Back in 2006, in the days and weeks leading up to the NFL Draft, there was a serious discussion about whether the Texans should take USC running back Reggie Bush or NC State pass rusher Mario Williams with the No. 1 pick.
The Texans selected Williams, and Bush went a pick later to New Orleans where he was good, but not great. Ten years and four teams later, Bush is now on the precipice of some historically terrible football. Heading into the season finale, he has 12 carries for minus-three yards. According to the Times-Picayune's Jeff Duncan, no running back in NFL history with at least 10 carries has had a negative rushing total.
Pro Football Talk's Michael David confirms as much, noting: "Although there have been players who finished the season with negative rushing yardage and more than 10 rushing attempts, they're all either modern-era quarterbacks who lost yardage on kneeldowns, or 1930s and 1940s backs who were both runners and passers and lost yardage while attempting to pass."
Perhaps most amazing: Bush's season-long run of futility is taking place on the league's most efficient rush offense, according to Football Outsiders' metrics, one that averages 171 rushing yards a game. LeSean McCoy leads the way with 1,257 yards and a 5.5 YPC average, and he's followed by Tyrod Taylor (580 yards, 6.1 YPC), Mike Gillislee (537 yards, 6.2 YPC), Jonathan Williams (83 yards, 3.6 YPC) ... and Bush.
For the morbidly curious, Bush's best game came in Week 6, when he rushed for six yards on two carries. He has twice finished games with minus-eight rushing yards; in Week 8 he did it in two carries against the Patriots, and he managed it again last week against the Dolphins, but needed just one carry to do it.
