The New (And Improved) Darren McFadden

After Sunday's impressive performance in a losing effort, it is easy to say that Darren McFadden "Run-DMC" is emerging as one of the top tailbacks in the NFL. Prior to this season McFadden accumulated a total of 856 yards rushing 5 touchdowns, and 530 receiving yards with no touchdowns. This season (only 13 games in, which he played 11) he has rushed for 993 yards with 7 touchdowns and added 437 yards receiving with 3 touchdowns. This is a huge transformation for a tailback that he not had the best team to work with.

Aside from the improvement of the Oakland Raiders offensive line, you can see a lot of confidence in McFadden's running during the game. Shades of his days in Arkansas, when he would make people miss with his speed, as well as use he power to run over defenders in the secondary. This season he has been the best player on the Oakland Raiders offense, as he gets the majority of the carries and is utilized out in the flats more often then he has in all his pro career.

It has been great to watch such a talented tailback finally find his stride, since he was drafted 4th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft after a very impressive college career that saw him win the Doak Walker Trophy (top running back) in two consecutive seasons (only Ricky Williams has done that as well), come as runner-up for the Heisman Trophy two years in a row, and sit third all time in rushing yards in the SEC (4590, behind Herschel Walker, and Kevin Faulk).

Overall this season has been great for Run-DMC, and we can only hope to see him continue this running style, or get better as his career progresses.

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