Best runningback of all time

[bkrich83]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Wow, where did Terrell Davis come from? He was playing at a time where the Broncos had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL and could literally stick any running back in there and they dominated. Just off the top of my head...the Broncos had like 4 different RBs in 4 different seasons go over 1,000 yards. I believe if you put Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, or Emmitt Smith behind that line and John Elway at QB they would have rushed for over 2,500 yards.

I think you should measure any position by #1 their production, second their consistency, third their durability, fourth their ability to carry their team, fifth leadership, and sixth what they were able to do given their team.

Going by that I voted for Barry Sanders as top RB ever even though Walter Payton is my favorite RB. Sanders did more with less...he had an awful team around him so team would target him. In Paytons first 5 years or so with the Bears they were as bad as the Lions and teams only had to game plan for him. I think people forget that. The Bears really didn't start becoming good until the latter part of his career. As for Emmitt he came around right around the time Cowboys were up and coming. So teams had to worry about Troy Aikman and Michael Irving as well as figure out a way to overcome the Cowboys dominating offensive line.

The notion Davis was simply a product of the system is ridiculous. He was a perfect fit for that run scheme, but he was an outstanding back.

How many of those other Bronco RB's averaged 1,750 yards and 16 TD's when they replaced him or before he got there? (His numbers pre ACL blowout. )

It wasn't the Bronco system that allowed him to run through so many tackles or leave defenders in his wake in the open field.

[JerzeyReign]

Re: Best runningback of all time

I didn't vote. Barry is the best running back I've seen live but when I look at the old games and watch Dickerson, Brown, Jackson, OJ, Campbell, Payton, Sayers, and the never flashy Curtis Martin... man, you just can't put one over the other.

Barry is great but he's not the runaway -- too many legends IMO

[DukeC]

Re: Best runningback of all time

The notion Davis was simply a product of the system is ridiculous. He was a perfect fit for that run scheme, but he was an outstanding back.

How many of those other Bronco RB's averaged 1,750 yards and 16 TD's when they replaced him or before he got there? (His numbers pre ACL blowout. )

It wasn't the Bronco system that allowed him to run through so many tackles or leave defenders in his wake in the open field.

Yep. Of course him having the most rushing yards during his first 4 seasons besides Earl Cambell and Eric Dickerson were all because of his offensive line.

Yep, they sure had something to do with him having the most rushing touchdowns (56) than any other runningback during their first 4 seasons. EVER. Not to mention he's one of the few backs aside from Chris Johnson, Jamal Lewis, Barry Sanders, OJ Simpson, and Eric Dickerson to rush for 2000 yards in a season.

The only thing that kept Terrell Davis out of the Hall of Fame was gotdamn injuries.

[siouxredskins]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Eric Dickerson


there really is no greatest of all time.

Maybe greatest Statistical leader would be Emmitt Smith.

but all should just be rated in their era against their peers.

[bkrich83]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Eric Dickerson


there really is no greatest of all time.

Maybe greatest Statistical leader would be Emmitt Smith.

but all should just be rated in their era against their peers.

You know you can make an argument for Dickerson. I think he was the best pure runner I've seen. That size, with that speed and vision. DEADLY.

[SPTO]

Re: Best runningback of all time

You know you can make an argument for Dickerson. I think he was the best pure runner I've seen. That size, with that speed and vision. DEADLY.

Dickerson was one of those guys who seemed to get BETTER with the more work he got. In a lot of ways Eddie George was the same kind of RB and both those guys (along with Campbell) paid the price later in their careers.

I think one reason Dickerson's name isn't mentioned a lot in these kind of debates is because he was such a flake and kept wanting to renegotiate his contract etc etc. He was Ricky Watters before Ricky Watters in that respect.

[ZB9]

Re: Best runningback of all time

I look forward to seeing all of these Cowboys offensive linemen being inducted into the hall of fame, considering "it was the greatest line of all time"...players like Nate Newton, who was an undrafted FA journeyman until he joined Dallas and was able to block for Emmitt

Anyway, I dont know why it would be held against a player to have played on a good team or why we would rank players by something so arbitrary like their lack of supporting casts (especially in the ultimate team sport)...if that's the case, then there are plenty of backs who played on worse teams than Sanders. As far as being in good situations, that Lions scheme fit Sanders perfectly. Barry Sanders is lucky that he wasnt drafted by Green Bay.

[MachoMyers]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Barry Sanders' own father said he was never as good as Jim Brown. I vote Jim Brown, maybe the greatest player in NFL history.

[LowerWolf]

Re: Best runningback of all time

So many great ones.

Sanders was amazing. Emmitt tough as nails. Dickerson - in his prime - terrorized me. I'm too young to remember Brown or Sayers, but they're up there. Herschel was amazing in college, but didn't have the NFL career he should have had.

All that said, Sweetness still gets my vote.

But the best RB I ever saw was Bo. A shame that we never really got to see all that he could have done.

[PrettyT11]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Wow, where did Terrell Davis come from? He was playing at a time where the Broncos had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL and could literally stick any running back in there and they dominated. Just off the top of my head...the Broncos had like 4 different RBs in 4 different seasons go over 1,000 yards. I believe if you put Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, or Emmitt Smith behind that line and John Elway at QB they would have rushed for over 2,500 yards.

I think you should measure any position by #1 their production, second their consistency, third their durability, fourth their ability to carry their team, fifth leadership, and sixth what they were able to do given their team.

Going by that I voted for Barry Sanders as top RB ever even though Walter Payton is my favorite RB. Sanders did more with less...he had an awful team around him so team would target him. In Paytons first 5 years or so with the Bears they were as bad as the Lions and teams only had to game plan for him. I think people forget that. The Bears really didn't start becoming good until the latter part of his career. As for Emmitt he came around right around the time Cowboys were up and coming. So teams had to worry about Troy Aikman and Michael Irving as well as figure out a way to overcome the Cowboys dominating offensive line.

Come again?? Where exactly did this Emmitt joined an up and coming team come from?? You do realize that Emmitt joined a team that just won one game the year before and had a first year coach. The year before they won three games and got rid of a hall of fame coach. This was the same Cowboys team that was questioning if Aikman was even the right guy to go with. There was more question marks around that Cowboys team than any other team in the league. How exactly is that considered an up and coming team??

[jth1331]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Its a shame Terrell Davis doesn't get mentioned as much as he should for having a brilliant start to his career. Absolutely brilliant. Oh, but it was all the OL, etc.
Screw that, you don't post those numbers without having a lot of talent too.

Also, I almost vommitted when somone mentioned Curtis Martin. Curtis...freakin Martin.

[sydrogerdavid]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Some how last year, my roommate and I got into talking about RBs. I mentioned Barry Sanders and he had never heard about him. I was shocked, needless to say. Somebody who claims to be an avid football fan (he's from Buffalo, that's all they have) and he doesn't know who Barry Sanders is?

[JerzeyReign]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Also, I almost vommitted when somone mentioned Curtis Martin. Curtis...freakin Martin.

That was a 'troll' name -- I said that to see if anybody would challenge it. It gets people away from using stats to define greatness.

Then again if you look at his stats he would be considered one of the greats -- he has better stats than most of the guys we've named.

[bkrich83]

Re: Best runningback of all time

That was a 'troll' name -- I said that to see if anybody would challenge it. It gets people away from using stats to define greatness.

Then again if you look at his stats he would be considered one of the greats -- he has better stats than most of the guys we've named.

Curtis Martin quietly had one of the greatest careers a running back could have.

[The15thunter]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Curtis Martin quietly had one of the greatest careers a running back could have.

he had a great career, but he can't pass the eye test.