaches.
Ben Tate, Houston Texans
We know about Arian Foster—he's a tremendous back that has rushed for more than 2,800 yards over the last two seasons.
The Cincinnati Bengals will be focused on stopping him to force T.J. Yates to beat them.
Although Foster is somewhat of a home-run threat, his backup, Ben Tate, cannot be forgotten. He averaged 5.4 yards per carry in 2011 and brings more of a shifty, outside running threat to the field.
Both of the Texans backs will be integral to the team's success in January, but keep an eye on Tate; he has the potential to play a major role in these playoffs even if Foster is limited.
Darren Sproles, New Orleans
Duh.
Sproles set the NFL record this year for single-season all-purpose yards with 2,696 and caught a ridiculous 86 passes with seven receiving touchdowns.
While opposing defensive coordinators meticulously scheme to stop the Saints extremely potent vertical passing game, Sproles slips underneath almost unnoticed and frequently makes big plays out of nothing.
He's become the most dangerous screen game option in the league.
If the Saints are forced to play outside in colder weather, outside runs and dump-offs to Sproles will be vital.
Isaac Redman, Pittsburgh Steelers
Obviously, starters like the San Francisco 49ers' Frank Gore and the Atlanta Falcons' Michael Turner will be important for their clubs during the playoffs, but I wanted to dig a little deeper.
With Ben Roethlisberger still hobbled, the Steelers may need to rely on the run more than they would like, especially early in the postseason.
Rashard Mendenhall is out, and Redman takes over the starting duties.
He's been a reliable backup all season for Pittsburgh and averaged 4.4 yards per rush. He's a decent receiver, too.
If the Big Ben can't push the ball down the field and connect with Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown, Redman will certainly be a X-factor.
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