Tampa Bay lost its game against Philadelphia, 23-21, and a potential spot in the NFC playoffs, but saw a couple of records fall on Sunday thanks to Doug Martin. The team’s top running back rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries (4.6 avg.) versus the Eagles, and in doing so he became the Buccaneers’ all-time leading rookie rusher. Martin now has 1,234 yards, which eclipses Carnell Williams’ mark of 1,178 yards in 2005.
Martin also climbed Tampa Bay’s rushing records charts on Sunday and has put himself in position to break some of the team’s all-time marks when it comes to single season rushing yardage, rushing touchdowns, total yardage and total touchdowns if he can continue to play at a high level down the stretch.
Against the Eagles, Martin rushed past Errict Rhett (1,207 yards in 1995) and into fourth place in team history for the most rushing yards in a single season. Martin is within striking distance of moving past Ricky Bell (1,263 yards in 1979) and James Wilder (1,300 yards in 1985) and into second place with just 67 more rushing yards, which could come as early as this Sunday at New Orleans.
If Martin rushes for 311 yards combined in the final three games he will move past Wilder, who held the record for 1,544 yards in 1984, and into first place in team history for the most rushing yards in a single season. He will need to average 103.6 yards per game to accomplish that feat.
Martin totaled 132 yards from scrimmage on Sunday and has now accumulated 1,612 total yards, which surpassed Warrick Dunn’s total of 1,555 yards in 2000 and moved him into third place in team annals. James Wilder is in first and second place with 2,229 yards in 1984 and 1,641 yards in 1985. There is virtually no way Martin could amass 617 total yards in the three remaining games to end up in first place, but he is destined to move into second place with just 33 more yards from scrimmage this Sunday against the Saints.
Not only has the Boise State product racked up the yardage this year Martin has also found pay dirt quite often. Against the Eagles, Martin rushed for his 10th touchdown of the season, which moved him past Reggie Cobb, who had nine TDs in 1992, and ties him for third with Earnest Graham (2007), Mike Alstott (2001) and James Wilder (1985).
With one more rushing touchdown, Martin will tie Errict Rhett, who had 11 rushing scores in 1995, for second-best in team history when it came to the most rushing TDs in a season. The Bucs’ record is held by Wilder, who had 13 rushing touchdowns in 1984. And could be broken by Martin if he crosses the goal line three more times this season.
Martin has also scored 11 total touchdowns this season (10 rushing and one receiving) and has the chance to finish atop the franchise’s single season total TD list. It should come as no surprise that Wilder holds the record with 13 (13 rushing scores in 1984).
The second of Tampa Bay’s two first-round draft picks also has the chance to finish as the NFL’s leading rookie rusher this year. Martin has six more rushing yards than Washington running back Alfred Morris, who has 1,228 yards and seven touchdowns on 253 carries.
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