Alfred Morris rushes into Washington Redskins record books
Robert Griffin III isn’t the only rookie sensation on the Washington Redskins’ roster.
Running back Alfred Morris rushed for a career-high 124 yards during the team’s 17-16 victory over the New York Giants on Monday night to become only the second player in franchise history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in his first NFL season.
Morris’ total of 1,106 rushing yards this season is now the best in team history for a rookie player, replacing Reggie Brooks’ 1,063 from 1993. The sixth-round draft pick out of Florida Atlantic is also the first Redskins player to rush for 1,000 yards since Clinton Portis in 2008.
“Just coming from where I came from a lot of people counted me out, didn’t think I was going to make the team,†said Morris, who has six rushing touchdowns and is averaging 4.81 yards a carry. “I made the team, rushed for a thousand yards. I did a lot of things that I myself didn’t think I was going to be able to do.â€
There’s a decent chance another Redskins rookie will join Morris in the 1,000-yard club this season -- Griffin. The Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback ran for 72 yards against the Giants to bring his season totals to 714 yards and six touchdowns on the ground (to go with 2,660 yards and 17 touchdowns in the air). Right now he’s on pace to finish the season with 942 rushing yards.
Morris and Griffin have helped the Redskins (6-6) win three straight and pull to within a game of the Giants for the NFC East lead.
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