<
        >

          NFL Nation

          In-depth look at how Russell Wilson's runs help the Seahawks

          • Terry Blount, ESPN Staff WriterDec 31, 2014, 08:00 AM ET
            Close
            • Covered the NFL at the Houston Post and Houston Chronicle, including eight Super Bowls
            • Received Citation for Writing Excellence from Hearst Newspapers
            • Also has covered NBA Finals, World Series, Finals Fours, Indy 500 and Daytona 500
            Follow on X

          For those who doubt it, Russell Wilson’s ability to run with the football makes a big difference in the offensive success for the Seattle Seahawks.

          ESPN Stats & Information has quantified it. Wilson rushed for 849 yards in the regular season, 210 more than any other quarterback.

          Based on the down, distance and situation, Wilson’s runs added more than twice as many points to his team’s net scoring margin than as any other quarterback.

          Since 2006, no quarterback has had a higher single-season rushing EPA (expected points added) than Wilson:

          2014 -- Russell Wilson: 31.8

          2006 -- Vince Young, Tennessee: 31.2

          2006 -- Michael Vick, Atlanta: 26.8

          2013 -- Andrew Luck, Indianapolis: 21.2

          2013 -- Cam Newton, Carolina: 21.0

          Here are some of the ways Wilson impact games with his legs:

          • Wilson averaged 7.2 yards per rush and gained a first down on 38 percent of his runs.

          • When scrambling, he averaged 10.2 yards per rush and gained an NFL-high 21 first downs.

          • On third down, he scrambled for 189 yards and nine first downs. Both numbers led the NFL.

          • Sixty percent of his third-down scrambles resulted in first downs.

          • He had more rushes that gained 10 or more yards (33) than rushes that failed to gain yards (30).