NFL: Best running back of All-time? Brown, Payton, Sanders or Smith?

Im asking for the BEST, not the greatest. Greatness has a team component, has to do with awards etc. Im just asking for simply the best, regardless of Championships or MVP's.

Barry, easy choice. Although Jim Brown is a total beast. He simply wasn't playing against the type of talent Barry was.

Barry Sanders. The guy was so smooth and quick on the field. I loved watching him play and I wasnt even a Lions fan. Its a shame he never got a chance to win a superbowl or at least play on a good team during his career.

walter is my no1. wasnt sweetness for nothingxbox360isgr8t

Barry Sanders. I cant even imagine how much better he would have been had he played for any other team then the Lions. Lions are a blackhole for talent and happiness.

Ha, I love how Emmitt doesn't get any love. Master_Live

barry sanders all day. put him on a pittsburg line and see what happens to the other team.

Just imagine what Barry would have done if he had an O-line, OMG!

Bo Jackson is #1 for meandyboiii

I agree 100%! If he hadn't been injured he would have destroyed the rushing record! He was as strong as Jim Brown but was also as fast as Barry Sanders. He was a beast!

Just imagine what Barry would have done if he had an O-line, OMG!

redskins2156

1. Jim Brown 2. Barry Sanders 3. O.J. Simpson

[QUOTE="redskins2156"]

Just imagine what Barry would have done if he had an O-line, OMG!

No_Hablo_Ingles

Jim Brown didn't need his O-line to open holes for him, he just plowed through everyone. Just wondering what would have been if Ernie Davis would have lived long enough to play along side JB.

Have any of you ever heard of Lomas Brown? He was an all pro offensive lineman for the Lions and (gasp!) he was around during Barry's time. It's a freakin myth that the Lions didn't have a good team around Barry. Not only did he have good offensive players around him, he also had good defensive players. Herman Moore, Lomas Brown and Chris Spielman to name a few of the all pro players the Lions had. They made the playoffs a few times in the 90's and even made it to an NFC Championship game where Sanders had a horrible performance, I might add. Sanders problem was that he didn't stick to a gameplan. If the objective was to get a crucial third and two... then Sanders wasn't your man. A typical game for him was 2 yard gain, 2 yard loss, 4 yard gain 3 yard loss, and then an 80 yard scamper.No_Hablo_Ingles

[QUOTE="No_Hablo_Ingles"]Have any of you ever heard of Lomas Brown? He was an all pro offensive lineman for the Lions and (gasp!) he was around during Barry's time. It's a freakin myth that the Lions didn't have a good team around Barry. Not only did he have good offensive players around him, he also had good defensive players. Herman Moore, Lomas Brown and Chris Spielman to name a few of the all pro players the Lions had. They made the playoffs a few times in the 90's and even made it to an NFC Championship game where Sanders had a horrible performance, I might add. Sanders problem was that he didn't stick to a gameplan. If the objective was to get a crucial third and two... then Sanders wasn't your man. A typical game for him was 2 yard gain, 2 yard loss, 4 yard gain 3 yard loss, and then an 80 yard scamper.Bobbles

Jim Brown followed by Walter Payton then Barry Sanders.

[QUOTE="Bobbles"][QUOTE="No_Hablo_Ingles"]Have any of you ever heard of Lomas Brown? He was an all pro offensive lineman for the Lions and (gasp!) he was around during Barry's time. It's a freakin myth that the Lions didn't have a good team around Barry. Not only did he have good offensive players around him, he also had good defensive players. Herman Moore, Lomas Brown and Chris Spielman to name a few of the all pro players the Lions had. They made the playoffs a few times in the 90's and even made it to an NFC Championship game where Sanders had a horrible performance, I might add. Sanders problem was that he didn't stick to a gameplan. If the objective was to get a crucial third and two... then Sanders wasn't your man. A typical game for him was 2 yard gain, 2 yard loss, 4 yard gain 3 yard loss, and then an 80 yard scamper.No_Hablo_Ingles

That's why he [Sanders] has the highest YPC average over a career in NFL history and it's how he got 2000 on a 6.0 avg.frostybanana

YPC - Career
Jim Brown: 5.2
B Sanders: 5.0

YPG - Season
1. OJ Simpson 143.1 ('73)
2. Jim Brown 133.1 ('63)
3. W Payton 132.3 ('77)
4. E Dickerson 131.6 ('84)
5. OJ Simpson 129.8 ('75)
6. Jamal Lewis 129.1 ('03)
7. E Campbell 128.9 ('80)
8. B Sanders 128.3 ('97)
9. Jim Brown 127.3 ('58 )
10. Terrell Davis 125.5 ('98 )

YPG - Career
1. Jim Brown 104.3 (1957-65)
2. B Sanders 99.8 (1989-98 )
3. C Johnson 99.3 (2008-10)

J Brown (14 gms): 291 att, 1,863 yds, 6.4 ypc, 133.1 ypg
Sanders (16 gms): 335 att, 2,053 yds, 6.1 ypc, 128.3 ypg
Simpson (14 gms): 332 att, 2,003 yds, 6.0 ypc, 143.1 ypg

there is no need for excuses for barry. his play is more than good enough to back up those claims.Chutebox

[QUOTE="No_Hablo_Ingles"][QUOTE="redskins2156"]

Just imagine what Barry would have done if he had an O-line, OMG!

frostybanana

This guy knows his football......Listen to him..... After years and years of watching Sanders, you started noticing things. One of which he would get shut down time after time after time behind the line of scrimmage, then blast a 13 yarder etc. He needed mutiple chances to create his lane.

Props Frostybanana, nice to see someone that knows football.....friend invite incoming...

BTW, on topic, personal favorite was Wilbert Montgomery, played for the Eagles late seventies, early eighties. But for the topic Tony Dorsett.....That boy could run!....

[QUOTE="Chutebox"]there is no need for excuses for barry. his play is more than good enough to back up those claims.No_Hablo_Ingles

[QUOTE="No_Hablo_Ingles"][QUOTE="Chutebox"]there is no need for excuses for barry. his play is more than good enough to back up those claims.Chutebox

[QUOTE="Chutebox"][QUOTE="No_Hablo_Ingles"] His play was excellent, however, stats go against him and in order for people to say he is the best they often make excuses (yes, they are excuses) like the Lions were terrible, and he had an awful Offensive line.No_Hablo_Ingles

Ugh, Barry's last year had 1500 yards rushing. He would have easily been the rushing leader had he wanted to play more....lame!

[QUOTE="No_Hablo_Ingles"][QUOTE="Chutebox"] they say he is the best because his play on the field. no RB has made plays like barry, and he did it consistently.Chutebox

Ugh, Barry's last year had 1500 yards rushing. He would have easily been the rushing leader had he wanted to play more....lame!

[QUOTE="Chutebox"]

[QUOTE="No_Hablo_Ingles"] No Running back ran backwards as much and has as many negative runs either. 10% of his runs were for negative yardage. Barry Sanders was a Home Run Hitter... and the problem with Home Run Hitters is they tend to strike out fairly often.No_Hablo_Ingles

Ugh, Barry's last year had 1500 yards rushing. He would have easily been the rushing leader had he wanted to play more....lame!

I meant to say one of the highest, not the absolute highest. Besides that, you can't really compare these runningbacks side by side because they played in different eras. You can't really compare Drew Brees' 5000 yard year to Marinos for the same reason. I wasn't alive to see Jim Brown play, and I doubt most of you were either. I WAS alive to see Barry Sanders play. So I can say he was a true game changer with little to no help on the offensive side of the ball.

Also, no, Barry's line was NOT good. If you watched him play, you'd know that. Having a few solid pieces on a line doesn't make it good. The fact is, that line rarely got the edges sealed and rarely created clean lanes for the runner. That's why Barry had to run backwards. He couldn't run north because the holes weren't there. So he'd have to create his own lanes. When you have a back making plays like that, it makes that offensive line look good when their really not. That's why their quarterbacks got sacked routinely. Barry carried that Lions team for 10 years. Few other players can run that well when you have no passing game and everyone knows what your gameplan is. Honestly, if the Lions weren't so bad, Barry might've kept playing.

He had a good OL and a good WR. What else? Out of the RBs on the list, I'd say he had the worst team out of the few (actually not sure of Brown). He also managed to average 1500+ yards a season! That's remarkable, although that really can't be held to Walter and Jim Brown because of the shorter season. Oh, and I know you're not saying he wasn't great. I think he's the best, you don't. No worries.

Chutebox

Barry Sanders hands down the dude was amazing.

[QUOTE="Chutebox"][QUOTE="No_Hablo_Ingles"] His play was excellent, however, stats go against him and in order for people to say he is the best they often make excuses (yes, they are excuses) like the Lions were terrible, and he had an awful Offensive line.No_Hablo_Ingles

[QUOTE="No_Hablo_Ingles"][QUOTE="Chutebox"] they say he is the best because his play on the field. no RB has made plays like barry, and he did it consistently.Los9090

Pro bowls are meaningless. Barry Sanders made them look good, and the ex-Dlinemens being interviewed all say that their O-line was bad.

Pro bowls are meaningless. Barry Sanders made them look good, and the ex-Dlinemens being interviewed all say that their O-line was bad.

Darth_Revan_666

^This. Didn't Derek Anderson get into the pro bowl?

[QUOTE="Darth_Revan_666"]

Pro bowls are meaningless. Barry Sanders made them look good, and the ex-Dlinemens being interviewed all say that their O-line was bad.

Seabas989

^This. Didn't Derek Anderson get into the pro bowl?