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GOAT RB - Vilma tweet

  1. Jim Brown
  2. Barry Sanders
  3. Walter Payton
  4. Emmitt Smith
  5. LaDainian Tomlinson
  6. Eric ****erson
  7. Bo Jackson
  8. Gale Sayers
  9. Frank Gore
  10. Curtis Martin
 
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I was always intrigued by the Barry Sanders-Emmitt Smith argument. Barry definitely had some unbelievable ability to cut and change direction like few ever. However, as a better overall running back I would go with Emmitt. He was a much better pass blocker.
Also if I needed some tough yards it would be Emmitt by a mile.
 
Don't need to "prove" anything, fella.

I watched the Bears play in the 80s with those 2 on the OL.

If you want more info, than YOU do the work.

theibisrules said:
I'd like to see how long he played behind those guys? Provide some stats with your logic please sir.
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77cane said:
I was always intrigued by the Barry Sanders-Emmitt Smith argument. Barry definitely had some unbelievable ability to cut and change direction like few ever. However, as a better overall running back I would go with Emmitt. He was a much better pass blocker.
Also if I needed some tough yards it would be Emmitt by a mile.
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You have tremendous observation bias on this. Emmitt played behind what is widely agreed to be one of the best OL's in NFL history. Barry did not.

Put Barry on the Cowboys and Emmitt on the Lions and Barry has 20,000 rushing yards in 10 seasons and Emmitt is an afterthought.
 
GuptaKnows said:
Barry Sanders is the best RB ever. He could play in any era and be considered the best RB every year. A lot of the people being listed would struggle to replicate their production with the athletes in modern day football. Barry is one of the few that would still make today's players look silly trying to tackle him.
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caneallday21 said:
And better as a receiver then 100% of the backs too. Linebackers had no chance
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This is another example of observation bias. Faulk was in a system that threw to the RB. Most of these guys were not. You cannot judge the pass-catching ability of RB's that were not asked to catch passes regularly.
 
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CashMoneyCane said:
You have tremendous observation bias on this. Emmitt played behind what is widely agreed to be one of the best OL's in NFL history. Barry did not.

Put Barry on the Cowboys and Emmitt on the Lions and Barry has 20,000 rushing yards in 10 seasons and Emmitt is an afterthought.
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Yep, Barry Sanders is dodging guys in the backfield and Emmitt doesn't get touched until he's 5 yards downfield
 
Hard to say because I didn’t get a chance to watch everyone listed. In my lifetime (born in 81) hands down Barry Sanders. He had the most exciting 2 yard loss runs I ever seen and those were his bad plays and not on highlights reels. Thanksgiving day has never been the same for me since he retired.
 
The comparison of Barry and Emmitt is this simple... would Emmitt have done what he did if he hadn't ran behind one of the league's best o-lines year in and year out? Maybe, but I doubt it. Whereas, can you freakin imagine what Barry might have achieved if he had an o-line to run behind like that?!? The Lions never once gave him an o-line that was even mediocre. Almost every Barry highlight involves him having to juke and weave his way past defenders that are already in the backfield.
 
Halcyon Daze said:
My top 5 in no particular order.....

Jim Brown
Walter Payton
Barry Sanders
Earl Campbell
O.J. Simpson... (say what you want about his non-football life transgressions, but rushing for over 2,000 yards in a 14 game season is an unbelievable football accomplishment)
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A great group there. Earl was a monster loved watching him. Barry would be my GOAT.
 
CashMoneyCane said:
This is another example of observation bias. Faulk was in a system that threw to the RB. Most of these guys were not. You cannot judge the pass-catching ability of RB's that were not asked to catch passes regularly.
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Except Faulk split out at wr a ton and ran routes. He didn't just run 5 yard outs and just got open out of the backfield he was winning 1 on 1s weekly
 
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