DeAngelo Williams leads NFL in rushing after Week 1 explosion

by Joe Kuzma (joe_kuzma) on September 13, 2016

DeAngelo Williams knows he’s 33 years old.

DeAngelo Williams doesn’t look 33 years old.

Following a Week 1 explosion in the Pittsburgh Steelers route of the Washington Redskins on Monday Night Football, Williams finds himself atop the league in rushing.

Williams crushed the Redskins defense, especially with a second half performance that saw the Steelers running back score two touchdowns while the team played a ball control, clock management style power rushing game which Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden called “Old School Steelers Football.”

Williams would scamper 26 times in the game for a total of 143 yards; a 5.5 yards-per-rush average.

DeAngelo also added a 17-yard run on Pittsburgh’s opening drive in the 3rd quarter.

Williams also contributed as an outlet receiver for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, adding 6 catches for 28 yards on 9 targets. His receiving long for the night was 14 yards, on a 2nd-and-22 pass from Big Ben out of the shotgun; a play which negated a significant loss after a Roethlisberger fumble a play earlier.

This isn’t the first time Williams is among the NFL’s best; despite being a backup at this stage of his career, DW played relief runner in 2015, in a similar situation where he spelled a suspended Le’Veon Bell. In last year’s opener against the New England Patriots, Williams ran for 127 yards on 28 attempts. He would follow that game with a 77 yard entry a week later, scoring 3 touchdowns in the 2015 home opening blowout against the 49ers.

Williams’ big game makes him the league’s rushing leader, and only one of 2 rushers to eclipse the century mark, after the first week of football:

DeAngelo Williams 26/143/2
Lamar Miller 28/106/0
Matt Forte 22/96/0
C.J. Anderson 20/92/1
David Johnson 16/89/1

(Attempts/Yards/Touchdowns)

Williams appeared on SiriusXM NFL Radio Tuesday morning to talk about getting up for games, including Sunday’s matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, and whether or not his age bothered him.

https://soundcloud.com/siriusxmnfl/steelers-rb-deangelo-williams-on-afc-north-bengals-game-this-sunday

One thing is for sure: Williams is an ageless wonder who could be playing the best football of his life: like wine, he continues to get better over time.