Best Running Back duo/tandem ever in the NFL

[t.j 35]

Did Bo ever have a 1000 yard season? Or excel in any catagory?

 

Bo's most productive season in the NFL was 1989. 11 games, 950 yards rushing, 5.5 ypc, 4 TDs. 9 catches for 69 yards and 1 fumble that year.

 

As a combo, Bo and Marcus had their most productive season in 1990. 304 carries, 1380 yards, 4.5 ypc, 17 TDs. Probably could have put up much better numbers, but QB Jay Schroeder only completed 54.5% of his passes that year, limiting their chances. Worse, they also split carries with FB Steve Smith (81 carries) and HB Greg Bell (47 carries). Not sure why they split so many carries with those guys, I wonder if Marcus got hurt while Bo was still playing baseball, or maybe it was just because Marcus was in Al Davis' doghouse. The Raiders went 12-4, Bo got hurt in the divisional round win against Cincy, and in the AFC Championship at Buffalo Allen was held to 26 yards on 10 carries as Schroeder threw 5 picks.

[Raider 84 29]

Bo/Marcus

[edjr 6,580]

QB Jay Schroeder

 

 

sorry, that's funny to read.

[Boston 0]

Didn't Morris/Czonka go undefeated and win back to back SB, they're still my pick.

 

 

In all honesty the Miami backfield qualifies more as best ground game than it does best RB tandem. There's was a unit that just kept coming at you. Csonka was a bone crusher, Morris had the speed and jukes and Kiick was kind of a jack of all trades. Individually I wouldn't put them with Taylor/Hornung but as a unit they were as productive as you could hope for.

[DrJ 0]

Walter Payton/Neal Anderson

[Phurfur 70]

Bo's most productive season in the NFL was 1989. 11 games, 950 yards rushing, 5.5 ypc, 4 TDs. 9 catches for 69 yards and 1 fumble that year.

 

As a combo, Bo and Marcus had their most productive season in 1990. 304 carries, 1380 yards, 4.5 ypc, 17 TDs. Probably could have put up much better numbers, but QB Jay Schroeder only completed 54.5% of his passes that year, limiting their chances. Worse, they also split carries with FB Steve Smith (81 carries) and HB Greg Bell (47 carries). Not sure why they split so many carries with those guys, I wonder if Marcus got hurt while Bo was still playing baseball, or maybe it was just because Marcus was in Al Davis' doghouse. The Raiders went 12-4, Bo got hurt in the divisional round win against Cincy, and in the AFC Championship at Buffalo Allen was held to 26 yards on 10 carries as Schroeder threw 5 picks.

 

Good Information!

[BMoney 0]

d1ck/box

 

 

jamal lewis/priest holmes

[RaiderHaters Revenge 4,348]

noone has mentioned

 

LT and Lorenzo Neal

 

one of the top 5 RB's and one of the top 5 FB's of all time.

 

They are both RB's by definition so therefore they qualify and win

[edjr 6,580]

Bo's most productive season in the NFL was 1989. 11 games, 950 yards rushing, 5.5 ypc, 4 TDs. 9 catches for 69 yards and 1 fumble that year.

 

As a combo, Bo and Marcus had their most productive season in 1990. 304 carries, 1380 yards, 4.5 ypc, 17 TDs. Probably could have put up much better numbers, but QB Jay Schroeder only completed 54.5% of his passes that year, limiting their chances. Worse, they also split carries with FB Steve Smith (81 carries) and HB Greg Bell (47 carries). Not sure why they split so many carries with those guys, I wonder if Marcus got hurt while Bo was still playing baseball, or maybe it was just because Marcus was in Al Davis' doghouse. The Raiders went 12-4, Bo got hurt in the divisional round win against Cincy, and in the AFC Championship at Buffalo Allen was held to 26 yards on 10 carries as Schroeder threw 5 picks.

 

 

INSIDE INFORMATION *3 points*

[kristv 0]

Taylor and Hornung.

 

No contest.

[edjr 6,580]

Walter Payton/Neal Anderson

 

 

Payton was at the end and Anderson was at the beginning.

[IndyFan 2]

Gayle Sayers and Brian Piccolo

[VaTerp 0]

Not the best ever but a very good/exciting tandem that I remember watching was James Brooks and Ickey Woods for a year or 2 in Cincy.

[Snoopy1 0]

me too, but I wanted to see what some of the homers had to say about their own players.

