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edjr

Your top 10 Running Backs of all time? NFL only (not counting what they did in college)

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Thanks to iam90's, I now know Barry Sanders wasn't great and in fact, sucked.

 

Just an average runner who could break a big one every now and then. Just a tiny bit better than Chris Johnson. Nice humble guy though for sure.

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but Jim Brown was that freak back then, there weren't 250 lb men as fast as him playing the game

 

I never omitted Brown from my list, he would be in the top 10 regardless

If you look back at the 50s and 60s all decade teams the linemen are all about 6'3 6'4 240-265. The LBers are 6'2 all about 225-245. And the DBs look comparable to today, slightly smaller. I go to the 80s all decade team and the defenders aren't much bigger. Reggie White is big. In fact the LBers look the same size maybe even smaller.

 

I don't know what the guys in the 60s ran the 40 in. Yeah Jim Brown was faster than most anyone back then because he was the best athlete. Not sure why that is a knock. At 6'4 and how fast Randy Moss was in his prime should not be fair either. Why does it count against Jim Brown but no one else? Jim Brown was a world class athlete.

 

Calvin Johnson ran 4.35 at 6'5 239lbs. That is absurd even in today's NFL.

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Only 3 backs have 15,000 yards and 99TDs:

 

Emmitt Smith

Walter Payton

Barry Sanders

 

So they gotta be included.

 

Dickerson, Peterson, OJ, Campbell, and Jim Brown were perhaps the best pure runners out of the backfield. Give them a crease and they could take it to the house. Never went down on first contact.

 

LT and Faulk were arguably the best all around backs ever.

 

Those would be my top 10.

 

 

 

And never bench Stephen Davis.

 

good list

 

top 5 total yards all-time

Emmitt

Payton

Faulk

LT

Sanders

 

top 5 total TD's all-time

Emmitt 175 *14 seasons

LT 162 *10 seasons (7 passing also)

Allen 145 *15 seasons

Faulk 136 *11 seasons

Brown 126 *8 seasons, and 14 game seasons

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If you look back at the 50s and 60s all decade teams the linemen are all about 6'3 6'4 240-265. The LBers are 6'2 all about 225-245. And the DBs look comparable to today, slightly smaller. I go to the 80s all decade team and the defenders aren't much bigger. Reggie White is big. In fact the LBers look the same size maybe even smaller.

 

I don't know what the guys in the 60s ran the 40 in. Yeah Jim Brown was faster than most anyone back then because he was the best athlete. Not sure why that is a knock. At 6'4 and how fast Randy Moss was in his prime should not be fair either. Why does it count against Jim Brown but no one else? Jim Brown was a world class athlete.

 

Calvin Johnson ran 4.35 at 6'5 239lbs. That is absurd even in today's NFL.

 

if you watched any highlight reels it just looked like Jim Brown was this guy, now I do say Jim Brown is no 5 all-time

 

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if you watched any highlight reels it just looked like Jim Brown was this guy, now I do say Jim Brown is no 5 all-time

 

 

:D

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:D

I had to skip around for awhile to even see that there was a football clip. It's just some clown babbling for what seems like an hour and a 5 second clip.

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Just an average runner who could break a big one every now and then. Just a tiny bit better than Chris Johnson. Nice humble guy though for sure.

Dude, this is weak. just focking drop it already. Christ.

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Perhaps there were only 7 players in the 50s of decent size. But just going by the best of each era it seems pretty comparable in terms of defender size. Yet Walter is towards the top of anyone's lista and Jim Brown is DQd for having played guys slightly smaller 20 years earlier. If you keep him on your list that is fine. But I just don't get Some people DQing a guy for being a big RB who was an athlete. Today we marvel when Fornette runs 4.5 at 240....we don't diminish his skills because he is a big fast RB.

 

To me, having rountine 245 lb DEs in the 70s and 80s....along with a growing passing game compared to the 50s and 60s....is more of a knock on Walter or that era.

 

I'm not saying Jim Brown would be all world in today's NFL. But why would Walter translate? Who knows, it is a different game with much more money and science behind it.

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I had to skip around for awhile to even see that there was a football clip. It's just some clown babbling for what seems like an hour and a 5 second clip.

 

me too! at 1st I thought it was the wrong video

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Dude, this is weak. just focking drop it already. Christ.

But he saw plenty of clips and tape...

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Barry Sanders and Thurman Thomas, same backfield in college :o

 

 

 

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Barry Sanders and Thurman Thomas, same backfield in college :o

Both sucked, never great - weren't champions.

