Best runningback of all time

[roadman]

Re: Best runningback of all time

The idea of the R & S offense for the running game was to bring in smaller players for the offensive line to create running lanes.

It looks like the Lions were the first to use the R & S in the NFL in 89. Barry had over 1400 yds and Bob Gagliano at QB. Who?

Falcons were next in 1990. Mike Rozier was the leading rusher with 675 yds. QB was Chris Miller, decent QB, not HOF QB.

Lions in 1990 are next. Barry with over 1300 yds with QB of Rodney Peete. Avg QB at best.

Oilers also used the R & S in 90. Lorenzo White 702 yds with HOF QB Warren Moon.

Colts also used the R & S in 90. Dickerson with with 677 yds and Jeff George as QB.

Seahawks used the R & S in 90. Derrick Fenner(who?) with 859 yds with Dave Krieg at QB.

Out of those 5 teams that ran the R & S in the NFL in 1990, only Barry had over 1,000 yds.

That is remarkable if you ask me.

Also, Seattle dropped it in 91, but the other 4 teams still used it. Still, Barry was the only rusher over 1000yds with 1500 yds.

Two years in a row.

That was at the height of the R & S in the NFL with the most team using it one year.

Still remarkable with that offense.

[PrettyT11]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Forget the 'what if' arguments. It's a fact that emmitt ran behind one of the greatest olines ever and it's a fact that Sanders never had that luxury.

First of all no it is not facts. WHat those are is opinions. A fact is Brett Farve has thrown for more yards and TD's than any QB in NFL history. Saying Brett Farve is better than John Elway is an opinion. See the difference?? Who is to say that Cowboys line was any better than the Seahawks line during Alexander's prime (they had two all pro's and three pro bowlers) or the Cheifs line Holmes ran behind (again 3 pro bowlers and all pro's) or any of the other lines in history with multiple pro bowlers.

No Sanders line wasn't as good as the Cowboys but it's not like his line was chopped liver. He also ran behind a couple of pro bowlers and an all pro in Lomas Brown. You want to talk about poor lines just go look at some of the lines Walter Payton had to run behind. He didn't run behind a pro bowler until he was 31 years old. He was an all pro in 77 with over 1,800 yards and 14 TD's behind a line that had a combined 7 years of experience. We are talking about a rookie, a second year player, and three third year players who where drafted in the 5th, 7th, and 14th round.

I'm sorry but if the argument is putting up monster numbers behind bad lines Barry falls way behind the likes of Payton and Dickerson.

It's pure blind homers that look at both careers and say that emmitt's is more impressive than Sanders. It's actually pretty difficult to find non-biased people who say emmitt > sanders....because objectively, Sanders was more impressive. Better #'s, better avg's on a clearly inferior team running an offense that was designed for passing.

That's funny cause there are people, list, and other things that list Emmit higher than Barry just like there are others that list Barry higher than Emmit. I'm pretty sure all of them aren't Cowboys fans. Warren Sapp said Emmit was the greatest. So he he now a Cowboy or Emmit homer?? There was an article posted earlier from Pro Football Reference. So are both of those guys some blind homer too?? Point is that it is all subjective and a matter of opinion.

[Rocky]

Re: Best runningback of all time

The idea of the R & S offense for the running game was to bring in smaller players for the offensive line to create running lanes.

It looks like the Lions were the first to use the R & S in the NFL in 89. Barry had over 1400 yds and Bob Gagliano at QB. Who?

Falcons were next in 1990. Mike Rozier was the leading rusher with 675 yds. QB was Chris Miller, decent QB, not HOF QB.

Lions in 1990 are next. Barry with over 1300 yds with QB of Rodney Peete. Avg QB at best.

Oilers also used the R & S in 90. Lorenzo White 702 yds with HOF QB Warren Moon.

Colts also used the R & S in 90. Dickerson with with 677 yds and Jeff George as QB.

Seahawks used the R & S in 90. Derrick Fenner(who?) with 859 yds with Dave Krieg at QB.

Out of those 5 teams that ran the R & S in the NFL in 1990, only Barry had over 1,000 yds.

That is remarkable if you ask me.

Also, Seattle dropped it in 91, but the other 4 teams still used it. Still, Barry was the only rusher over 1000yds with 1500 yds.

Two years in a row.

That was at the height of the R & S in the NFL with the most team using it one year.

Still remarkable with that offense.

I think Craig Heyward had a 1,000 yard season with it. That said, Heyward was a beast.

[TheWatcher]

Re: Best runningback of all time

A number of Barry's best seasons ever were outside of the Run and Shoot offense, especially towards the end of his career, so I don't see how that has any bearing on anything. He showed he could play in different offenses and be successful.

The only legit knock on Barry is his routine disappearance in big games. Same thing with LaDanian Tomlinson.

[ActLikeYouCrow]

Re: Best runningback of all time

I'm sorry but if the argument is putting up monster numbers behind bad lines Barry falls way behind the likes of Dickerson.

you sure??

