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[Maniaque 6]

For me, it's ..

1- B. Sanders
2- E. Dickerson
3- L. Tomlinson

I watch football since 1979.

[dmac_bolt]

For me, it's ..

1- B. Sanders
2- E. Dickerson
3- L. Tomlinson

I watch football since 1979.

Barry’s teams were so woeful. I remember when the Chargers OL degraded in ability, suddenly LT wasn’t going as far as he used to - combo of LT aging but more of it was OL. Barry almost never had a good OL, and never had a passing compliment in his offenses. It was a horrible team all over.

How about Walter, how does he fit in?

[Boltnut]

Actual quotes from other players would demonstrate what you’re speculating about. I’m not saying it isn’t the truth, just that the videos you posted didn’t prove it and there aren’t any quotes to back it up. Hence, speculation.

I hope this helps...

“I think having Eric in there is definitely going to help us get those adjustments faster — less wasted time, less thinking,” Joseph-Day said. “He’ll be able to see that faster and get that communicated to us.

“That will help, honestly, everyone play faster. At the end of the day, you can’t play defense slow. The moment you’re a step behind or you miss something, that’s how you get got.”

Joseph-Day and Tranquill engaged in a heated sideline exchange during a game in December against the Tennessee Titans over a communication problem.

https://www.latimes.com/sports/charg...tion%20problem.

[jamrock]

I hope this helps...



https://www.latimes.com/sports/charg...tion%20problem.

Perfect!

[colorado]

Perfect!

Time will tell..

[DerwinBosa]

Barry’s teams were so woeful. I remember when the Chargers OL degraded in ability, suddenly LT wasn’t going as far as he used to - combo of LT aging but more of it was OL. Barry almost never had a good OL, and never had a passing compliment in his offenses. It was a horrible team all over.

How about Walter, how does he fit in?

Great running back. Too much of a fumbler, in my opinion. I will never understand how he was allowed by any coach to carry the ball around with one hand the way he did.

Walter Payton: 86 fumbles. Barry Sanders: 41 fumbles. LaDainian Tomlinson: 31 fumbles. Marshall Faulk: 36 fumbles. O.J. Simpson: 62 fumbles. Emmitt Smith (carried it over 4,000 times): 61 fumbles.

I've discussed this with Bears fans. They don't like me too much. To be fair, Jim Brown and Eric Dickerson fumbled a lot, too.

I have Sanders, Tomlinson, and Faulk above Emmitt when talking about running backs who played in the 1990s and 2000s. Just imagine what those three would have done behind that Cowboys offensive line.

[DerwinBosa]

Two things: I met Ray Lewis in person in an airport. He is just undescribable physically. You have to see him. He is just unbelievably massive and muscular but he moves very gracefully and lightly on his feet. It is just not fair. Please don’t anyone take this the wrong way, but the closest I can describe his musculature is that of a silver back gorilla. Just muscles on top of muscles but not for show; they all served a devasting purpose.

Secondly, I remember under the Shanarat ‘legal’ but not ethical cut blocking scheme that led to some thinking Terrell Davis belongs in HOF (he does NOT), Lewis was subject to the kind of Denver block that ended so many seasons and careers for defenders, where one blocker engaged him and then another rapidly took his legs out blindly. Lewis got up and the look in his eyes was murderous. (I believe he is an actual murderer BTW, but we all have our opinions). I think the Denver OL literally wet his pants when Lewis came after him.

Intimidating? Yes. I worry about Ray post football. Hard to compartmentalize that rage.

TG

I remember that, too. Clinton Portis ran his mouth about Ray Lewis before a Monday Night game in 2002. Ed Reed, his teammate at the University of Miami (they were on possibly the greatest college football team ever--2001 Hurricanes) basically said in response, "You're an idiot." Lewis was an absolute monster in that game (18 tackles and an interception). He also de-cleated Keith Burns, a Broncos linebacker, on a Chris McAlister missed field goal return for a touchdown. It's an overlooked game, because neither team was good that year, and Lewis suffered a season-ending injury a few weeks later, but that was one of the most dominant performances I have ever seen.

