Best NFL Running Back of all times?

[Doughboy]

Emmit Smith.

[timshatz]

Brown. He did it with the short, 12 game season. Everyone else had a 16 game season. By extrapolation, you'd need to give him about 33% more in the stats to bring him to the same level as everyone else. Put him up near 16K in yards.

My personal favorite is Barry Sanders. What he could've done if he'd been rushing for the Cowboys or Miami or San Fran would blow the stats away. 10 years with a dud team and he's still in reach of the title. Amazing.

[lesofprimus]

Thought I placed my vote before, but guess not... Had to go with Jim Brown, he forever changed the way a running back was utilized in the game, and has been the measuring stick for other backs for decades.....

[Lucky13]

Great thread! Love football, even though they don't show too much here in UK/Sweden. Know f*ck all about football, but as long as I know I've always, in one way or another, followed Minnesota Vikings...
Wish that I could take part more in the discussion, but.....

How about the same thread for Coaches in the game...?

[Doughboy]

How about the same thread for Coaches in the game...?





That would be a good idea.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by Doughboy

How about the same thread for Coaches in the game...?





That would be a good idea.

Then make one...

[timshatz]

Gonna end up with Lombardy somewhere in the top 3, if not the guy. Hell, the Supe trophy is named after him.

[renrich]

I am an SMU guy and I watched Eric Dickerson his whole career. He holds all the SWC rushing records and he only played half the time(split time with Craig James.) He never played on an NFL team with a solid offense and holds the NFL single season rushing record. If he had played on the Cowboys with all their offensive weapons he would have truly been something. There is no question in my mind, Jim Brown is the best ever.

[drgondog]

I have to say Jimmy (Brown) - after that there are a host at next tier including Barry, Emmit, Earl, Walter, Gayle, Tony, Riggo, Eric, etc. LT has a chance to join that group and maybe is already. OJ fits there also

[drgondog]

asked another way - who would you choose to build a team around today and jim brown might not be my first choice. At this question Earl Campbell, John Riggins, Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton pop up very high because of durability, abilty to score from anywhere, ability to pick up a blitzing linebacker, and ability to catch and run with the football.

As much as I loved Brown he never caught my eye blocking for anybody - but I think you would have to be nuts, even today, to overlook Brown.

[drgondog]

As to coaches. Today - Belichick. All time you have to look at Lombardi, Schula and Landry - then Noll and Walsh.

Think what Landry's record might have been if he inherited an established team and had draft choices instead of cast offs. How long will it be before another coach has 18 straight winning seasons, two runs of 9 and 8 straight play off appearances and 17 straght opening day wins - or coach 29 years.

Belichick has a chance (and probably will) to eclipse Landry's super bowl appearances but who else on the horizon is gonna do five?

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by drgondog

As to coaches. Today - Belichick. All time you have to look at Lombardi, Schula and Landry - then Noll and Walsh.

I would have to go with Walsh. The man was a genius. What he built in San Francisco is amazing! It carried on even after he was gone.

[Bucksnort101]

I loved watching Barry Sanders run, seemed he could go from an all out run and make a cut and go in almost the opposite direction without even slowing down. He had a knack for being piled on and getting away anyway.
Earl Campbell was fun to watch when I was younger, he was punishing to the defence. Vikings got a beast in Adrian Peterson, but it's too early in his carreer to put him up there with the best. I also liked watching the Vikes Robert Smith back in the late 90's early 2000's seasons. He retired to early to gain status among the best, but he could run.

[drgondog]

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

I would have to go with Walsh. The man was a genius. What he built in San Francisco is amazing! It carried on even after he was gone.

Chris - I agree his innovation contributions, particularly the West Coast Offense. He personally was an excellent evaluator of talent in context of his system. No question he is an all time great coach.

I pick Landry over him primarily for the following reasons.

Landry invented the Multiple Set offense, the 4-3 then the Flex Defense and then re-introduced the Shotgun and made it stick. He also (via Gil Brandt) revolutionized scouting and the draft. Before he drafted so many "who he" types that later became all pro, the owners and coaches were picking out of Street and Smith 'Top Pro Prospects' - most of which were Not scouted just picked off All America and All Conference voting lists.

The only offensive scheme that isn't a derivative of the Multiple Set (including West Coast) Offense is the Wildcat. Only very recently are pro teams converting to the 3-4 en masse so it has been a staple of most Super Bowl champions for past 30+ years.

[renrich]

I would pick Paul Brown over Landry by a slight margin. Buddy Parker was another really good one as well as Weeb Ewbank. Belichick, if he keeps it up and we learn to spell his name, has a chance to be one of the best. Landry was a little of a one note Charley, offensively and defensively. Meaning that he needed a certain type of player on both sides of the ball and his schemes did not work that well unless he had that type. I question how good Landry's record would have been if he had not lucked into Staubach, who really was not as disciplined as Landry liked. Brown was successful throwing the ball with Graham and also running it with Jim Brown. One has to give Noll a lot of credit as his teams at Pittsburg were the closest to a full fledged dynasty. Comparing all these coaches is tough because coaches can be handicapped by the organisation they work in and sometimes a little by luck. Look at Marv Levy for a hard luck coach. Hard to ignore Shula. He coached for 33 seasons and won 76.8% of his games. Landry won 50.7% of his games. Heck, Dan Reeves coached for 23 seasons and won 59.5% of his games and coached in four Super Bowls(and won none.)