 

LeGarrette Blount >>> Barry Sanders, Thurman Thomas

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Both sucked, never great - weren't champions.

 

LeGarrette Blount >>> Barry Sanders, Thurman Thomas

 

 

we had a guy one year in our fantasy league that really knew little about football.

 

drafted Thermal Thompson one year :D

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we had a guy one year in our fantasy league that really knew little about football.

 

drafted Thermal Thompson one year :D

 

How long before you cut him?

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How long before you cut him?

 

I started playing fantasy when most people had no clue what they were doing. was hard to find people to even play.,

 

was common to have 3/4 of the league show up to the draft with a fantasy magazine that was 3 months outdated.

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I started playing fantasy when most people had no clue what they were doing. was hard to find people to even play.,

 

was common to have 3/4 of the league show up to the draft with a fantasy magazine that was 3 months outdated.

 

Dude I was asking how long before you cut Thermal Thompson. :doublethumbsup:

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1. Walter Payton

2. Emmitt Smith

3. Jim Brown

4. Barry Sanders

5. OJ Simpson

6. Marshall Faulk

7. Eric Dickerson

8. Earl Cambell

9. LaDanian Tomlinson

10. Adrian Peterson

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I was a huge Bo Jackson fan, had his poster, shoes, all of it. Maybe the greatest athlete of all time.

 

But he played four years in the NFL. Never had a 1000 yard season.

 

I get the "what could have been" but, yeah.

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I was a huge Bo Jackson fan, had his poster, shoes, all of it. Maybe the greatest athlete of all time.

 

But he played four years in the NFL. Never had a 1000 yard season.

 

TECMO BOWL B!TCH :mad:

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I never saw Brown play but like Ruth, he was so dominant compared to his peers that I think he was the best all time but I left him off my list based on the edjr rule. All these other guys I saw. I really don't take teams records into account. No penalty for playing on a craptastic team. I also based a lot of this on my own eye test (not stats) on seeing them play and did not penalize some of the earlier guys like OJ and Campbell for having shorter careers as they were at a disadvantage with primitive knee surgeries in those days.

 

1 OJ

2 Payton

3 Dickerson

4 Peterson

5 Campbell

6 Sanders

7 Emmitt Smith

8 Faulk

9 Tomlinson

10 Dorsett

 

My top 6 guys were basically the whole offense for most of the teams they played on. The next 4 played with some talented qb's and wide receivers.

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Jim Brown ran against lineman and linebackers the same size as him.

 

it's the same as Babe Ruth. his stats came at a time when he had a huge advantage

Bad analysis again legendphobe.

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Perhaps there were only 7 players in the 50s of decent size. But just going by the best of each era it seems pretty comparable in terms of defender size. Yet Walter is towards the top of anyone's lista and Jim Brown is DQd for having played guys slightly smaller 20 years earlier. If you keep him on your list that is fine. But I just don't get Some people DQing a guy for being a big RB who was an athlete. Today we marvel when Fornette runs 4.5 at 240....we don't diminish his skills because he is a big fast RB.

 

To me, having rountine 245 lb DEs in the 70s and 80s....along with a growing passing game compared to the 50s and 60s....is more of a knock on Walter or that era.

 

I'm not saying Jim Brown would be all world in today's NFL. But why would Walter translate? Who knows, it is a different game with much more money and science behind it.

Exactly. 30 years from now, edjr will claim Usain Bolt's records don't count cuz his competition was so weak.

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Barry Sanders had a pro bowl offensive lineman blocking for him every year but his first and his last. During his prime, his line was better than most running backs.

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Tomlinson is tops on my list and it has nothing to do with my age, who i saw play or didn't see play. Its all about his all around game and the fact that he did what he did on a team without great receiving weapons (outside Gates) and not a great, dominating offensive line. In fact, at times, one of the worst lines in football.

 

the other 9 in no particular order

 

Jim Brown

Emmitt Smith

Marshall Faulk

Barry Sanders

Juice

Dickerson

Curtis Martin

Walter Payton

Adrian Peterson

 

 

honorable mention to Bo Jackson and Marcus Allen

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Tomlinson is tops on my list and it has nothing to do with my age, who i saw play or didn't see play. Its all about his all around game and the fact that he did what he did on a team without great receiving weapons (outside Gates) and not a great, dominating offensive line.

