Better RB Emmitt or Barry

[Screw The Hall]

I could write a book on this ... but I'll try not to.

Give me Emmitt every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

Just a couple quick reasons why ...


... All of the intangibles go to Emmitt. He was a locker room leader and the engine that fueled 3 Superbowl titles. I can't think of a player considered to be one of the all-time greats that was less of a leader than Barry. I always thought he almost got to much credit for being unassuming and proper. He needed to be a presence for that football team ... and he definitely wasn't.

... Barry Sanders led the NFL many years in negative carries ... those are drive killers. Exactly what your running game is supposed to avoid. Emmitt was the prototype for what championship caliber teams want their running backs to do, extend the drive ... extend the drive ... extend the drive ... then score.
Which leads me to the next and possibly biggest point.

... the red zone is where RBs earn their paychecks. Emmitt was as good as there ever was at sealing the deal for his football team. There were many times during his career Barry wasn't even in the football game when it was time to score. Imagine that ... the most important time of the game and a coach doesn't think his best football player can help him win.

... that Detroit team was much better talent wise than they were given credit for and that includes the offensive line. Every year but 2 of Sander's career an OLineman went to the pro bowl. One year 2 went.

... I remember hearing John Madden talk about whether he believes a great running back makes a great offensive line or visa versa. He said that most of the time he believes a great running back makes a great offensive line not the other way around. I tend to agree with him.

I get sick of hearing people say that Emmitt was as good as he was because of his OL. The OL was great ... Emmitt was greater.

Think about this ... Nate Newton and Mark Tuinei played a combined 11 years between them before Emmitt took the field as a rookie in 1990 with nary a probowl between them.

Enter Emmitt an 8 combined probowls later they are considered two of the best to ever lace them up at their positions for the Cowboys.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

neither

Jim Brown

 

[NextGenBoys]

Everyone will vote Emmitt, and go into long posts trying to prove their claim. Most posters on this board have a fairly good knowledge of football so Im not going to go in depth, I'll just keep it simple.

Better runner - Barry
Better BACK - Emmitt

 

[Rampage]

Everyone will vote Emmitt, and go into long posts trying to prove their claim. Most posters on this board have a fairly good knowledge of football so Im not going to go in depth, I'll just keep it simple.

Better runner - Barry
Better BACK - Emmitt

 

[Thomas82]

Once again, here are my thoughts on the subject, the same things I have been saying over and over for years:

Emmitt never did/still doesn't get the respect or credit that he deserves for the career he had? I had a discussion with a friend today and we both thought it was sad that a lot of people (media) don't even put Emmitt in their top 5. Some have him in the bottom half of their top 10.

Here are my thoughts:

First of all, I believe the Cowboys offensive line of the 90s got too much credit for the career Emmitt had, and it seems to me that he made that line look better than what it was. I say that because the first 2 years he made the Pro-Bowl, NONE of his linemen made it, or when he won his first rushing title none of his linemen made it. As a matter of fact, in his rookie year, Emmitt was the ONLY Cowboy to make the Pro Bowl. Jimmy Johnson and Nate Newton both admitted that there were several times when the line wasn't blocking well that Emmitt bailed them out. I will say that those linemen do deserve credit for stepping their games up, but Emmitt was a major factor in the way they were perceived, along with the coaches, and Moose.

The thing that kills me about the whole thing is the ridiculous misconception that the line had 5 garunteed Hall Of Famers, ANYBODY could run behind that line and get 1000 yards, Barry Sanders would get 2000 yards every year. There are a lot of people who think the line from that era is the best in NFL history. The thing about it is 3/5 of that line was there years before Emmitt got there. Jim Erkenbeck couldn't do much with them, and they were considered mediocre linemen. I'm talking about Nate Newton, Mark Tuinei, and Kevin Gogan. All 3 were there when Tony Dorsett was still on the team. Tuinei was there when TD was still IN HIS PRIME!!! He came to the team in 1983 as a DT, then got converted. Newton came in 1986, and Gogan the year after.

I just have one question: If that line was as good as everybody made them out to be, why couldn't Emmitt's back-ups come in and put up the same production whenever he wasn't in the game? They had to run behind that same line, and they got their chances to produce when Emmitt was either getting a breather, or when he was hurt and couldn't get it done.

Nate Newton even said himself that before Emmitt showed up, they were all just a bunch of fat guys but after Emmitt showed up, they were All-Pros.. it was his way of saying that Emmitt made them look really good. Jimmy Johnson has even come out and said that the O-Line gets way too much credit for Emmitt's success and that Emmitt made them look a lot better.

