Best runningback of all time

[Reaman]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Barry Sanders

[bkrich83]

Re: Best runningback of all time

______________________________

Just as comparison-Dallas, Emmits years. Lets say 1990(rookie)-2000. 10 year span like Sanders


Emmitt Smith 1990-1995 1998, 1999
Larry Allen lineman 1995-2005(but will just go to 2000)
Darren Woodson 94-98
Deion Sanders 1996-1999
Nate Newton lineman 1992-1998
Erik Williams lineman 1993, 1996, 97,99
J Novacek 1991-95
Irvin 1991-95
Aikman 1991-96
C Haley 94-95
Mark Stepnoski lineman 92-94
D Coakley 1991, 93
Leon Lett 94,98

only 4 lineman, but 2 are hall of famers, and they were with him his best years. Not to mention a all pro fullback. 8 offensive pro bowlers, and 6-8 hall of famers.

I dont see how one can flat out say Emitts better because of superbowls, just look at the HOF's alone. Its a team game to win.

What kind of logic is it that because Emmitt played on a better team, Sanders is automatically the better player? I saw Sanders, I saw Emmitt, honestly I am not sure who I would choose between the two.

If we're going on who played on the worst teams, then it's Walter Payton and then everyone else.

[wheelman990]

Re: Best runningback of all time

What kind of logic is it that because Emmitt played on a better team, Sanders is automatically the better player? I saw Sanders, I saw Emmitt, honestly I am not sure who I would choose between the two.

If we're going on who played on the worst teams, then it's Walter Payton and then everyone else.

Im not saying Barrys better, thats just my opinion, not a fact. My posts are a reply to someone stating the Lions had plenty talent, and E Smith would have done just as good on the Lions. Im just trying to post some stat facts to shed light into the subject. Heres a article on the best O-lines of ALL TIME in the NFL

Dallas Cowboys-Mark Stepnoski, Nate Newton, Mark Tuinei, Erik Williams, Larry Allen?1992-96?As a unit they combined for 30 Pro Bowls, three Super Bowl wins, and they paved the road for arguably one of the best running back in league history. Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, and Michael Irvin are all HOF players, with Smith still to receive the inevitable bronze bust, and the flash behind the Cowboys? Super Bowl tear. But their success was predicated on an offensive line that destroyed opposing defenses. Larry Allen may eventually wind up in the Hall and Williams was the best right tackle of his era. Newton was the affable funny man, Tuinei the scholar, and Stepnoski the rock. Together they were the best such unit of their, or perhaps any, era.

Ya Payton didnt have a great team either. I really like Walter. Hes my personal 2nd pick

Lions had a playoff birth in 1991, 93, 94, 95, 97
NONE after 99'

[deaduck]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Emmit is no doubt a legendary back...but sometime his O line gave him holes my slow fat butt could have gotten 10 yards on.

[TheWatcher]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Walter Payton broke Jim Brown's career rushing record, right?

Ernie Davis?

Tony Dorsett?

Edit: Nope it was Payton.

All great guesses guys. But I admit, this was somewhat of a trick question since we rarely think internationally when it comes to sports.

The first back to surpass Jim Brown's pro football rushing record was one of the greatest players in the history of Pro football. His name was...









... George Reed. He played 13 seasons for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL. Sports Illustrated actually began running coverage of Reed race for the record in '73. It was made such a big deal of because back then the CFL's talent level was VERY high, and it was common for American players who could've been NFL starters to go to the CFL because they were paying higher salaries, and it also seemed impossible at the time for a back to gain that kind of yardage playing 3-down football.

Here is an SI article about Reed's race to break Jim Brown's record:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1087666/index.htm

Reed finished with 16,116 yards rushing and 134 rushing TD's. Coincidentally, he retired the same year that Walter Payton began his career (1975).

[Kanobi]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Barry

[Playmakers]

Re: Best runningback of all time

All great guesses guys. But I admit, this was somewhat of a trick question since we rarely think internationally when it comes to sports.

The first back to surpass Jim Brown's pro football rushing record was one of the greatest players in the history of Pro football. His name was...









... George Reed. He played 13 seasons for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL. Sports Illustrated actually began running coverage of Reed race for the record in '73. It was made such a big deal of because back then the CFL's talent level was VERY high, and it was common for American players who could've been NFL starters to go to the CFL because they were paying higher salaries, and it also seemed impossible at the time for a back to gain that kind of yardage playing 3-down football.

Here is an SI article about Reed's race to break Jim Brown's record:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1087666/index.htm

Reed finished with 16,116 yards rushing and 134 rushing TD's. Coincidentally, he retired the same year that Walter Payton began his career (1975).

I never knew of this guy until now.....

I just read about him at Washington St.....thanks for posting this information it'll be helpful to me

[Playmakers]

Re: Best runningback of all time

I'd take LT and Faulk over Simpson. Both were more complete backs imo, who were better players for longer periods of time.

tough call but i think OJ who may not have been more versatile than Faulk was a better RB overall .

