All Time Running Backs

by Adam T on Jun 5, 2008 12:16 PM CDT Comment 18 comments

Here in Chicago we are used to the All Time Running back debate; moreover, we are used to the great Walter Payton being listed as number 2 behind Jim Brown.

ESPN back up and with the help of Don Shula, Marv Levy, Emmitt Thomas, Jack Bushofsky, Dan Reeves, Jerry Richardson, Robert Smith and Floyd Reese they formulated a new list. However this time Payton does not come in at #2, he fell to #3 behind Barry Sanders. I know the Sanders/Payton arguement is a hot one here (though I haven't heard from Chad in some time, so it might not spark).

The list looks like this:

1) Jim Brown

2) Barry Sanders

3) Walter Payton

4) Emmitt Smith

5) Gale Sayers

6) LaDanian Tomlinson

7) Marshall Faulk

8) O.J. Simpson

9) Lenny Moore

10) Eric Dickerson

I would have liked to see each judge's personal list to see how they ranked them. Give me your opinions?

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Cool story

I’ll do my Top 5

1. Barry Sanders
2. Walter Payton
3. Jim Brown
4. LaDanian Tomlinson
5. Emmit Smith

Smith is 5 because he wouldn’t have gotten half that yardage without that O-line he ran behind and having Moose as his lead blocker. Honestly, I was going to leave him out of my Top 5.

Tomlinson you can make a case could be higher because he’s dominating in the current NFL where some QB’s are bigger, faster, and stronger than most lineman back in the 60’s and 70’s.

Brown dominated during a period where he was the fastest and strongest player on the field.

Payton was the perfect combination of speed and strength. His abilities away from running the ball is what makes him so great.

I’ve never seen anybody do the things on a football field like Sanders did. I’m too young to know about Sayers but some people say he was equally as agile but for me, Barry Sanders is the greatest Running Back I’ve ever seen.

"Please move away from this vector and get into another coordinate pronto. There's no access for you in this quadrant." Mike Donnelly

by McRipper on Jun 5, 2008 1:49 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Smith gets cut down way too much for that offensive line

As great as that line was, Smith was still the most important player on that team. I wouldn’t put him in the top 5, and I think he tends to get overrated by many. Still, his production goes far beyond that O-line.

We have every right to dream heroic dreams. Those who say that we're in a time when there are no heroes, they just don't know where to look.
Ronald Reagan

by snley on Jun 6, 2008 8:37 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

No doubt

He was a great running back. But I think his stats are padded because of that o-line he had. I think it’s no comparison when people compare him to Payton and Sanders.

"Please move away from this vector and get into another coordinate pronto. There's no access for you in this quadrant." Mike Donnelly

by McRipper on Jun 6, 2008 12:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hit "Post" too soon

I wanted to add I think they did a good job with the Top 10. I would have changed it around a little bit but all in all, this is a pretty good list.

"Please move away from this vector and get into another coordinate pronto. There's no access for you in this quadrant." Mike Donnelly

by McRipper on Jun 5, 2008 1:52 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Here's my opinion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBhaXxGmUho

Besides the obvious - Go Irish.

Z. He doesn't need an exclamation point. He is one.

by PopeFlick on Jun 5, 2008 3:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

For a franchise that gets off the bus running the ball

...it’s nice to see we have two backs in the top 5.

And it’s been far too long since we’ve have another one.

by bs1220 on Jun 5, 2008 6:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Payton

has a little thing called a Superbowl ring…that automatically sets him above Sanders and lets not forget about the records that he set and kept for 2 decades.

RIP SWEETNESS

by DaNate23 on Jun 5, 2008 7:14 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think you can make a better arguement for Payton at 1

But you would have to say that Sanders is two very close though, because of a lot of the same things:
1) They both played on some BAD teams; before 1983 who was lining up at QB and blocking up front for Payton? Sanders only won a couple playoff games in his career.
2) Payton has a ring, Sanders doesn’t so that is worth something more
3) Payton was an iron man, missing one game in his career and he swears he could have played.

Now Jim Brown was great, no doubt but I have to agree with one of the panelists who points out that he was as big as the defensive linemen. Sayers was amazing and he changed the position because nobody could really do that before him. But I think its a good list, Tomlinson is kind of premature but by the time he retires he could definetely be up there with Sweetness. I couldn’t believe someone voted for AP. The guy has ONE season and someone voted for him? He could blow out a knee or something and end up a one shot wonder. I hope someone kicked that voters ass after he said that.

Lovie Smith-isms:
"We get off the bus running"
"Rex Grossman is our quarterback."
"...and we'll go from there."

by GallopingGhost on Jun 5, 2008 8:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

walter payton

is the best there ever was and ever will be.

by SamuraiMike50 on Jun 5, 2008 9:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Payton vs. Sanders

When I watched Barry Sanders, I always thought the man did things no other back ever could running the ball. So shifty and elusive. But if I could only have one of the two of them, I’d take Sweetness in his prime - Payton did so many things, the blocking, the unstoppable goaline dives, the option passes, the legendary durability. Sanders had one weakness - he could juke and shake on 3rd and inches and lose 3 yards. Payton might not be just the best running back ever, he might be the best football player ever.

by smithie love on Jun 6, 2008 12:27 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

What's with all this talk about ranking Payton above Sanders simply because of Payton's SB ring?