 

 

Well if you want homerism, I'll go old school Paul Horning & Jim Taylor, Green Bay Packers. 3 NFL Championships(don't think either was with the team for the first 2 SB's).

 

After reading the thread, seems I was a bit slow coming up with this answer.

 

It's easy to say there were more productive combos then Allen/Jackson, I agreed with Jr on a pure talent basis. Heck if were choosing productive combos, I'd say LT and anyone.

[big D 0]

Padre/LJ

[DankNuggs 305]

Thurman Thomas / Ken Davis was a pretty good one, not best ever, but functioned real well together.

[football_scooter 0]

Padre/LJ

 

welcome to 12 posts ago.

 

 

 

also, I concur they belong on any such list, but probably not at the top seeing as how Padre got hurt. But on a talent basis alone when healthy it's pretty hard to top these two - the most prolific TD machine I've seen in Priest and a bulldozer in LJ. Man was that a potent backfield.

[OrangeSoda 2]

Why ask me? I was referring to the OSU backfield, dummy. My NFL contribution was Mercury Morris & Larry Csonka.

Thurman Thomas & Barry Sanders - best EVAH at any level!!!!! And it's not even close.

 

I Dunno about that.... The U at one time

 

Had Edge, Portis, McGahee, Payton(son of sweetness)

 

Thats pretty impressive!

[football_scooter 0]

I Dunno about that.... The U at one time

 

Had Edge, Portis, McGahee, Payton(son of sweetness)

 

Thats pretty impressive!

 

Thomas/Sanders >>>>> Edge/portis/McGahee

[big D 0]

welcome to 12 posts ago.

 

uh...whoops. I was just... just uh.. seconding that motion.

 

And here i thought i was onto something!

[football_scooter 0]

uh...whoops. I was just... just uh.. seconding that motion.

 

And here i thought i was onto something!

 

that's ok...validoration!

[donhaas 18]

Eddie Lee Ivery and Gary Ellis

 

 

Thread over.

 

Sorry about that

[edjr 6,580]

Thomas/Sanders >>>>> Edge/portis/McGahee

 

 

If this were a college topic, there would be a great debate.

 

Thomas/Sanders is excellent.

 

Dickerson/James is another good one.

 

Bo Jackson/Herschel Walker?

[Schauermann 1]

I Dunno about that.... The U at one time

 

Had Edge, Portis, McGahee, Payton(son of sweetness)

 

Thats pretty impressive!

 

 

Edge was long gone at Miami before McGahee showed up. He left in 1998. I don't think Edge even played with Portis. He is older than all of those guys. The Miami backfield which is impressive is the one from the 2001-2002 team that had five future NFL running backs:

 

Portis

McGahee

Frank Gore

Najeh Davenport

Jarrett Payton

[Reality 3,121]

I don't care about numbers.. If u saw Bo play u know what's up..

 

Bo/Marcus

 

The end.

[Walter34 3]

Bo's most productive season in the NFL was 1989. 11 games, 950 yards rushing, 5.5 ypc, 4 TDs. 9 catches for 69 yards and 1 fumble that year.

 

As a combo, Bo and Marcus ... Probably could have put up much better numbers

 

This pretty much eliminates the Bo / marcus combo.

 

Coulda / woulda / shoulda just doesnt cut it.

[Walter34 3]

Outside of the "duo" is some pretty impressive committees:

 

78 Pats - all time team rushing record with 3165 yards. 4 or 5 guys contributing with no 1000 yd rushers

 

78 Chiefs - 2986 yards is 3rd all time. They had a great yds / carry average and somehow only went 4-12 due to god awful qb play. A statistical anomoly where a team dedicated to rushing lost so much.

 

Overall, the winners should be between the following:

 

Taylor / Hornung

 

Czonka / Morris

 

Harris / Bleier

 

Nagurski / Grange

[jaxjag 43]

Thurman Thomas & Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State - I know, not NFL

 

Larry Csonka & Eugene "Mercury" Morris is probably the best tandem the NFL has seen, IMO.

 

Weren't Csonka and Morris also complemented by Jim Kiick? They get my vote.

[jacarter 0]

Rathman/ Craig

[bigtuna 0]

Bo Jackson is the most overrated RB in the history of FFtoday.

 

 

The best combonation at RB ever is a tough one here are some nominations:

-Jim Kiick and Larry Czonka (or for a short time Czonka and Morris)

-Rocky Bleier and Franco Harris

-Thurman Thomas and Ken Davis (very underrated)

-Paul Hornung and Jim taylor

-Sam Cunningham and Andy Johnson, Don Calhoun (the '76 Patriots average 220 yards a game on the ground which is an NFL record.