I wish people would get it in their heads that Emmitt was a very very special back.. He really made it look too easy and people took it for granted.. There is a reason that the Cowboys could never win a game without him in the 90s.. they won without Aikman and they won without Irvin, but they could never win without Emmitt.. the offense was completely different when Emmitt wasn't in there.. I'm not taking anything away from all these other guys, I'm just saying that Emmitt was very very special.

I think the things that are said about Emmitt and that offensive line are better suited for Terrell Davis. How else could you explain Denver having a 1000 yard rusher in 10 out of the past 11 seasons? In that span they had 5 DIFFERENT backs go over 1000 (Terrell Davis, Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson, Clinton Portis, Reuben Droughns). Whenever Terell Davis didn't play, the Broncos running game actually didn't miss a beat. That makes you wonder whether it was the offensive line or the system. I believe it was both. How else could Mike Anderson come in from the Marines and rush for almost 1500 as a rookie?

I also don't believe that the Lions line gets enough credit for what Barry Sanders did. Last time I checked, football was still a team sport. Barry didn't do all of that on his own, that line had to do SOMETHING right for him to get all those yards. In the years he won his rushing titles, Barry always had at least 1 of his linemen to make the Pro Bowl. People act like the offensive line wasn't there at all, like the offense was in skeleton and the defense had their full 11 players. ALL running backs look the same with no offensive line, even the best ones would look average. I don't care whether the RB is Jim Brown, Walter Payton, or whoever, if you don't have a line to block for you, you are going nowhere, PERIOD.

One last thing, Emmitt actually could have been a better back than what he was. Early in his career, he basically did nothing in the offseason, and Joe Broadsky said over and over that Emmitt had an average work ethic for a great player. Barry Switzer even called him out, saying that he needed to hit the weight room if he wanted to catch Walter Payton. He could have even dominated late in his career if the o-line had played better.

 

[WV Cowboy]

I'd keep/prefer Emmitt (mainly due to blocking and goal line skills), but Barry would have done everything in Dallas and more. For one thing, he wouldn't have been caught from behind at the Meadowlands in December 1993. Emmitt was, resulting in a separated shoulder.

You probably are right, .. he wouldn't have been caught from behind because he probably would have still been dancing around in the backfield, running backwards, looking for some wide open lane.

The Lions took him out on goalline and short yardage so how could he have done everything Emmitt did, and more?

He would have ruined our OL. Those guys were roadgraders, and they would have been worn out by the middle of the 3rd qtr from chasing BS around looking for someone to block.

BS was an awesome RB, just looking at his stats prove this, but face it, he would not have been a good fit in Dallas with the makeup or our OLine.

 

[Doomsday101]

You probably are right, .. he wouldn't have been caught from beind because he probably would have still been dancing around in the backfield, running backwards, looking for some wide open lane.

The Lions took him out on goalline and short yardage so how could he have done everyting Emmitt did, and more?

He would have ruined our OL. Those guys were roadgraders, and they would have been worn out by the middle of the 3rd qtr from chasing BS around looking for someone to block.

BS was an awesome RB, just looking at his stats prove this, but face it, he would not have been a good fit in Dallas with the makeup or our OLine.

I'm not so sure, Sanders tended to try and make every run a big run and when your trying to pick up 2 or 3 yards for a 1st down you don't have time to dance around looking to bust a long one. I'll agree with anyone who claims Sanders as the best pure runner but he was not the kind of runner who could grind out the yards that needs to be done to win football games.

 

[WV Cowboy]

I'm not so sure, Sanders tended to try and make every run a big run and when your trying to pick up 2 or 3 yards for a 1st down you don't have time to dance around looking to bust a long one. I'll agree with anyone who claims Sanders as the best pure runner but he was not the kind of runner who could grind out the yards that needs to be done to win football games.

Read my post again, I think I was saying the same thing.

You are just used to disagreeing with whatever I say. :laugh2:

 

[Doomsday101]

Read my post again, I think I was saying the same thing.

You are just used to disagreeing with whatever I say. :laugh2:

My mistake it was intended for bbgun or pellet rifle what ever you want to call him. :laugh2:

 

[jimmy40]

Barry was a better running back... Emmitt was a better all-around back.

Personally I think there were several backs superior to Emmitt in running the football from Jim Brown, to Eric Dickerson to Tony D. But when you combine:

1. Ability to run the football
2. Ability to receive the football
3. Blocking
4. Durability
5. Willingness to fit within the gameplan of the team

I think Emmitt is #1.