[Boltnut]

My father will tell you that Jim Brown was the greatest RB of all time. I never saw him play... just old film clips. He looked pretty damn good to me! A 5.2 ypc average is really good... I could list a bunch of other career stats that would blow your mind. He was 6-2, 232 in an era where players were smaller. He was a man amongst boys.

The first truly dominant RB that I remember was OJ Simpson. He was a pure runner. Great vision and could cut, burst through a hole, or run you over. He averaged 4.7 ypc with some below average offensive lines. He wasn't utilized as a receiver. @212 lbs, he wasn't able simply out-physical defenders the way Jim Brown did.

Late 70's and early 80's brought us Emmit and Walter. Prolific RB's that played for all-around good teams. They were always on TV and always being talked about. Both played behind good offensive lines... the Cowboys offensive line was one of the great offensive lines. Emmit had a 4.2 ypc and Walter had a 4.4 ypc. I would put Walter over Emmit... but neither makes my Top-5 list.

I got to watch Marshall Faulk run @San Diego State. They ran him left, they ran him right, they ran him every play... he could not be stopped. In the NFL, the Colts and Rams turned him into one of the greatest multi-tool weapons ever. He's the only RB to amass 12,000 yards rushing and 6,000 yards receiving. By time time, defensive players have become much bigger and stronger... and RB's don't have the strength and speed advantage they once did. 136 total TD's.

I also got watch Barry Sanders live @the Holiday Bowl. Complete dominance! He was un-stoppable... even more so that Marshall Faulk in college. He used his size (or lack of size) to his advantage. At 5-8, 200 lbs, he disappeared behind blockers. His low center of gravity allowed him to start, stop, and change direction like no other RB before/since. His video game/joy stick like abilities were fun to watch. His 5.0 ypc is rare for a modern day RB. His high average is probably due to his start one-way, then reverse to the opposite direction style of running... it was like trying to catch a deer in the woods. Having said that, the Lions didn't use him in the passing game... and he didn't have strength/power all of the other RB's did. If you wanted to pick up a 3rd-and short... or needed a TD inside the 5 yard line... any of the other RB's would have gotten the nod over Barry.

Speaking of TD's... my boy LT was prolific! 162 TD's is 3rd all-time. Only Jerry Rice and Emmit Smith have more. If the goal is to score a TD (last time I checked... it still is) then LT is your man. He is the everything RB. He's got multi-tool capabilities (like Faulk). He has start, stop, cut abilities... no one can approach Barry... but the closest to Barry of any other RB. He can receive, pick up 3rd-and-short, he break a long run... inside, outside, up-side down. He was feared! Started off with bad OL's... had so-so compliments at WR... defenses stacked the box like like no other RB before him (outside of OJ and Walter)... and they still couldn't stop him. He had more power and strength than Faulk.

I'm going to add Eric Dickerson and Adrian Peterson to the list. Fast fluid-moving RB's that could hit the hole and explode for long runs. Both were very good cut-and-accelerate runners. Neither were the receiving threat of Tomlinson/Faulk. Neither were the TD machine that Tomlinson was... although Peterson did finish with 126 total TD's.

Final list:

1. Jim Brown
2. OJ Simpson
3. LaDanian Tomlinson
4. Marshall Faulk
5. Barry Sanders
6. Adrian Peterson
7. Eric Dickerson
8. Walter Payton
9. Emmitt Smith
10. Gayle Sayers (for what could-have-been)

