Best runningback of all time

[The15thunter]

Re: Best runningback of all time

"This thread is fallible." Sincerely, Thurman Thomas

please present an argument as to how he can crack the top five, let alone the #1 slot.

[Weeks]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Walter is my vote

[mikenever]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Best pure runner I ever saw was Eric Dickerson in his prime. Not the best career of all time but for a 3 or 4 season span, I never saw anyone better.

I would say that Bo Jackson was a better pure runner but Eric Dickerson was amazing also.

[mikenever]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Payton was amazing. He really didn't have any flaws in his game; however, I picked Barry. To me, it was literally Barry vs. the 11 other guys playing defense every single play.

Barry had the most unique skill set of any RB ever. If I had a choice between being Bo Jackson or Barry Sanders, I'd pick to be Bo Jackson. Bo Jackson did a lot of things that anyone else does just faster, stronger, and better. If I was Barry Sanders, I wouldnt even know what to do with it. If I was put in Barry Sanders body, I would probably fall down a lot trying to learn how to do what he did.

[Bellsprout]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Why isn't John Kuhn in the poll?

[cutter73]

Re: Best runningback of all time

I went with Walter Payton. I think he's the best back I ever got to watch. I ain't old enough to have seen Jim Brown play so I can't really compare the two. Payton had everything, moves, quickness, agilty and power, so he gets my vote over Barry Sanders. Roger Craig was also a great back that no one ever seems to give a lot of credit to. He was Marshal Faulk before Faulk was Faulk.

Going by old highlight reels,I would have loved to have seen Gale Sayers play as well.

[RunNShoot GURU]

Re: Best runningback of all time

please present an argument as to how he can crack the top five, let alone the #1 slot.

Thurman Thomas was the first RB to be able to move to the slot and anywhere on the field and run routes better than receivers. He invented what Marshall Faulk did and now what Reggie Bush tries to do.

Bill Walsh is on record saying Thurman was the best of all time.

[bkrich83]

Re: Best runningback of all time

i agree that walter payton was the most complete football player we've ever seen (though that distinction is very much slanted in the running back's favor since they, literally, do more than everyone else).

i still think jim brown was a better running back, if that makes sense.

I don't really disagree. But I never really saw Brown play so for me I have a hard time putting them in to these conversations.

[bkrich83]

Re: Best runningback of all time

I would say that Bo Jackson was a better pure runner but Eric Dickerson was amazing also.

Bo never had to endure a full 16 game season, and his body of work was too short. I will say his highlight film is as good as anyone's on the pure wow factor.

[untrugby]

Re: Best runningback of all time

I didnt read all 50+ pages of this thread so not sure how many time sayers got mention but i voted "other" for him.

The top 5 IMO are

Sayers
Payton
Sanders
Smith
Brown

Smith and Brown had too good of a line to really be considered the best. Sayers was so electric when he had the ball. even with a very short career he was still able to make the hall of fame. if Sanders or Payton had only played 68 games i dont think they would have made it.

[RunNShoot GURU]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Since were listing Top 5's

1. Thurman Thomas
2. Barry Sanders
3. Marshall Faulk
4. Eric Dickerson
5. Walter Peyton

[The15thunter]

Re: Best runningback of all time

I didnt read all 50+ pages of this thread so not sure how many time sayers got mention but i voted "other" for him.

The top 5 IMO are

Sayers
Payton
Sanders
Smith
Brown

Smith and Brown had too good of a line to really be considered the best. Sayers was so electric when he had the ball. even with a very short career he was still able to make the hall of fame. if Sanders or Payton had only played 68 games i dont think they would have made it.

sayers was a tremendous individual talent, and certainly worthy of the hall of fame, but his body of work is small. longevity at the position is very important, and, however unfair it is/was, he didn't have it. that keeps him out of the discussion for me.

i think it's unfair to discount jim brown and emmitt smith because they played behind good offensive lines. it's a team sport, and there's something to be said about each one of them obliterating the league record books behind those lines. it's not like they were just performing well, they each destroyed the nfl record books and set the watermark for running back play.

[The15thunter]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Thurman Thomas was the first RB to be able to move to the slot and anywhere on the field and run routes better than receivers. He invented what Marshall Faulk did and now what Reggie Bush tries to do.

Bill Walsh is on record saying Thurman was the best of all time.

thurman thomas was not the first running back to be able to play a wide receiver role effectively. roger craig, bobby mitchell and lenny moore, to name a few, did it before him.

also, he was not great enough as an actual runner to really merit top five mention, let alone claiming to be the best running back of all-time. i don't even think he, himself, thinks that.

[untrugby]

Re: Best runningback of all time

sayers was a tremendous individual talent, and certainly worthy of the hall of fame, but his body of work is small. longevity at the position is very important, and, however unfair it is/was, he didn't have it. that keeps him out of the discussion for me.

i think it's unfair to discount jim brown and emmitt smith because they played behind good offensive lines. it's a team sport, and there's something to be said about each one of them obliterating the league record books behind those lines. it's not like they were just performing well, they each destroyed the nfl record books and set the watermark for running back play.

Look at jim browns last 3 seasons
291 att, 1863 yards, 12 TDs, 6.4 YPC
280 att, 1446 yards, 7 TDs, 5.2 YPC
289 att, 1544 yards, 17 TDs, 5.3 YPC

then look at the next 3 seasons when his backup got to run with that line
209 att, 1141 yards, 15 TDs, 5.5 YPC
235 att, 1205 yards, 11 TDs, 5.1 YPC
248 att, 1239 yards, 16 TDs, 5.0 YPC

as far as emmitt goes im a cowboy fan and emmitt was my favorite player growing up and i wore 22 through most of my playing days into high school. Id love to say hes the best RB ever but i just cant.

[The15thunter]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Look at jim browns last 3 seasons
291 att, 1863 yards, 12 TDs, 6.4 YPC
280 att, 1446 yards, 7 TDs, 5.2 YPC
289 att, 1544 yards, 17 TDs, 5.3 YPC

then look at the next 3 seasons when his backup got to run with that line
209 att, 1141 yards, 15 TDs, 5.5 YPC
235 att, 1205 yards, 11 TDs, 5.1 YPC
248 att, 1239 yards, 16 TDs, 5.0 YPC

as far as emmitt goes im a cowboy fan and emmitt was my favorite player growing up and i wore 22 through most of my playing days into high school. Id love to say hes the best RB ever but i just cant.

i understand that the lines were good, and players were able to play behind them and do well. that, again, doesn't take away what that person did.