It always bugs me that people go on and on about Ridley's fumbles like he is the only RB in the NFL that fumbles. Yes, fumbling is bad, but is there another RB in the NFL who has this kind of microscope on him every time he fumbles? It's insanity and pure Boston media at its best.
I took at look at fumbles for NFL RBs and broke it down as % of carries. (I looked at fumbles, not fumbles lost as it's random chance after that whether it's recovered or not.)
21 NFL RBs have 2 or 3 fumbles on the season. Of those with 100+ carries, Ridley is in the top 5 with fumble %, but where is the outcry for benching Bush, Tate, Spiller, Jackson, etc. over their fumbles? None of these RBs have "fumbling problems" its just the negative Boston media combined with Ridley fumbles being magnified by circumstance. The guy has a ball protection issue but it's not like its out of control. A little perspective never hurts.
Code:
Player Carries Fumbles %
*Alfonso Smith 18 2 11.11%
*Johnathan Franklin 19 2 10.53%
*Ronnie Hillman 40 2 5.00%
*Peyton Hillis 43 2 4.65%
*David Wilson 44 2 4.55%
*Danny Woodhead 64 2 3.13%
*Montee Ball 68 2 2.94%
*Rashard Mendenhall 117 3 2.56%
*Ben Tate 122 3 2.46%
*C.J. Spiller 123 3 2.44%
*Stevan Ridley 131 3 2.29%
*Fred Jackson 141 3 2.13%
*Reggie Bush 145 3 2.07%
*DeMarco Murray 111 2 1.80%
*Jamaal Charles 186 3 1.61%
*Adrian Peterson 194 3 1.55%
*Marshawn Lynch 208 3 1.44%
*Ray Rice 140 2 1.43%
*DeAngelo Williams 141 2 1.42%
*Frank Gore 175 2 1.14%
*Alfred Morris 181 2 1.10%