best NFL running back

Swellin · 02-07-2005, 10:52 PM

If I were building a team around a back and I could choose any of themin their prime, who would it be.......

Barry had more talent than any of them, but he lost yards as often as he gained yards...3rd and 1 and he might lose 4 yards. He was the most exciting back I have ever seen, hands down.

Eric Dickerson...count on him in 3rd and 1....get in the open field and watch him make people miss. I would actually choose him over Sanders here.

Smith...if you need 3rd and 1...call the dammed Gator and let him get you the firts down. Not an electrifying runner like the other guys, but a work horse.

Payton...a Barry Sanders in another time, and one of the nicest guys in the game. What a role model. He was an electrifying runner beyoind belief. However, remember when he broke the record...then he lost yards on the next play and the record was no longer his? Not really your 3rd and 1 guy, but what a guy to have on the team.

That brings us to leadership...Smith is a leader...plain and simple. Dickerson was too.

Man, this is a tough one. I am a Colts fan, so Dickerson is my guy (plus Smith went to school at U of F). Tough one to call, but either of them would be my go to guy.

**IronReload04** · 02-07-2005, 11:00 PM

hands down peyton. he was the most relentless running back ever. he was a machine and refused to fall down. as far as being relentless, i think brown may have been close, but peyton dd it verse better players.

what i like about peyton was that he was very seldom the hittee but rather the hitter. linebackers had to fill the whole twice to stop him. not many backs ran with such fury.

**Ammar** · 02-07-2005, 11:05 PM

I have to say Barry Sanders...he was like 1000 yards behind Walters record when he retired. He averaged like 1500 yards a season dude, simply amazing.

Dont forget about Bo Jackson, his career was cut too short but he would have done some amazing things.

MOST OVERRATED = Ricky Williams and Deuce McCallister.

**D-END** · 02-07-2005, 11:06 PM

BO JACKSON-best ever

priest holmes right now

**MrMondodondo** · 02-07-2005, 11:54 PM

Originally Posted by D-END

BO JACKSON-best ever

priest holmes right now

Good call on Bo D!.....The guy was awesome, way too bad he got cut down in his prime..........

**allsaucedup** · 02-08-2005, 10:00 AM

"Bo knows football" i remember a game i think it was on monday night when he got outside on a sweep and turned the corner and he ran by everyone. he had freaky speed and power plus he was a bad a$$ basball player not like deion he could have been an allstar in both sports.

**rob35145** · 02-08-2005, 12:38 PM

Without a doubt, BARRY SANDERS. Emmit had one thing that Barry didn’t. In the 90’s the Cowboys introduced the 300 lb line. The Lions had an average weight of 275 lbs and one pro bowler. Barry was the Lions. If Barry had played for 15 years he would have retired with 22,500 yards, 4,145 more than Emmit.

**JDawg1536** · 02-08-2005, 01:42 PM

What the hell is wrong with you guys?

Have you never seen Jim Brown play football? He was the leagues leading rusher for all but 1 year that he played. Hands down best back ever. Emmit and Barry are right there though....

**maxex** · 02-08-2005, 05:26 PM

speaking of all these good backs, what ever happened to Christian Okoye, he was almost impossible to stop.

**SMYL_GR8** · 02-08-2005, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by SwoleCat

I'm a Dallas fan anyhow, so I'll say Emmitt.

In addition, the record books say it too, so...........

I know the line was great, that is the point of being an offensive lineman, to be good.

Barry could have played w/that line and gotten his knee demolished and never set foot on a field again, u never know. So, going by truly WHAT IS in FACT, it's E. Smith.

~SC~

Most yards gained doesn't equate to greatness. No one thinks Dan Marino is the best even though he holds NUMEROUS records. Emmitt wasn't touched until he gained 2-3 yards per rush for all those years in Dallas when other backs had to earn it. Don't get me wrong, he's top 5 or 6, but not the best. He wasn't exceptionally elusive, explosive or powerful, just DURABLE.

**SMYL_GR8** · 02-08-2005, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by maxex

speaking of all these good backs, what ever happened to Christian Okoye, he was almost impossible to stop.

He has a line of supplements now.

**511220** · 02-08-2005, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by SwoleCat

What about O.J. Simpson???

The best slicer/dicer??

Okay, perhaps a bad analogy.

~SC~

Juice was straight forward just cuttin holes open with a bloody vengeance...

Seriously though, being in Detroit, the Lions are absolutely a miserable organization (then and now). Barry kept me watching and I so much wanted to see him go to a franchise that would of solidified him as the best ever...

But today, active, Michael Vick...he's a RB aint he?

511220

**heckler45_2000** · 02-09-2005, 01:38 AM

Preist Holmes by far before he got hurt. He missed half the games and still almost lead in touchdowns 14. Last year he had 27 TD'S an 21 the year before. While recieving 70+ catches 2 years in a row when healthy.

**groverman1** · 02-09-2005, 04:45 AM

Originally Posted by SwoleCat

Emmit Smith simply because, well, he IS the best and his records prove it.

Currently the best, well, too many to mention that all excel in many areas.

~SC~

I will have to disagree with this one, Barry baby!