[PrettyT11]

Re: Best runningback of all time

you sure??

If you are going to quote me at least put the whole sentence and not chop it up. That was suppose to say Payton and Tomlinson. His lines for most of his career was trash. Thoughts got mixed up. Simple typo. Thanks for pointing it out though. Dickerson still had weak offensive talent around him at the skill positions though and that didn't stop him from putting up numbers never seen before. So the point, which most of what you left out by the way again, was Barry wasn't the first and won't be the last to put up monster numbers on teams less than Emmit or some of the other all time greats so if he gets this great exception so should the likes of Payton, Dickerson, LT, and others.

[bkrich83]

Re: Best runningback of all time

you sure??

Absolutely. Or Payton.

The talent around him argument doesn't work, if that's the sole basis of the Barry argument.

Detroit was a veritable all star team compared to the talent around Dickerson and Payton.

[ActLikeYouCrow]

Re: Best runningback of all time

cmon its not like i took something out of context, the question was the same regardless of whether i left payton's name in there or not. thanks for clearing that up, im fine with giving praise to all players who performed without much help around them.

i was specifically asking him about dickerson's oline. i'd disagree about the lions being a veritable all star team compared to anyone barry's first 3 years, not that im trying to spark a debate on who had the least help ever at rb.

[SPTO]

Re: Best runningback of all time

The idea of the R & S offense for the running game was to bring in smaller players for the offensive line to create running lanes.

It looks like the Lions were the first to use the R & S in the NFL in 89. Barry had over 1400 yds and Bob Gagliano at QB. Who?

Falcons were next in 1990. Mike Rozier was the leading rusher with 675 yds. QB was Chris Miller, decent QB, not HOF QB.

Lions in 1990 are next. Barry with over 1300 yds with QB of Rodney Peete. Avg QB at best.

Oilers also used the R & S in 90. Lorenzo White 702 yds with HOF QB Warren Moon.

Colts also used the R & S in 90. Dickerson with with 677 yds and Jeff George as QB.

Seahawks used the R & S in 90. Derrick Fenner(who?) with 859 yds with Dave Krieg at QB.

Out of those 5 teams that ran the R & S in the NFL in 1990, only Barry had over 1,000 yds.

That is remarkable if you ask me.

Also, Seattle dropped it in 91, but the other 4 teams still used it. Still, Barry was the only rusher over 1000yds with 1500 yds.

Two years in a row.

That was at the height of the R & S in the NFL with the most team using it one year.

Still remarkable with that offense.

You're forgetting the most successful R & S offense of all time in the NFL and that would be the Bills though to be honest they did add the wrinkle of also being a no huddle offense. Despite it being called the K-Gun the Bills offense really ran through Thurman Thomas. He was arguably the most versatile back of his era as he was not only a threat on the ground but he was a dangerous receiver as well.

[roadman]

Re: Best runningback of all time

You're forgetting the most successful R & S offense of all time in the NFL and that would be the Bills though to be honest they did add the wrinkle of also being a no huddle offense. Despite it being called the K-Gun the Bills offense really ran through Thurman Thomas. He was arguably the most versatile back of his era as he was not only a threat on the ground but he was a dangerous receiver as well.

Never would have considered the Bills a R & S offense and the list I was going off didn't,either.

No doubt Thurman was a great back with Kelly, Smith and great WR's.

[tlack]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Best running back of all time? Lets check the polls.......

[Alliball]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Barry has some of the best highlights I've ever seen.

Which is why most of the ADD generation thinks he's the best. I know what I've seen with my own two eyes and I would go Payton, Smith, then Sanders.

[MassNole]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Which is why most of the ADD generation thinks he's the best. I know what I've seen with my own two eyes and I would go Payton, Smith, then Sanders.

Yeah Youtube has bastardized Sanders' legacy and really overstated it to those who didn't see him play. I am sorry but when the only statistic you are the all time leader in is carries for negative yardage the mere suggestion you are the best ever is laughable at best.

[SPTO]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Yeah Youtube has bastardized Sanders' legacy and really overstated it to those who didn't see him play. I am sorry but when the only statistic you are the all time leader in is carries for negative yardage the mere suggestion you are the best ever is laughable at best.

That's a great point about how Youtube and people making mix tapes of Sanders' highlights has bastardized the true impact of his play but I also think it has to do with the NFL never really paying much respect to its past, even the recent (relatively speaking) past.

[MassNole]

Re: Best runningback of all time

That's a great point about how Youtube and people making mix tapes of Sanders' highlights has bastardized the true impact of his play but I also think it has to do with the NFL never really paying much respect to its past, even the recent (relatively speaking) past.

That doesn't even mention the fact Sanders was a cowardly quitter who left Detroit in an awful position by retiring after the NFL Draft. An act of such selfishness that the franchise has never recovered.