New York Jets’ running back Matt Forte wins our Ground and Pound Award for his monster Week 2 performance.
Vote for our Week 2 #GroundAndPoundAward. Which rushing performance was most impressive this week? #DawgPound #Patriots #Chargers #JetUp
— Best NFL Polls (@Best_NFL_Polls) September 20, 2016
Matt Forte fantasy owners everywhere rejoiced as he rolled to 100 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 37-31 win against the Buffalo Bills. I should have learned years ago not to pass on Forte…
Here is his third touchdown run of the day:
Year 9 & @MattForte22 is STILL doin’ it.
Touchdown number THREE for the RB. #NYJvsBUF #TNF https://t.co/T3HIQ6IIVzhttps://t.co/4hbivZg1XT
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) September 16, 2016
Forte didn’t break any huge runs–his long was the 12-yard touchdown run you just watched above–but he kept grinding and earned every yard this week. According to Pro Football Focus Analyst Matt Claasen, Forte literally “ground and pounded” his way to 100 yards against a stout Bills run defense.
The Bills defense allowed 100 yards rushing to Forte, but it took him 30 carries and 78 yards after contact to reach that mark. #NYJvsBUF
— Matt Claassen (@PFF_Matt) September 16, 2016
Matt Forte is currently on pace for a league-leading 24 touchdowns on the ground and 1,568 yards for the season. Along with the damage he does on the ground, Forte has caught at least 44 passes every year he has been in the league, including a jaw-dropping 102 catches in 2014. He only added 2 catches for 9 yards this week, but you can definitely count on him to do some damage through the air as the year goes on.
The oft overlooked and vastly underrated Forte has proven to be a huge offseason pick-up for the New York Jets and has become a vital cog in their Fitzmagic-al offense. With defenses being forced to respect Eric Decker, Brandon Marshall and Quincy Enunwa on the perimeter, look for Matt Forte to continue to slice and glide through defenses. This good old-fashioned ground and pound performance is very deserving and very fitting of our Week 2 Ground and Pound Award, but expect Forte to have an easier time, starting with the Washington Redskins on Sunday.
(Photo Credit: Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)