This might be obvious in pointing out, but Cedric Benson isn't a very elusive running back. I can remember several plays where Benson simply doesn't force defensive players to miss, and all too often a slight bump appeared to knock Benson off-balance just enough that his run would be over 2-3 yards later. Benson breaks through the line, nothing but green in front of him. All he has to do is make the safety miss. And, he can't. Sometimes the defensive player just breaks down and tackles through Benson, or knocks the running back off-balance just enough to force him down.
Pro Football Focus devised a mad scientist-like formula to come up with the Elusive Rating that largely proved Benson's inability to force missed tackles.
As a quick refresher, the Elusive Rating is produced by a formula that first combines carries and receptions to reach a ‘ball-handling opportunities’ figure. Total forced missed tackles in both facets are then divided by that first number and the result is multiplied by yards per carry after contact and then again by 100.
(MTrush + MTrec) / (Rec + Att) * ( YCo / Att * 100)
From 2008-2010, years spent with the Cincinnati Bengals, Benson touched the football 902 times and forced 80 missed tackles for an elusive rating of 21.6. Only nine running backs from that timeframe scored a lesser elusive rating, with Kansas City's Thomas Jones coming in last with a rating of 11.8. Comparatively speaking, Minnesota's Adrian Peterson produced 167 missed tackles, more than doubling Benson's production with only 100 additional touches.
As if we didn't need a reminder, Chris Perry posted the second-worst elusive rating in 2008, behind the not-elusive-at-all LenDale White.