 

BUT IMO the greatest tandem (the perfect tandem) in NFL History was John Riggins and Joe Washington. Riggins was the premier power back of his generation, and Joe Washington was the best little back i ever saw. He was too good for his generation. Coaches of that era did not how to prpoerly utilize a guy with his quickness and recieving ability. If i could have one pair and not pick Payton, or Jim Brown or someone like that i would take these two.

[t.j 35]

Bo Jackson/Herschel Walker?

 

Um, dude, Bo went to Auburn, Walker went to Georgia.

 

This pretty much eliminates the Bo / marcus combo.

 

Coulda / woulda / shoulda just doesnt cut it.

 

It really depends on whether you choose completely, mostly, or not so much on production. Of course, production has a lot to do with opportunity, supporting cast, and play-calling. A lot of combos had significant advantages over Bo and Marcus in these areas. If your basis for choosing is completely based on production, then yeah Bo and Marcus are out. If not so much, they definitely deserve to be in the discussion.

[Walter34 3]

Um, dude, Bo went to Auburn, Walker went to Georgia.

It really depends on whether you choose completely, mostly, or not so much on production. Of course, production has a lot to do with opportunity, supporting cast, and play-calling. A lot of combos had significant advantages over Bo and Marcus in these areas. If your basis for choosing is completely based on production, then yeah Bo and Marcus are out. If not so much, they definitely deserve to be in the discussion.

 

Bo chose not to excel at football. It was his hobby. Great talent and potential that was never realized. He played only 4 years between 87-90, never rushed for over 1000 or over 5 TDs. Marcus was a great HOF player, but was not a great back those years. he averaged just over 800 yds those 4 years.

 

As a combo, I just dont see how they can be ranked that high. The Bo hype on this board has been completely overblown based largely on his big Monday night game 20 years ago. One of the greatest "athletes" of all time, but he just didnt commit enough to football to be considered great. He could have been, but chose not to.

[t.j 35]

Bo chose not to excel at football. It was his hobby. Great talent and potential that was never realized. He played only 4 years between 87-90, never rushed for over 1000 or over 5 TDs. Marcus was a great HOF player, but was not a great back those years. he averaged just over 800 yds those 4 years.

 

As a combo, I just dont see how they can be ranked that high. The Bo hype on this board has been completely overblown based largely on his big Monday night game 20 years ago. One of the greatest "athletes" of all time, but he just didnt commit enough to football to be considered great. He could have been, but chose not to.

 

Don't kid yourself, Bo excelled at football. He chose not to play much, that's different.

You make it sound like Bo is an FFT legend like David PatteRn. Bo was impressive to watch, period, not just against the Seahawks. Tampa knew how good he was, they picked him #1 overall even though they knew he was a high risk to play baseball instead, think about that.

As for Allen, obviouly his limited production in the Bo years was because of Bo and because of his fued with Al. I think he was still at the top of his game. He played very well in later years with the Chiefs.

[Ol'BillyBaroo 0]

Jim Brown and Bobby Mitchell - Cleveland 60's

Jim Otis and Terry Metcalf - St. Louis 70's

James Brooks and Ickey Woods - Cincinatti 80's

ricky Watters and Shaun Alexander - Seattle 90's

Warrick Dunn and Mike Vick - Atlanta 00's

[BMoney 0]

Eddie Lee Ivery and Gary Ellis

Thread over.

 

Sorry about that

 

 

no love for barty smith, eric torkelson or paul ott carruth?

[VaTerp 0]

BUT IMO the greatest tandem (the perfect tandem) in NFL History was John Riggins and Joe Washington. Riggins was the premier power back of his generation, and Joe Washington was the best little back i ever saw. He was too good for his generation. Coaches of that era did not how to prpoerly utilize a guy with his quickness and recieving ability. If i could have one pair and not pick Payton, or Jim Brown or someone like that i would take these two.

 

Riggins and Joe Washington was going to be my homer pick but admittedly I dont remember too much of actually seeing Washington play other than highlights so I cant really speak to how good he was. But if someone thinks that highly of Washington then that legitimizes this duo in the conversation for me.

 

[edjr 6,580]

Um, dude, Bo went to Auburn, Walker went to Georgia.

 

 

Fùcking ay, you're right.

 

I'm batting .500, that's pretty good for me.

 

you know what "edjr" means in Japanese?

 

man who talk from ass