Greatest NFL RBs

[llort]

Jackson and Johnson have also played on teams that have had terrible passing games. Rice pretty much the same. Coincidence????

AP is pound for pound the most talented back in the NFL today, and IMO one of the most talented i've ever seen. Yes, statistically this year hasn't been as good for him as some of the others in the league, and yes he fumbles too much...but Jim Brown, OJ, Sanders....they didn't lead the league in rushing every year either. Jamal Lewis was the leagues best back one year....anyone ever talk about him with the greatest backs ever?? No.

Jackson & Johnson have run the ball an astounding 20 times more than AP so far this season while Rice has run it 71 times...less. The fact is that AP leads all RBs in fumbles this year, as he did last year and he's shown nothing to make us think that the trend will change anytime soon (maybe he should meet up with Tiki Barber this offseason to see how he turned around his fumble problems). Again, I'm not arguing that AP isn't a great back & that he may just be the most talented of the current RBs. But that doesn't mean he's the most efficient and productive back in the NFL. If you go by more advanced metrics, his value per play over a league average back currently ranks 23rd while ranking 14th in total value (he ranked 22nd & 17th respectively last year). I suppose I'm just saying we should wait for longer than this guy's 3rd season before bringing him into this convo about all time great backs. But maybe that's just me



And for OregonDuck, how could you mention Olandis Gary but leave out the vaunted Mike Anderson?

[boomboom]

Barry Sanders and Marshall Faulk are the best I have ever seen. Faulk should be first ballot HOFer. If Sanders had an Offensive line he would have set records nobody would ever beable to touch. When he rushed he looked like he would dance up the field. I never saw a better runner in terms of finesse than Sanders. It was a treat to watch him. Sanders could break ankles..

[boomboom]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUVFZYYzHPU

[Arctic Blast]

No, it doesn't. Brown doesn't have his numbers if he played on those horrible Lions teams that Sanders was a part of. On the other hand, Sanders could very well have been even better had he played on those superior Browns teams (you know, the ones with multiple HOF o-linemen & a HOF coach). Everyone in the stadium knew that all you had to do against the Lions was put both your corners on Herman Moore, a safety on their other scrub WR & then keep 8 in the box to stop Sanders, but the thing is nobody could ever actually stop him. Clearly, I'm not taking anything away from Brown (or Payton or OJ or Dickerson or Campbell, etc), but to say it 'goes without saying' just isn't true.

Well, it DOES go without saying that your planned defense against Detroit would have gotten your team killed...considering they played a run & shoot for a good number of those years, you might want to account for the other two wide receivers on the field. And yes, Sanders was great, but he WAS helped by the fact that the defense was spread out to account for 4 wides on every single snap. That tends to open holes. And that tends to help a ridiculously quick cutback runner.

As for Brown, he DOMINATED the league. Despite only playing 9 years, he retired as the #1 of all time in every single statistical category for a running back, and he was often miles ahead of whoever was #2. Nobody ever even slowed down Brown, much less stopped him.

And that's what puts Brown #1. He was clearly the best running back of his era. Sanders is on the shortlist, but he ISN'T the slam dunk #1 back of his.

[yomamaimontv]

Remember that Jim Brown played when their were, I think only 12 games in a season. I think he is head shoulders above the rest. The best I ever saw though is Barry Sanders, then Payton. For some reason Herschel Walker also is stuck in my head, but he's not top 10 worthy.

[ragecage]

Barry Sanders and Marshall Faulk are the best I have ever seen. Faulk should be first ballot HOFer. If Sanders had Emmitt Smith's Offensive line he would have set records nobody would ever beable to touch. When he rushed he looked like he would dance up the field. I never saw a better runner in terms of finesse than Sanders. It was a treat to watch him. Sanders could break ankles..

Fixed, I agree with ya though.

[SirKodiak]

Ottis Anderson is another one I forgot from the original names. Pete Johnson was another one I loved to watch play. I still remember him catching a screen in the open field and heading right at Jack Lambert (who was about 20 yds deep). Wow, that was a collision.

This thread came to mind when a friend of mine asked the question. I personally have a tough time choosing between Brown, Sanders, and Payton.

[ragecage]

Ottis Anderson is another one I forgot from the original names. Pete Johnson was another one I loved to watch play. I still remember him catching a screen in the open field and heading right at Jack Lambert (who was about 20 yds deep). Wow, that was a collision.

This thread came to mind when a friend of mine asked the question. I personally have a tough time choosing between Brown

Its not easy to choose, but I still havent seen a player like Barry since he retired, and I never really seen much Brown highlights to make me in awe of him like Barry.

[dickay]

Jackson & Johnson have run the ball an astounding 20 times more than AP so far this season while Rice has run it 71 times...less. The fact is that AP leads all RBs in fumbles this year, as he did last year and he's shown nothing to make us think that the trend will change anytime soon (maybe he should meet up with Tiki Barber this offseason to see how he turned around his fumble problems). Again, I'm not arguing that AP isn't a great back & that he may just be the most talented of the current RBs. But that doesn't mean he's the most efficient and productive back in the NFL. If you go by more advanced metrics, his value per play over a league average back currently ranks 23rd while ranking 14th in total value (he ranked 22nd & 17th respectively last year). I suppose I'm just saying we should wait for longer than this guy's 3rd season before bringing him into this convo about all time great backs. But maybe that's just me

And for OregonDuck, how could you mention Olandis Gary but leave out the vaunted Mike Anderson?

I was never referring to the most efficient and productive backs this year. I said AP is one of the best RB's i've ever seen, and I beleive the leagues most talented back at the present time.

If the greatest back is merely about having the most yards or yards per carry...then we can end this discussion real quickly. Its funny that some (myself included) mention Bo Jackson in the discussion and he never had a 1000 yard season!!! I don't see a problem including AP in the discussion of greatest backs i've ever seen, because thats about talent IMO rather than total yards or yard per carry.

[gRYFYN1]

I was never referring to the most efficient and productive backs this year. I said AP is one of the best RB's i've ever seen, and I beleive the leagues most talented back at the present time.

If the greatest back is merely about having the most yards or yards per carry...then we can end this discussion real quickly. Its funny that some (myself included) mention Bo Jackson in the discussion and he never had a 1000 yard season!!! I don't see a problem including AP in the discussion of greatest backs i've ever seen, because thats about talent IMO rather than total yards or yard per carry.

I agree, when I think of "greatest back" I think of it as a combonation of talent and performance.

Which was why i couldn't rank Jackon, those who watched him play could see that he well could have been one of the best backs ever if not for a career cut short by baseball and injury;

[dickay]

I agree, when I think of "greatest back" I think of it as a combonation of talent and performance.

Which was why i couldn't rank Jackon, those who watched him play could see that he well could have been one of the best backs ever if not for a career cut short by baseball and injury;

very fair pt.