Size isn’t a huge telling thing of greatness in the NFL. Sure being big can have its advantages in certain situations, but it’s hardly a dealbreaker. Barry Sanders? Darrell Green? Wes Welker? Those guys were Davids in a land of Goliaths and that didn’t stop them from dominating. The same can be said for Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen.
He has fast become one of the most dangerous weapons in the NFL. Not only is he a versatile running back who can gash defense as a runner and receiver. He’s an All-Pro punt returner. Suffice to say opponents never like seeing him touch the football. So one would imagine this should put him on any list of the best small football players in the league, being 5’6 and all right?
Not according to Andy Benoit of Sports Illustrated. Constructing a full roster of entirely small players for their respective positions, two Bears managed to make the list in James Daniels and Charles Leno. Yet Cohen was left off. In favor of who, you ask? Let him explain.
“Phillip Lindsay, Broncos (5′ 8”, 190 pounds)
James White, Patriots (5′ 10″, 205 pounds)
Dion Lewis, Titans (5′ 8″, 195 pounds)
Undersized backfield receiving weapons are not hard to find; undersized first-and second-down ballcarriers ARE. The lightning-quick Lindsay would be my starting place, with the understanding that he’d have to rotate with Dion Lewis, who has actually been more of a base tailback than third down back the last several years. We know a tandem of White and Lewis works because it did in New England.”
Tarik Cohen forced to bow to a writer’s clear Patriot favoritism
Here’s the thing about Benoit. He’s a dedicated writer who studies film extensively. Nobody can say he doesn’t work hard. However, he does have one problem that tends to creep up in situations like this. Clear bias for current or former Patriot players. That is the only way one can justify seeing Dion Lewis on the list.
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So let’s get this out of the way. Here is the total offensive production for Lewis from last season compared to Cohen.
- Dion Lewis – 917 yards, 2 TDs
- Tarik Cohen – 1,169 yards, 8 TDs
This isn’t including the additional 433 yards Cohen had as a return man. Quite frankly that is about as big (no pun intended) snub as you’re liable to find in a list like this. Hopefully Cohen will get to show everybody yet again in 2019 that people are overlooking how dangerous he is.