[sonorajim]

~~~~~

1. Jim Brown
2. OJ Simpson
3. LaDanian Tomlinson
4. Marshall Faulk
5. Barry Sanders
6. Adrian Peterson
7. Eric Dickerson
8. Walter Payton
9. Emmitt Smith
10. Gayle Sayers (for what could-have-been)

I like your dad's favorite too. I'd put LT at #2 but maybe I'm just a homer. Good list!

[colorado]

My father will tell you that Jim Brown was the greatest RB of all time. I never saw him play... just old film clips. He looked pretty damn good to me! A 5.2 ypc average is really good... I could list a bunch of other career stats that would blow your mind. He was 6-2, 232 in an era where players were smaller. He was a man amongst boys.

The first truly dominant RB that I remember was OJ Simpson. He was a pure runner. Great vision and could cut, burst through a hole, or run you over. He averaged 4.7 ypc with some below average offensive lines. He wasn't utilized as a receiver. @212 lbs, he wasn't able simply out-physical defenders the way Jim Brown did.

Late 70's and early 80's brought us Emmit and Walter. Prolific RB's that played for all-around good teams. They were always on TV and always being talked about. Both played behind good offensive lines... the Cowboys offensive line was one of the great offensive lines. Emmit had a 4.2 ypc and Walter had a 4.4 ypc. I would put Walter over Emmit... but neither makes my Top-5 list.

I got to watch Marshall Faulk run @San Diego State. They ran him left, they ran him right, they ran him every play... he could not be stopped. In the NFL, the Colts and Rams turned him into one of the greatest multi-tool weapons ever. He's the only RB to amass 12,000 yards rushing and 6,000 yards receiving. By time time, defensive players have become much bigger and stronger... and RB's don't have the strength and speed advantage they once did. 136 total TD's.

I also got watch Barry Sanders live @the Holiday Bowl. Complete dominance! He was un-stoppable... even more so that Marshall Faulk in college. He used his size (or lack of size) to his advantage. At 5-8, 200 lbs, he disappeared behind blockers. His low center of gravity allowed him to start, stop, and change direction like no other RB before/since. His video game/joy stick like abilities were fun to watch. His 5.0 ypc is rare for a modern day RB. His high average is probably due to his start one-way, then reverse to the opposite direction style of running... it was like trying to catch a deer in the woods. Having said that, the Lions didn't use him in the passing game... and he didn't have strength/power all of the other RB's did. If you wanted to pick up a 3rd-and short... or needed a TD inside the 5 yard line... any of the other RB's would have gotten the nod over Barry.

Speaking of TD's... my boy LT was prolific! 162 TD's is 3rd all-time. Only Jerry Rice and Emmit Smith have more. If the goal is to score a TD (last time I checked... it still is) then LT is your man. He is the everything RB. He's got multi-tool capabilities (like Faulk). He has start, stop, cut abilities... no one can approach Barry... but the closest to Barry of any other RB. He can receive, pick up 3rd-and-short, he break a long run... inside, outside, up-side down. He was feared! Started off with bad OL's... had so-so compliments at WR... defenses stacked the box like like no other RB before him (outside of OJ and Walter)... and they still couldn't stop him. He had more power and strength than Faulk.

I'm going to add Eric Dickerson and Adrian Peterson to the list. Fast fluid-moving RB's that could hit the hole and explode for long runs. Both were very good cut-and-accelerate runners. Neither were the receiving threat of Tomlinson/Faulk. Neither were the TD machine that Tomlinson was... although Peterson did finish with 126 total TD's.

Final list:

1. Jim Brown
2. OJ Simpson
3. LaDanian Tomlinson
4. Marshall Faulk
5. Barry Sanders
6. Adrian Peterson
7. Eric Dickerson
8. Walter Payton
9. Emmitt Smith
10. Gayle Sayers (for what could-have-been)

Not only could Dickerson and Peterson for being big backs hit the gaps fast they loved to run over defenders. The days they had to go up against Peterson or Dickerson, they got a workout.

Peterson was a great back at Oklahoma. Broke his collar bone on a td and missed 6 wks, he made it back to finish the season , bowl game .you couldn't keep him out of a game.

[chargeroo]

I'm surprised no-one mentions Earl Campbell or Derrick Henry. Do we have a bias against the big back?

[powderblueboy]

I'm surprised no-one mentions Earl Campbell or Derrick Henry. Do we have a bias against the big back?

I was thinking of Earl Cambell: only 3 great seasons.

After that he was never averaged more than 4.0 yards per carry in a season.

Cliff Harris, safety for the Cowboys, recalled Campbell as "the hardest-hitting running back I ever played against.

He courted collisions and his body wore down quickly.