Who are the top five NFL Running Backs of all time?

[WHipLAsh13]

Originally posted by: lcggotgame
Jim Brown
Walter Payton
Gale Sayers
OJ
Emmitt Smith

Barry Sanders...NOT!!!!

1) He quit on his team.
2) He couldn't block well.
3) Took alot of negative plays to try to hit a home run...like the dave kingman of football.
4) He got yanked on goal line plays.

OJ and Emitt have no place in the top 5.

OJ had 5 good years and 6 bad ones. Granted he had a 1800 and 2000 yard years but not top 5 material.
Emmitt is a great RB but he isn't Barry. If Barry had continued playing he would have easily beat Emitt in TD's and Yards. Plus Barry was a better receiver out of the backfield. Even with all those negative plays he still averaged almost a yard more per carry than Emmitt did. So on first down he may have lost 2 but on 2nd down he gained 12.

 

[dreman1970]

What's up John...........It's dre.........First off, Gale Sayers can NOT be put in the top 5.......He only played for 7 years........And he never had awesome stats in any year........Emmitt Smith has to be in the top 5.......He's the all time leading rusher.........It doesn't matter how good his offensive line is.........You still have to be a great talent to take advantage of it. ANd the bootom line is when the game was on the line, who did the Cowboys go to?? Irvin?? Harper??? No.....EMMITT. Perfect example.... January 2, 1994....Giants Stadium.......NFC East title on the line......Emmitt ran his ass off with a SEPARATED shoulder......That's greatness......Emmitt won a damn rushing title after missing the first two games of the season........There have been PLENTY of teams that had great offensive lines, and there running backs didn't do as well........And Emmitt didn't have the herky jerky moves of Barry......He ran in between the tackles.....Jim Brown was clearly the best, but Emmitt is DEFINITELY in the top 5. Oh, and what Thorpe did outside of football is absolutely irrelevant to this topic.

 

[Chaotic42]

Payton
Sanders
Harris
Smith
Dickerson

 

[mcurphy]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish
Where's Bo Jackson??

He was AWESOME. Too bad his career ended early, but his talent defintely puts him in the top ten. Better than Marcus Allen and Emmit Smith IMHO. Probably better than a few others on the given list, but I'm not familiar with some of the older guys.

 

[lcggotgame]

OJ...you have some good points.

Barry Sanders is for the sportcenter fan who likes the highlight reel plays. Excellent back top ten material, but not top 5. You have to have the all time leading rusher in the top 5. I don't know of Barry Bonds/A-Rod, Gretzky/ Lemieux, Jordan/Bryant getting yanked in key situations.

The old if barry kept playing, he would have the record is fine but if grandma had balls, she'd be grandpa. The bottom line is we have to evaluate the effort & stats when they played.

All time leading rusher = Emmitt Smith.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: EXman

Originally posted by: Wooglin

Originally posted by: slag

Originally posted by: WHipLAsh13
One of the guy here at work say Emmitt is in the top 5. I definately think he makes top 10 but disagree with the top 5. What do you think?

You forgot Christian Okoye.

😀

he owned in tecmo bowl!

so did otis anderson but who the freak is he?

Don't forget Tom Rathman! Slow as hell, but he could run through anything.

 

[kranky]

Jim Brown dominated like no one else. He was nearly unstoppable. He got my vote. I put Payton next, then Thorpe.