All that considered Walter is obviously the best ever.

 

[WV Cowboy]

All that considered Walter is obviously the best ever.

Nothing is obvious, it probably can't even be measured.

Everyone has their own opinion, and that will never change.

 

[YosemiteSam]

All that considered Walter is obviously the best ever.

I'm with you on this one. Sweetness was just that.

 

[NickZepp]

Dallas had better teams so of course they will have more all pro players. Detroit had talent on the line. But Barry never followed blocks which led to some more break downs on the offensive line. Emmitt always followed his blocks and used his vision. He also was a fit back that knew how to play the game.

That being said Barry is probably the most exciting running back ever, but he was all about trying to avoid hits. Which led him to lose more yards then he probably would have gained. Emmitt was a better blocker, better reciever(Barry wasn't bad either) and had a better team around him, but both guys were the center piece of their teams.

 

[WV Cowboy]

Some of you young guys that are so enamored with Barry Sanders need to watch some films of OJ Simpson and Gale Sayers.

Especially Sayers.

 

[bbgun]

You probably are right, .. he wouldn't have been caught from behind because he probably would have still been dancing around in the backfield, running backwards, looking for some wide open lane.

The Lions took him out on goalline and short yardage so how could he have done everything Emmitt did, and more?

He would have ruined our OL. Those guys were roadgraders, and they would have been worn out by the middle of the 3rd qtr from chasing BS around looking for someone to block.

BS was an awesome RB, just looking at his stats prove this, but face it, he would not have been a good fit in Dallas with the makeup or our OLine.

You're insane. BS wouldn't have benefited from multiple pro bowl linemen who opened up gaping holes? He danced around in Detroit 'cause he had to dance around. Just like some QBs have to run for their lives. That wouldn't have been a problem for him in Big D. And since I already said I'd take Emmitt anyway, why are you picking such a senseless fight? Because I dared to compliment BS in some way? Grow up.

 

[WV Cowboy]

You're insane. BS wouldn't have benefited from multiple pro bowl linemen who opened up gaping holes? He danced around in Detroit 'cause he had to dance around. Just like some QBs have to run for their lives. That wouldn't have been a problem for him in Big D. And since I already said I'd take Emmitt anyway, why are you picking such a senseless fight? Because I dared to compliment BS in some way? Grow up.

Grow up ???
Wow, .. do you even read your posts before clicking "Submit reply" ?

First, I'm not picking any fight, just posting my opinion. To pick a fight I would have to care about what you thought. I don't.

Second, I complimented BS so I have no problem with you doing that.

Third, he would have danced in Dallas because that is just what BS did, that's why everyone loved to watch him run. That's what set him apart. Suprised you never noticed that.

He danced in Detroit, he danced at Oklahoma St. and he would have danced here in Dallas.

And just to set you straight, every hole that Emmitt ran through was not "gaping", as you seem to insinuate.

And as for your "grow up" suggestion, .. no thanks Billy :laugh2:

 

[YosemiteSam]

I'll take Lincoln Coleman on an icy domed shaped astro turf for 300.

 

[rgcowboys]

Mr. Smith was also the regular season MVP, the same year he was the Superbowl MVP. Emmitt was a complete back, Barry was a better runner. The funny thing is that people think Sanders was faster, but he got walked down from behind, alot more then Emmitt did. If I owned a team I wouldn't complain which guy I had.

 

[bbgun]

Third, he would have danced in Dallas because that is just what BS did, that's why everyone loved to watch him run. That's what set him apart. Suprised you never noticed that.

He danced in Detroit, he danced at Oklahoma St. and he would have danced here in Dallas.

If by "dance" you mean "cut back and hit the hole," then yes, he was a master at that.

And just to set you straight, every hole that Emmitt ran through was not "gaping", as you seem to insinuate.

He certainly saw more of them than BS did, which is why Barry would have thrived in Dallas.

 

[WV Cowboy]

If by "dance" you mean "cut back and hit the hole," then yes, he was a master at that.

Ah Yes, the ol' "cut back and hit the hole" dance, .. that was one of his "dances", but he had others too.

He had the "juke left, juke right", go down for a 1 yd loss.

And the ever-famous "juke left, juke right, spin around" and go down for a 3 yd loss.

It probably comes from the teams I played on and the coaches I played for, or the RB's I grew up watching .. but Barry Sanders would be a little ways down on my list of RB's.

But that's just me.