The New Orleans Saints have a notable asset for their red zone offense in backup running back Jamaal Williams. An intriguing statistic links Williams with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Jamaal Williams ranks 2nd in the NFL for 1-yard touchdown runs since 2021.
This surprising stat, uncovered by Warren Sharp, highlights Williams’ potential impact for the Saints. Although he scored just one touchdown last year, Williams had an impressive 17 touchdowns in 2022, leading the NFL and being heavily utilized inside the ten-yard line during his final season with the Detroit Lions.
Catching up to Hurts will be a tough challenge for Williams this season or the next. Even if Williams becomes a key red zone player for New Orleans, Hurts’ rushing ability remains a significant factor.
rushing TDs from the 1-yard line since 2021
22 – QB Jalen Hurts
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
14 – RB Jamaal Williams
13
12 – RB Joe Mixon
11 – RB Derrick Henry, RB Ezekiel Elliott
10 – RB James Conner, RB Josh Jacobs
9 – RB Gus Edwards
8 – RB Jonathan Taylor, RB Austin Ekeler, RB…— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) July 7, 2024
However, with Philadelphia’s new offensive staff, Hurts might be used less frequently for close-range touchdowns to avoid injury risks. While claiming the top spot won’t be easy for Williams, being second is still impressive. We’ll see how much he contributes in 2024 with new Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak calling the plays.