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Sanders was an explosive back, and sooner or later you knew that he would break a big one on you.
Yet for consistency and production game in and game out, I would go with Walter Payton.
I am a Packer fan from Wisconsin, so endorsing a Bear for best ever is no easy task.
It was torture watching Payton light up the Pack----but indeed he was the best I have ever seen---a joy to watch----and never stopped grinding until the play was over.
No---not a Bears fan----but indeed a huge Walter Payton admirer----RIP.
i like payton,,my number 2..... he has a son playing the game same name jr..... irony so does saunder !!! same name jr.
Both Sanders and Payton suffered on average teams for most of their years but they were the two best. I hope Purple Jesus gets healthy and back to tearing it up to see where he finishes.
Say what you want, but if we are talking about Sanders vs. Smith the winner is Sanders hands down. Played on a number of mediocre to bad Lions teams. Roughly 1,400 less rushing attempts than Smith. Both had a very similar attempts/game and Sanders had a higher avg carry and avg total per game.
I wouldn't say hands down..
In the Playoffs, when you are playing the BEST TEAMS...
Emmitt had a higher avg carry and higher avg total per game.
Of the backs I've seen, Payton is clearly the best although I do remember seeing Sayers as well and the only reason I wouldn't put him ahead of Payton would be the durability factor. Sayers was a ninja sword compared to Payton's battle-axe. However, the statistics and historical accolades would indicate that Jim Brown was a cut above all of them.
who then??? don't say smith. did you see his line.... 2 all pro at all times.....
I dont know man, Id say Jim Brown. Sanders was probably the best pure speed back who ever played the game, but Jim Brown was just a man amongst boys. This guy was linebacker size, and STILL ended his career with a 5.2 YPC, and posting an insane 6.4 ypc 1963. Brown could outrun you, and just as easily plow you over. I think, Adrian Peterson is probably the closest thing we have ever seen since, that had Browns pure size/speed/strength combination, and he isnt even as bulky as Brown.
He played for 9 years, made the pro bowl every year, and all pro 8 times, led the league in rushing 8 out of 9 seasons, rushing TDs 5 seasons, yards from scrimmage 6 seasons, and even added 262 catches and 20 Tds receiving over his career.
I think second is Sanders. Third, Id probably give that to OJ Simpson.
Sanders never once led the NFL in carries, but led in yards 4 of his ten seasons and only fell below 4.5 ypc 2 of his 10. Simpson did lead in carries 3 times, but also yards 4 of his 11 years and 4 of the 5 years he carried the ball at least 200 times.
Im not a big fan of Emmitt either (or Walter Payton for that matter), and I think Tomlinson is actually a very similiar back to them. They were all pretty good receivers, none had game breaking speed at any point, all had the uncanny ability to stay healthy even under tremendous carry per game loads, and were every down backs who were going to get you that goal line score.
All three had a few spectaculiar years, but mostly just racked up their numbers by staying healthy and getting carries, and having no fall off in their ability over a decade. Even Walter Payton only led the NFL one time in yards dispite leading 4 years in carries. I dont think anything any of them did was particuliarly special, and could be done by any average back given the same carries and longetivity. To me, just staying healthy should not make you some great player.
I'm ashamed to admit I had forgotten about Campbell. You're right though he was awesome for a few years there. While most of the other backs that have been mentioned were slashers or speedsters, Campbell was just a flat out bruiser. Guy was tough to tackle, the perfect 'up the gut" runner.
Campbell is probably one of the least deserving members of the HOF in history. He is in the hall completely on what he did in 3 years, which accounted for half or more of everything he ever did.
That said, its no shame in forgetting that though. Most people have probably already forgotten about Herman Moore, who caught 343 passes for over 4000 yards 95-97, or Priest Holmes, 2001-2003, where he ran for 4590 yds and scored 56 TDs for about 4.8 yds a carry, which wasnt that far off Campbell 5081 yds, 45 tds and 4.9 yards a carry. Neither of them probably will ever end up in the HOF.
They had two different styles of running. It wouldn't have matter if Barry Sanders had All Pro Lineman or not, he was still going to run around the end.. that was his style.. Emmitt was gonna run up the middle, that was his style. Every fan is going to have their favorite and I get that but to claim that one (emmitt or barry) is sooo much better than the other is absurd. Fans of the Cowboys will say Emmitt was better and fans of the Lions will say Barry was better. Fans of other teams will say Barry was better but lets face it, if you don't love the Cowboys you hate them.. so take that for what its worth.
The difference is that one was an electric once in a decade back, the other had nothing special about him outside of being able to stay healthy.
Anybody could have been Emmitt Smith, while nobody could be Barry Sanders. Thats why everyone says Barry was better.
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