Will Emmitt Smith's Record Be Broken? Breaking Down The Race

Discussion in 'NFL General Discussion' started by Omen, Aug 7, 2010.

  1. Tarkus

    Tarkus The Thread Stalker

    One thing I don't see, unless I missed it, is that Sanders didn't have the worst OL out there. If anything, he was one of the hardest backs to block for due to his constant change of direction & natural elusiveness.

    No, he didn't have the best OL during some of his years but they weren't always slouches either. Sanders didn't get all those yards being keyed on, which he did, all on his own.

    Just wanted to throw that out there & since this thread is about Emmitt's record being broken & I don't want this post to be the one the mods use to point out we're off topic:

    Uhhhh, I think, once again, that Emmit's record is...uhhh....really, really, safe for awhile. :icon_smile:
     
  2. Jihad Joe

    Jihad Joe Life to Infidels

    The Dallas would not have been as good if they didnt have back like Smith. They were a smashmouth team and needed a grinder. They were all about sustained drives. Emmit was gain 4, gain 6, gain 5. Barry was gain 8, lose 2. If Barry played in Buffalo with the no huddle, that would have been his best fit

    IMO Barry is definatly behind Payton and Brown, and him and Simpson are very close


    **********Automerged Doublepost**********

    Sanders IMO was the perfect passing team back, which actually is harder IMO. Had he been on the Bills, or Vermiels Rams he would have been hands down the best ever. His issue team wise, is that while he did play on a passing team, he played on one that was very erratic. Some games the absolutly NEEDED him to march the ball down the field. Barry isnt the type of back you ask the carry 8 times on an 80 yards drive. He is the type that will bust out a 20/40 yard gain. Alot of that IMO is why he didnt perform in the playoffs very well. Put him in a Thurman/Faulk role, with Jim Kelly or Warner and he would have been the best ever
     
  3. Tarkus

    Tarkus The Thread Stalker

    & I believe that's the crux of the matter in the argument...the direction one takes, the criteria, to make that choice.

    I agree that he'd be at his most dangerous peak in that regard but in a team sense where he was actually the lessor of 2 evils that a D would contend with even tho ultimately they would die with that choice.

    Runners of the N & S ilk, while at times stymied, would (in the case of the true greats) punish the D thru a game till later when the dividends would roll in. Sanders, talent-wise in that regard, was lacking when the tough yards were needed IMO. You couldn't say that with a Brown, Payton, etc. runner who excelled in all situations.

    Give those guys the same killer passing game & I'd be confident the results would be staggering also.

    Sanders usually had just enough of a passing game &, contrary to some, enough blocking, coupled with his elusiveness, to make impressive strikes. However, on the whole as you point out, when playoff time came facing the best teams of the league, the Lions, along with Sander's running, weren't enough.

    I, without in any way diminishing Sanders talent, would go with a handful of backs who were suited for a more complete game no matter how that might have been complimented by a good or mediocre passing game.

    So I guess to sum up my opinion, I agree you that Sanders would be the perfect passing back but the game is never so one sided to me (tho once again, other greats talent would make them as dangerous with that type of attack). The lack of talent to have to consistently carry his team down the field by necessity is where his weakness lied & why he drops down the list to me.
     
  4. Jihad Joe

    Jihad Joe Life to Infidels

    ^^^^

    riic
     
  5. Buck Fenson

    Buck Fenson formerly Jake from State Farm

    Barry was a slasher in the back field because he had to be. I watched alot of Lions games when he was playing. It depends on what your deifiniton of a great back is. At the height of both players careers which fortuantly was at the same time, unlike trying to argue which back is better when they played at different eras of football. Both played at the same time some comparisons is easier. Barry, when he retired, had more yardage than Emmitt, Like I said earlier, he was 1600 yards away from the record. It took Emmitt 5 more years to win the rushing crown. It was said that Dallas needed a "one cut" guy for them to be successful. Imagine Barry getting the ball, hit the huge hole, and then shape shift the DBs.out of their jocks. I remember a game when a DB had Barry in his sights and turned to run with him and Barry turned him completely around twice. I am 46. Been watching football since 72. I have seen alot of running backs play and Barry was the best at that position. As far as quitting. The Lions wouldn't improve the team enough to help Barry win a title. So instead of pulling a LeBron and chase a title, he retired while he could still function in life. Why destroy your body if you know management isn't trying to win a title. They were like the Saints at that time. Benson was content in having an average team that made him millions.
     
  6. Tarkus

    Tarkus The Thread Stalker

    Respectfully disagree, Buck. Barry's 'slasher' style wasn't born out of necessity. It was his style thru & thru. & being a Bears fan, I've seen the Lions repeatedly every year to feel comfortable with that opinion.

    I would say a back that can gain yards in any situation, constantly adapting to the style of D he was facing. Whether he would capitalize on a fast, pursuit type D with cutbacks all the way to powering thru a stay at home D to get to the next level.

    Don't get me wrong, Barry was tough to bring down but his 1st choice as a rule was being elusive. There were a great % of his runs that he would go 20 yards to gain 5. Definitely couldn't be mistaken for a N & S runner in his career & that cost him IMO in the argument for best RB of all time. More of a great regular season runner.



    Agreed...

    I don't believe Emmitt is even in the same conversation with Sanders. Smith's record is about great talent but more about longevity & being on good teams.


    Been watching since '62. Barry's up there near the top but falls short IMO.

    & that's what also hurts him. The greatest back doesn't give up but instead has to be told when to quit. Jim Brown was the only one I gave a pass to cuz he was getting paid peanuts & saw an opportunity to make more in the movie industry. God knows what he'd have had if he stayed around...& that was a 14 game schedule. Payton went to 16 after 3 of his 13 years.

    I still think there'll be an unbelievable talent down the road who'll make a team build around him & go back to the 'old school'. & I don't even think it will be real long either based on the way the NFL teams force young QBs onto the field to get their hype money & get quick returns on their $$.
     
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  7. warcrychief

    warcrychief Ur just da assistant Pimp

    :geesh: If Berry Sanders is OVERRATED...id like 2 see who is underrated by you. i never 1's said that Sanders was better than Jim Brown. as i can see tryn 2 argue with you is like me being a QB and slamming my head in2 a padded wall. :tsk:
     
  8. Buck Fenson

    Buck Fenson formerly Jake from State Farm

    Well thought out opinions Tarkus. Good points on all of it. These chats are entertaining because we will never know what could have happened. Always liked Detroit even though I am a Saints fan. Hated Dallas because growing up in Central Louisiana all that was here in the stores were Dallas stuff. Granted the Saints were horrible back then but gotta go for the home team every time.
     
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  9. Tarkus

    Tarkus The Thread Stalker

    Got that right.

    Nice to throw around different POVs. Thanks...


    Yea, we all have our cross to bear, don't we? lol