I also don't think guys like Sayers and OJ had the medical treatment the RB's of today have in order to pro long their career's

[ForUntoOblivionSoar∞]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Barry Sanders. No running back did more against a better level of competition with the least amount talent around him.

I agree with this. He had very little help. Anytime their passing game worked it was mainly because people had to worry about Sanders scorching them. They never had a great QB.

Statistically, had he kept playing for a few more years like he was more than capable, he would have blown away the rushing record and Emmitt Smith never would have had a chance at it.

[TheBrothers24]

Re: Best runningback of all time

tough call but i think OJ who may not have been more versatile than Faulk was a better RB overall .

I also don't think guys like Sayers and OJ had the medical treatment the RB's of today have in order to proplong their career's

Truth and let's not forget that RB's these past few decades have had 16 game seasons instead of 14 game seasons. You can say its only two games but when comparing what some of these 2000 yard seasons now that some backs have had to what OJ did in 14 games is ridiculous.

http://www.sporthaven.com/players/jim-brown/

Go there and check out the stats at the bottom and look at what Jim Brown did in 14 game seasons.

[da ThRONe]

Re: Best runningback of all time

tough call but i think OJ who may not have been more versatile than Faulk was a better RB overall .

I also don't think guys like Sayers and OJ had the medical treatment the RB's of today have in order to pro long their career's

At the same time you didnt have guys as big, strong ,and fast as they been the last 15 years either.

[bkrich83]

Re: Best runningback of all time

I agree with this. He had very little help. Anytime their passing game worked it was mainly because people had to worry about Sanders scorching them. They never had a great QB.
.

They never had a great QB, but they didn't need one. People forget Barry got help from that offense as well. 4 WR's spreading the field. Lots of open space. Never had to face 8 and 9 man fronts. Nearly impossible to run blitz against the offense.

Lots of very mediocre RB's put up great numbers in that offense. A great RB like Barry obviosuly put up confounding numbers. But to act like the offense he played in or the talent aroound him was so detrimental is simply not true. Barry had some talent around him and was in an offense that really fit his skills in particular.

[bkrich83]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Truth and let's not forget that RB's these past few decades have had 16 game seasons instead of 14 game seasons. You can say its only two games but when comparing what some of these 2000 yard seasons now that some backs have had to what OJ did in 14 games is ridiculous.

http://www.sporthaven.com/players/jim-brown/

Go there and check out the stats at the bottom and look at what Jim Brown did in 14 game seasons.

He was a man among boys, but you really can't compare stats from different eras. The game is simply different now.

Jim Brown was a great back, but I never actually saw him play so it's tough for me to judge given just the limited film available on him.

Eric Dickerson was the best pure runner I ever saw. Bar none.. His size, speed combo has not been matched since he played. For about a 4 year span, I'd put him against anyone.

Walter Payton was the best all-around back I ever saw. Blocked like a fullback, played the passing game like a WR, and was effective throwing the ball as well. He could run with tremendous power, was the best run finisher I have ever seen, but could also make people miss and make the big play.

For my money given all the guys I have seen myself those two stand above the rest.

LT, Thurman Thomas and Marshall Faulk were all super versatile and my personal favorites to watch as well. Barry was well Barry...

[TheBrothers24]

Re: Best runningback of all time

All true and very good points so i will not argue that. I just want to bring up the fact that Defense now is completely different from defense back then. I was born in 87 so i missed a lot of the great backs before Barry, Emitt and Faulk but i do know that back in Jim Brown's era defense was allowed to do a lot more then they are now. Couple that with the fact that Jim Brown never missed a game at running back. That is crazy.

Since Offenses started opening up the playbook and chucking the ball everywhere down field defenses have had to adjust and not stack the box like they did against Brown. Not trying to sway anybody opinion because we are all different but if anything we should break down RB's by era since they faced different rules and defense.

[wheelman990]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Some fun facts, and some small reasons why I chose Barry over Emmitt:

Several sports writers and debaters often forget to mention Barry Sanders' receiving ability. Sanders averaged 8.3 yards per reception in comparison to a 6.3 yard per reception average of Emmitt Smith. In 5 more professional football seasons than Sanders, Smith tallied only one more touchdown through the air and only 303 more receiving yards on 163 more receptions. Basically, To beat Emmitts career receiving stats in yards,receptions,and td's, all Barry needed was 1 TD, 33 receptions per year, and about 62 yards per year over the 5 years Smith played longer then him. I'd say Sanders would have done this all this in 3 years or less, no way it would take 5.

When the career of Barry Sanders was abruptly and unexpectedly ended, he cemented his career numbers averaging 5.0 yards per carry, 0.8 yards more than Emmitt Smith. 0.8 yards may not appear to be an eye-opening difference although it is more than 19% of the yardage Smith averaged per carry - 19% difference in yards per carry favoring Barry Sanders versus the 0.5% difference in the number of carries it takes to score a rushing touchdown favoring Emmitt Smith

Look at the number of carries Smith had to take to even compare with sanders in yardage, and TD's. Its pretty crazy really. As explained above 19% more carries per year.