Frank Gore’s amazing dependability and consistency–he’s the only top RB who hasn’t missed a game since the start of 2011

And now just a few thoughts on the amazing durability and longevity of Frank Gore heading into today’s game against Washington…

Gore is 31, in his 10th NFL season, and his current total of 2,345 career carries is second among active runners only to Steven Jackson’s 2,681.
Jackson also is first among active runners in yards (11,148) and Gore (10,615) is second there, too.

My point today: After seeing younger backs like Adrian Peterson and Ray Rice stalled or stopped by suspensions this year… and knowing that other backs tend to slow down somewhere around the 1,500-carry mark or much earlier…

I am always struck that the 49ers have been able to count on Gore almost every game for his entire career, but especially from the start of the Jim Harbaugh era in 2011.

* I also do not mean to jinx Gore with this item. I presume I won’t. If he does get hurt in any way today, I’m sure I’ll hear about it.

Guys like Arian Foster, Reggie Bush, Ryan Matthews, Chris Johnson or LeGarrette Blount go in and out of lineups with injuries or other issues.
Guys like Darren McFadden can never really get going.

Guys like Adrian Peterson and Ray Rice have this year run into major problems.

And… guys like Gore and Lynch are incredibly valuable. I would also say: Very tricky to replace, and I believe both teams are considering that for 2015.

Let’s just go through Gore and his contemporaries (backs who have been major producers from 2011 on) and compare the consistency–the 49ers have been able to count on Gore for EVERY GAME for three-plus years and among elite RBs, only Marshawn Lynch is close to that…

--Frank Gore since the start of 2011 (which was his seventh NFL season, when he was 28): Played in 58 of his team’s 58 regular-season games, with 974 carries. Will play today. #2 among active rushers in career yards.

–Marshawn Lynch since the start of 2011 (his fifth NFL season, when he was 25): Played in 57 of his team’s 58 regular-season games, with 1,078 carries. Will play today. #6 among active rushers in career yards.

–Matt Forte since the start of 2011 (his fourth NFL season, when he was 26): Played 53 of his team’s 58 regular-season games, with 913 carries. Will play today. #8.

–LeSean McCoy since the start of 2011 (his third NFL season, when he was 23): Played 53 of his team’s 58 regular-season games, with 983 carries. Will play today. #11.

–Steven Jackson since the start of 2011 (his eighth NFL season, when he was 27): Played in 53 of his team’s 58 regular-season games, with 803 carries. Will play today. #1.

–Reggie Bush since the start of 2011 (his sixth NFL season, when he was 26): Played in 52 of his team’s 58 regular-season games, with 719 carries. Will not play today. #16.

–Arian Foster since the start of 2011 (his third NFL season, when he was 25): Played in 45 of his team’s 58 regular-season games, with 911 carries. Not expected to play today. #14.

–Darren McFadden since the start of 2011 (his fourth NFL season, when he was 24): Played in 40 of his team’s 59 regular-season games, with 568 carries. Already played Thursday. #22.

–Adrian Peterson since the start of 2011 (his fifth NFL season, when he was 26): Played 43 of his team’s 58 regular-season games, with 856 carries. Currently suspended. #3.

–Ray Rice since the start of 2011 (his fourth NFL season, when he was 24): Played in 47 of his team’s 58 regular-season games, with 762 carries. Currently suspended and not on a team–had played in 47/48 until this season’s suspension. #12.


(mercurynews.com)