During Week 7’s Sunday Night Football broadcast, two of the NFL’s elite running backs, Christian McCaffrey and Bijan Robinson, squared off. To commemorate the special matchup, the NBC crew officially dubbed October 19th “National Running Backs Day”.
McCaffrey dominated in front of the 49ers faithful, totaling 201 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. As a result, NBC awarded him a stylish jacket after the game to celebrate the win.
But the primetime stars weren’t the only backs to shine on Sunday. Here are a few others who made major impacts out of the backfield in Week 7:
Jonathan Taylor Dominates the Chargers
With the way Jonathan Taylor has been playing, “National Running Backs Day” might as well be named after him.
Taylor recorded his third three-touchdown game of the season against the Chargers. Through seven weeks, he leads all players in carries, yards, and touchdowns.
His current pace is historic—Taylor has more rushing yards and touchdowns than either Adrian Peterson or LaDanian Tomlinson did through the first seven games of their MVP seasons. He’s also the first player since Derrick Henry to record three three-score performances in his team’s first seven contests. He may not have received a postgame jacket like McCaffrey, but it’s looking like he’ll get the last laugh at the end of the season with a shiny new trophy for his mantle.
Josh Jacobs’ Clutch Play Helps Packers Overcome Arizona
When Green Bay signed Josh Jacobs in the 2024 offseason, they envisioned him as their bell cow—someone who could take over when the passing game stalled.
That’s exactly what he did against Arizona. Trailing 13-6 early in the third quarter, Jacobs capped off a quick four-play drive to tie the game. Then, with the Packers down 23-20 late in the fourth, they leaned on him again. Jacobs carried the ball seven times on the final drive, punching in the game-winning touchdown to seal the comeback.
Quinshon Judkins Carries Cleveland Past Dolphins with 3 Touchdowns
Heading into their matchup against Miami, Judkins and the Browns knew bad weather would play a factor, with forecasts calling for heavy rain and wind. Judkins didn’t flinch.
“Rain, sleet, or snow, I’m ready to go,” he said during the week.
He backed it up with three rushing touchdowns in Cleveland’s 31-6 win over the Dolphins. He referenced his experience playing in tough weather from his days at Ohio State and Ole Miss. After the game, he received the game ball from head coach Kevin Stefanski, who praised his young back:
“Young players get better, and he’s a young player we think very highly of.”
That faith is well-earned. Judkins now leads all rookies in rushing yards and is tied for second in total touchdowns, just one shy of Giants rookie Cam Skattebo.
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