Football is constantly hailed as the ultimate team sport. If that’s the case, how can anyone judge an individual’s career from his team’s performance? Payton was fortunate enough to play for one of the most dominating teams in any sport. Sanders was stuck with mediocrity throughout his career. If Payton deserves credit for the SB win, doesn’t he also deserve blame for all the times the Bears came up short in the playoffs? I find it ridiculous enough to rank a QB mostly on his team’s playoff success, it’s even worse to do so with a RB.

That being said, Payton is my all time favorite football player and his willingness and ability to do most anything on the field makes him #1 to me. Great RB’s shouldn’t have to be pulled on passing downs because they don’t like to block (Jim Brown) and should be able to produce no matter the offensive system (Barry Sanders).

We have every right to dream heroic dreams. Those who say that we're in a time when there are no heroes, they just don't know where to look.
Ronald Reagan

by snley on Jun 6, 2008 8:47 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Where is Earl Campbell?

I think the list is very good. I agree with Jim Brown being number 1 but I think Payton should be 2. The biggest problem I see is the exculsion of Earl Campbell. This guy was an absolute beast. He is overlooked on almost every list that I’ve seen regarding great RB’s. The style of play he had caused the injuries that he sustained, but in his time in the game, very few were as dominant as Campbell.

by NYBearsFan on Jun 6, 2008 9:25 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I would put Campbell on a par with Dickerson

Campbell was one of the biggest and strongest inside runners but didnt have the long consistent career as the top backs(excluding Sayers, who possibly could have extended his career with todays surgical techniques). Dickerson dominated as a bounce outside runner that could use his great speed to make a huge gain, and was an upper-echelon back for what seemed a similar span. I cant seem to recall much about Lenny Moore, and would probably put Earl Campbell at 9 or 10. but I think the list is pretty good.

by gillrowdy on Jun 6, 2008 10:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

As long...

as they didn’t screw up the top 3, the list works for me.
I think we all can agree that those 3 are ‘the cream of the crop.”
It’s so hard to put Sayers in the top 5 though. Yes he was a freak, but the short career knocks him down in my mind.
I think it’s impossible to rank across eras anyway. The best way to rank these guys is to consider how they would stack up with the competition across each era. With that line of thinking I’d have to rank the top 3 – Brown, Payton, Sanders.

by kingj41 on Jun 6, 2008 10:42 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I know I contradicted

myself mid paragraph. By ranking them after I said it’s impossible.
That’s how I rank them, but I still think it’s impossible to compare eras w/ schedules, competition, style of play, etc. It’s easier to compare across decades, a la, Emmit vs. Barry, Marcus Allen vs. Tony Dorsett …

by kingj41 on Jun 6, 2008 10:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

What are the standards

It depends on what qualifies as ‘best’. Is it just who can you hand the ball to and watch them run? Probably Smith and Sanders at the top of that list. Is it all-around, every skill a back might need? Probably Payton on top of that list.
Rather than move some pieces around, I will just share some thoughts.

Personally, I like Tomlinson but I am not ready to put him on a top 10 list just yet. I would like to see how his career plays out.
I really am big on Faulk as a back but what separates him sooo much from Priest Holmes. I am surprised slightly by his inclusion.
No Red Grange? Does he not count because he played so long ago? The guy was phenomenal.
Where is Thurman Thomas? He was the engine of a truly incredible offense (Don’t give me that Jim Kelly crap).

A couple of other points. Regardless of standards, I can’t really knock a guy because he is superior atheletically to his competition. Jim Brown was THE phenomenal football player of his era, he still has the highest YPC of any back being considered. And, he set a career yardage mark in a relatively brief career (that included less games per season) that it took Walter Payton to break.

I also agree that Superbowls don’t really mean somebody is the better RB.

Truly, I can’t separate Sanders and Payton. If somebody was going to break Walter’s record, I feel it would have been more fitting for Barry to do it since he was clearly better than Emmitt. Those two had completely different styles but were both so incredible to watch. They are a virtual tie in my book.

by cukting on Jun 6, 2008 3:29 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Walter's the greatest

From Da Coach, Walter Payton was the best football player, not running back, he’s ever seen. That says a lot.

Bear Down, Chicago Bears!

by topdoggkyle on Jun 8, 2008 12:23 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Top ten list

I thought the list was pretty good although somehow Earl Campbell needs to be there somewhere. Barry Sanders at 2 on this list is completely overrated. If the list was for greatest runners of all time then okay. But it is greatest running backs. Sanders was a spectacular open field runner and deserves top 10. But he was no where to be found at the goal line, was a poor receiver, and below average blocker. As much as I think Emmitt Smith was benefited from a superior line he would be ahead of Sanders in my opinion. Brown, Payton, Smith..

by tfrabotta on Jun 8, 2008 4:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs