Dude's vision was second to none. Just amazing to watch.one of his niftier TDs
Yeah, for me it's your 7 best seasons.Is the greatest all time the RB one you'd want most in his prime for one season? Or is it a guy you want for his entire career most? I mean that's the real question. Other RBs have been more dominant when looking at it in terms of just one season. Emmitt tops the list because not only was he dominant but he carried it over the length of a long career for a RB.
I mean shit AP has been the most impressive back for the last decade but injuries have sort of prevented his career numbers from being off the chart.
Back when the Monday Night games were worth watching.one of his niftier TDs
Is there something more conclusive that determines someone else was better?Cant refute Emmitt is the legitimate record holder (ahem, Strahan), but does this record make Emmitt the greatest of all-time?
Well considering you can't get all of those yards by yourself so really just saying he is the best because he has the most yards is not really correct.Is there something more conclusive that determines someone else was better?
To make any kind of analysis as to ancillary benefit being weighted toward Smith I believe you would have to glean the running backs you felt was as good or better than Smith then evaluate each offensive line as a comparative to Smith's OLs. I am not willing to take on that task. I will just accept that in the long run it all evened out and Smith cranked out a superior number for his career benchmark. That's the one in the record book so it is official enough for me. The rest of the story for others is woulda, coulda, shoulda as a legacy.Well considering you can't get all of those yards by yourself so really just saying he is the best because he has the most yards is not really correct.
I don't think he was the best but I do think he was better than Barry.
It's just a debate that will never end. No right answers. Just opinions.
If that's the case, then Paul Krause is the best DB of all time. Followed closely by Emlen Tunnell. Because, you know, they are the all time leaders in INTs.To make any kind of analysis as to ancillary benefit being weighted toward Smith I believe you would have to glean the running backs you felt was as good or better than Smith then evaluate each offensive line as a comparative to Smith's OLs. I am not willing to take on that task. I will just accept that in the long run it all evened out and Smith cranked out a superior number for his career benchmark. That's the one in the record book so it is official enough for me. The rest of the story for others is woulda, coulda, shoulda as a legacy.
Cant refute Emmitt is the legitimate record holder (ahem, Strahan), but does this record make Emmitt the greatest of all-time?
Exactly.LaDainian Tomlinson and Barry Sanders delivered two (2) playoff 100 yard rushing games...combined. Fucking combined! Speculate that they would've blown up with Dallas OL all you want, but it's still speculation.
Since you asked...yeah, there's a better stat than career rushing yardage. Otherwise, Bettis is #6 of all time? This stat over-credits quantity with the Bettis-types that put up several seasons of above-average, but not All-Pro, quality. It's a convenient stat, for sure, but very flawed. On the flipside, my work here will provide you, [MENTION=11]L.T. Fan[/MENTION], a better guide (still not perfect by any means).Is there something more conclusive that determines someone else was better?
Player | Total Yards | YPC | Avg Yards/Season |
Barry | 11,498 | 5.11 | 1,643 |
Dickerson | 11,226 | 4.58 | 1,604 |
Payton | 10,968 | 4.66 | 1,567 |
LT | 10,650 | 4.50 | 1,521 |
Emmitt | 10,467 | 4.47 | 1,495 |
Jim Brown | 10,374 | 5.38 | 1,482 |
AP | 10,217 | 4.99 | 1,460 |
Edgerrin | 9,956 | 4.11 | 1,422 |
C Martin | 9,916 | 4.12 | 1,417 |
Bettis | 9,214 | 4.22 | 1,316 |
Portis | 9,202 | 4.48 | 1,315 |
Dillon | 9,155 | 4.42 | 1,308 |
OJ | 9,138 | 4.87 | 1,305 |
F Taylor | 9,080 | 4.77 | 1,297 |
Dorsett | 9,080 | 4.42 | 1,297 |
Campbell | 9,080 | 4.38 | 1,277 |
Thurman | 8,876 | 4.24 | 1,268 |
Faulk | 8,855 | 4.52 | 1,265 |
E George | 8,844 | 3.70 | 1,263 |
Player | Total Yards | YPC | Avg Yards/Season |
Dickerson | 8,704 | 4.64 | 1,741 |
Barry | 8,537 | 5.24 | 1,707 |
Payton | 8,157 | 4.72 | 1,631 |
LT | 8,079 | 4.79 | 1,616 |
AP | 7,981 | 5.12 | 1,596 |
Emmitt | 7,932 | 4.59 | 1,586 |
Brown | 7,788 | 5.48 | 1,558 |
Campbell | 7,758 | 4.49 | 1,552 |
OJ | 7,699 | 5.09 | 1,540 |
Edgerrin | 7,575 | 4.30 | 1,515 |
C Martin | 7,469 | 4.24 | 1,494 |
Portis | 7,417 | 4.64 | 1,483 |
Bettis | 7,051 | 4.25 | 1,410 |
T Barber | 6,987 | 4.74 | 1,397 |
Chris Jnson | 6,918 | 4.67 | 1,384 |
C Dillon | 6,896 | 4.37 | 1,379 |
E George | 6,874 | 3.90 | 1,375 |
Jamal Lws | 6,872 | 4.45 | 1,374 |
Ahman Grn | 6,848 | 4.67 | 1,370 |
Dorsett | 6,788 | 4.44 | 1,358 |
I agree and he isn't my all time favorite player. He was a lot more than just ypc or total rushing yards.There's an argument to be had whether he is the greatest or not, but the idea that he is 16th or even 10th best is ridiculous. He's my all time favorite player so I may be a biased, but he is #1 for me.
