The Legacy of 'Boys RB's.

[Texas_OutLaw7]

I have argued in the past that not only is Smith not the best RB ever, but that he wasn't even the best to ever don the Star. Gil Brandt agrees.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d829ef5e8/article/top-10-running-backs-ever-what-is-ladainian-tomlinsons-rank?module=HP11_cp

However, I think it should be noted that Smith was the most accomplished back of all time. And frankly, I don't think his records will be broken.

Interesting article. I don't agree with everything. But some nice input.
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In Redball I Trust!
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[CT Cowboy Fan]

Wow all great backs on this list but I think 10th is a little disrespectful for the All-Time leading rusher. He might not have been the flashiest, fastest or most powerfully back ever, but he was statistically the best. He was the model of consistency and consistency is gold in the NFL.
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[Texas_OutLaw7]

[htfryar]

I would rank the Top 5 as Walter Payton, Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith, Gale Sayers.
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[CT Cowboy Fan]

[plan9misfit]

[Texas_OutLaw7]

[TD-ES-JJ]

I think Smith is probably 3 or 4. He wasn't the flashiest or fastest, but he controlled games like no one else did.

Yeah, he racked up some trash yards for a trash team at the end of his career, but that doesn't take away from his greatness. I think we take longevity for granted, but when you look at the drop off that normally hits running backs in their late 20's/early 30's you have to take note of how he played through those years.

Bottom line is that he has more Super Bowl rings than all the guys ranked above him combined.
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[plan9misfit]

[Rtnldave]

Don't even have to read it. E. Smith IS THEE GREATEST RUNNING BACK OF ALL TIME!!!!!!!!! Not because of his records, not because of 3 superbowls in 4 years and not because it's hard to whistle with crackers in your mouth. He is the greatest because he played the position of Running Back in the NFL better than any other RB that existed and no one since.

He was a devastating blocker. Just go back and watch those BIG games. See how many times he knew how to pick up the blitz, where it was coming from and how to handle it.
He hit as hard as he got hit.

He was always a consistant threat as a reciever out of the backfield.
1992 NFC Championship game:
1. He caught a 5 yard pass from Aikman on 3rd and 15 or so. He broke 2 tackles and ran for a 1st.
2. In the same game he caught another 5 yard pass from Aikman and ran one in for a TD.

He did not have breakaway speed. To most backs in the league that would be a tough thing to overcome. It didn't make a differance in his case. He had unbelievable balance, he could shift directions on a dime, he had x-ray vision (practically), he could set up would-be tacklers in the open field so they came up with nothing but air. He was seeing the play before it even happend and, in his mind, was already adjusting to it. That's greatness in and of itself.

Simply put, he was the most complete RB to ever play the position. There wasn't 1 area of what that position demands that he did poorly: ruuning, blocking, catching, tackling even (on turnovers).

1. Emmitt Smith
2. Everyone else.

I can't think of any other RB that played all aspects of that position as well as Emmitt. That is why he is the best.

[DaBoys]

1 Jim Brown
2 Barry Sanders
3 Emmitt Smith
4 Eric Dickerson
5 Walter Payton
6 Curtis Martin
7 OJ Simpson
8 Earl Campbell
9 LaDainian Tomlinson
10 Tony Dorsett

With honorable Mention to Steven Jackson, Eddie George, Marshall Faulk, and Adrian Peterson
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[plan9misfit]

[GrassyKnoll]

The bottom line that all RBs have been measured by is career rushing yards. TDs would be a close second & in both categories Emmitt is number one. The rest is subjective & comes down to a matter of opinion. The stats prove him as the best of all time.

[plan9misfit]

[The_Slamman]

I've argued it many times... RBs must be judged by their era. It is unfair to players like Sanders, Smith, Dickerson, etc to be compared Jim Brown because the talent and talent pool they played against was far superior to Jim Brown's era. Until the South ended segregation at the collegiate level, the NFL was missing approximately 50-60% of the current, modern day talent pool. Hopefully, this will be a mind blowing thought for many of you...

Emmitt is the NFL's all time leading rusher. Now, imagine what Emmitt would have done IF he was the fastest player on the field every Sunday. If Emmitt would have played in Jim Brown's era, he would have been faster than nearly every opposing defender with limited exception. That's scary.


One more thing about Emmitt... he was great because he was IMO the most versatile running back ever. If you look at other great RBs, they have their thing. Dickerson had incredible speed. Campbell had incredible power. Sanders had other-worldly body control and speed to match. Emmitt and Walter Payton were RBs who could do all 3... outrun a defense, overpower defenders and still juke the hell out of somebody. Defenders almost never got a clean hit on Emmitt and he always fell forward for the extra yard. And, he understood game management as well as any RB I've ever seen. He didn't have many negative plays and converted more 3rd downs into first downs than any player in NFL history.
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Quote from May 7, 2013...