 

the other 9 in no particular order

 

Jim Brown

Emmitt Smith

Marshall Faulk

Barry Sanders

Juice

Dickerson

Curtis Martin

Walter Payton

Adrian Peterson

 

 

honorable mention to Bo Jackson and Marcus Allen

Sorry man, Curts Martin couldn't hold Earl Campbell's jock

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Sorry man, Curts Martin couldn't hold Earl Campbell's jock

 

you know what, although I find you insufferable in most cases, I did this off the top of my head and forgot about Earl Campbell completely. I would have him on the list. Not sure i'd knock of Martin for him but yes, you are correct.

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you know what, although I find you insufferable in most cases, I did this off the top of my head and forgot about Earl Campbell completely. I would have him on the list. Not sure i'd knock of Martin for him but yes, you are correct.

Insufferable? I'm a sweetheart.

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I was a huge Bo Jackson fan, had his poster, shoes, all of it. Maybe the greatest athlete of all time.

 

But he played four years in the NFL. Never had a 1000 yard season.

 

I get the "what could have been" but, yeah.

 

I get what you're saying, but I'm going by what I saw on the field (well, except for Brown)

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I was a huge Bo Jackson fan, had his poster, shoes, all of it. Maybe the greatest athlete of all time.

But he played four years in the NFL. Never had a 1000 yard season.

I get the "what could have been" but, yeah.

Exactly this, I'm sorry but actually doing it, counts a lot. Coulda, shoulda, doesn't.

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Exactly this, I'm sorry but actually doing it, counts a lot. Coulda, shoulda, doesn't.

 

if Bo is there

 

Gayle Sayers has to be up there as well led league twice in rushing

 

short career, all pro 4 times in 5 full seasons, best kick returner possibly ever, also was never a bell cow

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if Bo is there

 

Gayle Sayers has to be up there as well led league twice in rushing

 

short career, all pro 4 times in 5 full seasons, best kick returner possibly ever, also was never a bell cow

Sayers just missed my list. But him, T. Davis and Bo don't make it for me. Longevity, or better put availability, is a key cog too. I don't care how good you are if you can't play, so what.

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Sayers just missed my list. But him, T. Davis and Bo don't make it for me. Longevity, or better put availability, is a key cog too. I don't care how good you are if you can't play, so what.

 

Arian Foster and Leveon Bell are two more guys on that list

 

Foster was the best back in football for a good 4 years, Leveon is the ALLTIME leader in yards per game

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Sayers just missed my list. But him, T. Davis and Bo don't make it for me. Longevity, or better put availability, is a key cog too. I don't care how good you are if you can't play, so what.

 

Agreed completely which is why C-Mart makes my list. Sure, it helps that he was a Jet :lol: but the guy was the definition of workhorse.

 

 

Arian Foster and Leveon Bell are two more guys on that list

 

Foster was the best back in football for a good 4 years, Leveon is the ALLTIME leader in yards per game

 

No way on Foster and too early to tell with Bell. I hope he makes it and believe he could be the second most dynamic behind Tomlinson if he has the same career arc.

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Agreed completely which is why C-Mart makes my list. Sure, it helps that he was a Jet :lol: but the guy was the definition of workhorse.

 

 

No way on Foster and too early to tell with Bell. I hope he makes it and believe he could be the second most dynamic behind Tomlinson if he has the same career arc.

 

I was just saying in comparison to Bo, Foster dominated much more as the best back in football, that was never Bo

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I was just saying in comparison to Bo, Foster dominated much more as the best back in football, that was never Bo

 

ah, gotcha

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Barry Sanders had a pro bowl offensive lineman blocking for him every year but his first and his last. During his prime, his line was better than most running backs.

Lomas Brown was basically that guy who made it each year as a reserve = Detroit had a good offensive line.

 

Alright, I suppose.

 

 

And I don't see a pro bowler for 97 or 98. So you may be wrong anyway.

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I was a huge Bo Jackson fan, had his poster, shoes, all of it. Maybe the greatest athlete of all time.

 

Then edjrstoopidhead should have better defined the topic, cause no doubt in my mind that Bo was the best RB of all time.

 

Are we talking stats?

Longevity?

What?

 

I also agree with you as mebbe the greatest athlete of all time. The argument CAN be made for him :thumbsup:

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Barry Sanders had a pro bowl offensive lineman blocking for him every year but his first and his last. During his prime, his line was better than most running backs.

By that logic we should be calling the Browns' offensive line over the last several years above average because, hey, they have Joe Thomas! You would have to be drunk or just plain not watched the Lions on a routine basis to think the blocking was special.

 

Sanders played behind an average at best line with elite QBs like Scott Mitchell and Rodney Peete, routinely leaving him to run against a stacked box. His average yards before contact was several yards lower than Emmitt Smith yet he averaged 1500+ yards per season.

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