This is an interesting approach and I think produces results more in line with what my feelings are about the top backs all time. I also note that it doesn't take into account YPC yet and that might hurt Emmitt more because his was generally low or average compared to other top backs. It also doesn't take into account his boost from playing with the league's best OL but I'm not sure that's measurable. Of course, neither are the other intangibles, like blocking, playing hurt, and WINNING that Emmitt has.Since you asked...yeah, there's a better stat than career rushing yardage. Otherwise, Bettis is #6 of all time? This stat over-credits quantity with the Bettis-types that put up several seasons of above-average, but not All-Pro, quality. It's a convenient stat, for sure, but very flawed. On the flipside, my work here will provide you, [MENTION=11]L.T. Fan[/MENTION], a better guide (still not perfect by any means).
For starters, here's your Top 10 for career rushing yardage:
1. Emmitt
2. Walter
3. Barry
4. Curtis Martin
5. LT
6. Bettis
7. Dickerson
8. Frank Gore
9. Dorsett
10. Jim Brown
11. Marshall Faulk
12. Edgerrin James
13. Marcus Allen
14. Franco Harris
15. Thurman
16. Adrian Peterson
17. Fred Taylor
18. Steven Jackson
19. John Riggins
20. Corey Dillon
21. OJ Simpson
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In my list below, I calculated the stats of a player's top 7 seasons and top 5 seasons. Below is a list of the total rushing yards for a player's top 7 seasons. When you're discussing GOAT, you want to discuss a player's prime and dominance. Who cares about Emmitt's Cardinals years or Dorsett as a Bronco? As a result, I also provide an average-total-per-season (of their top 5 or 7 seasons) to understand context easier.
NOTE: This stat does a disservice to the receiving backs like Faulk, Thurman, Marcus Allen and LT.
NOTE: This stat does a disservice to older RBs when 14 games/season.
NOTE: This stat favors RBs with high carries. Haven't figured out how to balance it out with YPC.
TOP 7 SEASONS
Player Total Yards YPC Avg Yards/Season Barry 11,498 5.11 1,643 Dickerson 11,226 4.58 1,604 Payton 10,968 4.66 1,567 LT 10,650 4.50 1,521 Emmitt 10,467 4.47 1,495 Jim Brown 10,374 5.38 1,482 AP 10,217 4.99 1,460 Edgerrin 9,956 4.11 1,422 C Martin 9,916 4.12 1,417 Bettis 9,214 4.22 1,316 Portis 9,202 4.48 1,315 Dillon 9,155 4.42 1,308 OJ 9,138 4.87 1,305 F Taylor 9,080 4.77 1,297 Dorsett 9,080 4.42 1,297 Campbell 9,080 4.38 1,277 Thurman 8,876 4.24 1,268 Faulk 8,855 4.52 1,265 E George 8,844 3.70 1,263
Dudes with remarkably higher YPC are Barry, Jim Brown, AP, OJ and Fred Taylor, indicating they should go up the GOAT list when I weight this scale with YPC.
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TOP 5 SEASONS
Player Total Yards YPC Avg Yards/Season Dickerson 8,704 4.64 1,741 Barry 8,537 5.24 1,707 Payton 8,157 4.72 1,631 LT 8,079 4.79 1,616 AP 7,981 5.12 1,596 Emmitt 7,932 4.59 1,586 Brown 7,788 5.48 1,558 Campbell 7,758 4.49 1,552 OJ 7,699 5.09 1,540 Edgerrin 7,575 4.30 1,515 C Martin 7,469 4.24 1,494 Portis 7,417 4.64 1,483 Bettis 7,051 4.25 1,410 T Barber 6,987 4.74 1,397 Chris Jnson 6,918 4.67 1,384 C Dillon 6,896 4.37 1,379 E George 6,874 3.90 1,375 Jamal Lws 6,872 4.45 1,374 Ahman Grn 6,848 4.67 1,370 Dorsett 6,788 4.44 1,358
NOTE: Terrell would've been above Bettis with 7,114 yards (4.71 YPC, 1422 avg yards/season). FYI, Jamaal Charles isn't Top 20 with 6,416 total rushing yards.
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Considering the 5/7 Season stats from above and factoring in YPC, 14 games/season, the Top 10 should be something like:
Top Tier: Barry, Payton, Dickerson, Jim Brown
Next Tier: LT, AP, OJ, Emmitt
3rd Tier: Edgerrin, Curtis Martin
Personally, I still believe Barry > Emmitt, but Emmitt inarguably is Top 10 RB all time. The 5/7 Season Stats support this. However, factor in Emmitt's incredible delivery in the playoffs (which I laud previously), which is second-to-none, and Emmitt's in the Top 5.
Which RB do you think is misrepresented by the YPC stat? Which YPC stat do you think is misleading?YPC is a nearly useless stat for running backs, especially without context.