DMN JJT Blog: Emmitt Smith: Eight-man fronts don't stop good running backs

[WoodysGirl]

Emmitt Smith: Eight-man fronts don't stop good running backs

11:09 AM Fri, Oct 03, 2008 | Permalink
Jean-Jacques Taylor E-mail News tips
No running back in NFL history gained more yards than Emmitt Smith.

He rushed for 18,355 yards and will soon achieve football immortality, when he's inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Smith gained the bulk of his yards against eight-man fronts. So forgive him, if he isn't buying the Cowboys' company line about why Marion Barber only carried the ball eight times last week.

"We always believed the eighth man was my responsibility," Smith said. "I either had to make him miss or run him over."

So why did the Cowboys let the Commanders discourage them from running against an eight-man front?

"They didn't have the confidence or the commitment to the running game," Smith said. "They had a different agenda. They had an agenda to get T.O. the ball and make plays in the passing game, hence they throw him 18 passes and only make seven completions.
"I've never seen Michael Irvin have 18 passes thrown his way. Even when we played against eight in the box, we were committed to running the rock regardless. There was a commitment that I touch the ball 20 times a game running or receiving."


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[ZeroClub]

The man makes a good point.

 

[Canadian BoyzFan]

Look At Me......i Was The Best Running Back Ever.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Emmitt is right, you never let a defense dictate what you are going to do, that's foolish... Dallas needs to committ to running the football with MBIII and Felix Jones!

 

[TheCount]

Look At Me......i Was The Best Running Back Ever.

He's never said he was the best, but he was pretty damn good.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

Spot on Mr. Smith!

 

[DallasEast]

"I've never seen Michael Irvin have 18 passes thrown his way. Even when we played against eight in the box, we were committed to running the rock regardless.

Additionally, no one also never (or very very very rarely) saw Aikman throw Irvin 18 passes in a game because Irvin was one of the best possession receivers of all-time. Whenever Irvin had an opportunity to catch the ball, he caught it AND moved the chains. He made the catches count practically every single time, so there wasn't any need to throw to him to make up some sort of deficit in receptions. Drops were never really in Michael's vocabulary.

 

[big dog cowboy]

That may be the smartest thing I've ever heard Emmitt say.

 

[JeffInDC]

The man makes a good point.

Exactly. Sure, Barber may have kept running into a loaded pile at a clip of 3.25 for the first 8 carries. But, what generally happens when you pound a team long enough? They get tired. That's when you see the good backs bust through the 8 man front and start picking up huge chunks of yardage. Why? Because, once they finally break through that line, there is no one back there to stop them (see Emmitt's 62-yard TD romp in the rain against Philly as a classic example - once he got through the line, there was NOBODY back there to stop him).

 

[LeonDixson]

Exactly. Sure, Barber may have kept running into a loaded pile at a clip of 3.25 for the first 8 carries. But, what generally happens when you pound a team long enough? They get tired. That's when you see the good backs bust through the 8 man front and start picking up huge chunks of yardage. Why? Because, once they finally break through that line, there is no one back there to stop them (see Emmitt's 62-yard TD romp in the rain against Philly as a classic example - once he got through the line, there was NOBODY back there to stop him).

I have to believe that if 6 of those runs had been to the right and only 2 to the left instead of vice versa, that 3.25 clip would have been bigger.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

I believe we all realize that #22

 

[AKATheRake]

Look At Me......i Was The Best Running Back Ever.

That's the man who owns the greatest stats of all time at the RB position and has to be considered one of the best ever at the position. I'm tired of hearing about Emmitt only being as good as he was because of his line. You heard what made him great just there, his ability to gain yardage even against 8 man fronts. Watch a lot of his footage and see how he ran inside the tackles and then was able to find a way to find the open space at the LB and DB level. He always hit the right holes and found the ones that were evolving beyond the line. Watch this video and tell me on a lot of these plays that it was the line that got him that yardage. If anyone watched Emmitt run during his career they would know that he is definitely one of the greatest players ever, not just at the RB position. Emmitt was the best player on our SB teams for a long time, tell me who was better? Watch the link below, it'll show you what I'm talking about.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=ITpe-AIztco

 

[Canadian BoyzFan]

That's the man who owns the greatest stats of all time at the RB position and has to be considered one of the best ever at the position. I'm tired of hearing about Emmitt only being as good as he was because of his line. You heard what made him great just there, his ability to gain yardage even against 8 man fronts. Watch a lot of his footage and see how he ran inside the tackles and then was able to find a way to find the open space at the LB and DB level. He always hit the right holes and found the ones that were evolving beyond the line. Watch this video and tell me on a lot of these plays that it was the line that got him that yardage. If anyone watched Emmitt run during his career they would know that he is definitely one of the greatest players ever, not just at the RB position. Emmitt was the best player on our SB teams for a long time, tell me who was better? Watch the link below, it'll show you what I'm talking about.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=ITpe-AIztco

EZ there Francis.

I am just tired of ex Cowboys who all think they are experts on this club. Yes Emmitt was great, but until he signs up as a coach for the club, I could care less what he thinks about Garrett or Barber or TO.

 

[AKATheRake]

EZ there Francis.

I am just tired of ex Cowboys who all think they are experts on this club. Yes Emmitt was great, but until he signs up as a coach for the club, I could care less what he thinks about Garrett or Barber or TO.

The name Francis isn't necessary and Emmitt's job is to analyze and comment on games. Emmitt's been in this offense since the Ernie Zampese days and know's it as well as anyone. Believe me, Jerry wish he had Emmitt here full time working with players. Just to boot, Emmitt is dead on right here, no need to torch him on this one. Others yes, but not this one. The man payed his dues for this organization and continues to do so and was a huge reason for our 3 SB rings in the 90's. At the end of the game, even the other analysts said that Dallas has terrific skill position players but the biggest strength of this team now is the offensive line and we need to use that before all the other parts of this offense. I agree, there no way we shouldn't have at least 20 running plays a game, that means we're off balance and aren't closing out games.

 

[juck]

He is right especially having a legitimate beast of a RB in Barbs.We suck when Barber doesnt touch the rock.

 

[superpunk]

If that had been Irvin against Springs last sunday getting all those opportunities, Springs' butthole would still be sore.

 

[tyke1doe]

Look At Me......i Was The Best Running Back Ever.

If anyone can say that, Emmitt Smith can.

 

[BHendri5]

The game is constantly changing, it is not played like it was when Emmitt and Irvin were doing their thing, oh ES's last few years with the Cards he was not doing his thing, he was just trying to hang around and add yards.

 

[DaBoys4Life]

EZ there Francis.

I am just tired of ex Cowboys who all think they are experts on this club. Yes Emmitt was great, but until he signs up as a coach for the club, I could care less what he thinks about Garrett or Barber or TO.

blasphemy

 

[Mansta54]

Look At Me......i Was The Best Running Back Ever.

Ahh, dude if he wanted to say that, he could. He earned it on the field.