Probable NFL Milestones for 2013: Running Backs and a Tight End
The immense talent that is Adrian Peterson needs 10 touchdowns to join Emmitt Smith(8), and LaDainian Tomlinson (9) to rush for 10 scores in seven different seasons, the Minnesota Vikings star also needs just two more 200 yard games, he has four already, to beat Tiki Barber and tie OJ Simpson for most all-time.
Steven Jackson is now an Atlanta Falcon after years as a Ram in St.Louis, he needs another 1,000 yard season to rank alongside Curtis Martin (10), Barry Sanders (10) and Emmitt Smith (11), as the only players in NFL history to rush for 1,000 in 9 consecutive seasons.
Ray Rice of the champion Baltimore Ravens can join Marshall Faulk in the history books as the only players to have rushed for 1,000 yards and ha 700 receiving yards in three seasons. Rice has achieved this feat twice in five years.
Tony Gonzalez is coming to the end of his storied career, but he still has a few things on his to do list (beside win a Super Bowl). Firstly he needs just 58 catches to join Jerry Rice as the only players to have 1,300 in their career; he is already the most prolific tight end in history when it comes to catching the ball. Should he catch a ball in each of his first five games this year he will join Rice (274) as the only players to have 200 consecutive games catching a pass. Rice also has set the standard when it comes to being overly consistent, if Gonzalez has a 50 catch year he will join Rice with 15 years of having reached that mark – Rice has 16. In terms of yards he will go into 3rd place, above Marvin Harrison, Tim Brown, Isaac Bruce and Randy Moss if he gets to 1,025, and if he converts 7 of those into touchdowns he will move ahead of Don Hutson, Tim Brown and Barry Sanders into 15th all-time on the touchdown list.