Dorsett-The Forgotten RB

[GimmeTheBall!]

I loved this guy. I think he gets overlooked because of Emmitts greatness. I hope Demarco can turn into our next great one. This vid is sweet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nhyc1AB2N0

[youtube]4nhyc1AB2N0[/youtube]

Not forgotten by any means.

 

[ilovejerry]

Dorsett wanted out of Dallas. He was never that happy with his workload anyway. I think Walker would haven't gotten more carries and was a more versatile back but he didn't really beat him out. Teams didn't often carry two backs like TD and Walker on the same team anyway.

although Dorsett was unhappy with his workload he later thanked Landry for not overusing him.

 

[ilovejerry]

No one who saw Dorsett play has forgotten him. Only the "what have you done for me lately" crowd.

Bravo. couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[KJJ]

Dorsett wanted out of Dallas. He was never that happy with his workload anyway. I think Walker would haven't gotten more carries and was a more versatile back but he didn't really beat him out. Teams didn't often carry two backs like TD and Walker on the same team anyway.

He wanted out of Dallas after Walker showed up. Dorsett never officially got beat out by Walker as in being benched but you could see a changing of the guard was talking place at RB in 87. Dorsett only received 130 carries in 87 compared to 209 for Walker. Dorsett only had 19 receptions that season compared to 60 for Walker. Dorsett clearly wasn't happy with his diminishing role which led to him being traded the following season.

 

[landroverking]

Different times, what would TD have done behind the O-Line of the 90s, and how would E-22 fit the Landry O? I for one don't think Emmitt would have done well in the 70's and 80's

 

[joseephuss]

Different times, what would TD have done behind the O-Line of the 90s, and how would E-22 fit the Landry O? I for one don't think Emmitt would have done well in the 70's and 80's

That is ridiculous. Emmitt would have been just fine playing in the 70's and 80's.

Both guys were great and would have been so in just about any situation you put them in. It certainly helped that both backs played with great teams, but they would have been great backs even on bad teams. They would have been diamonds surrounded by trash.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Great analogy and I agree with some of the others, TD is HARDLY forgotten.

33

Yeah who forgets him?

He had some fumbleitis at times but without him, no SB XII

 

[KJJ]

Different times, what would TD have done behind the O-Line of the 90s, and how would E-22 fit the Landry O? I for one don't think Emmitt would have done well in the 70's and 80's

To say Emmitt wouldn't have done well in the 70's and 80's is absurd. That's one of the most ridiculous comments I've ever read. The game wasn't any different in the 70's and 80's than it was during Emmitt's prime in the early to mid 90's. Teams were winning with running games and great defense in the 70's, 80's and 90's. Emmitt would have fit any offense during the 70's and 80's especially Landry's offense that had the same components Jimmy's offense had a great QB, 2 terrific WR's an outstanding TE and a great OL. Landry rode Walker in 1988 giving him 361 carries. Dorsett never received that many carries for Landry. Walker also caught 53 passes in 88 so Landry was using him the same way that Jimmy used Emmitt. Landry would have rode Emmitt just like Jimmy did once he saw the power, durability and the nose for the endzone he had. Emmitt had some of the same qualities Walter Payton had.

Landry would have given Dorsett a lot more carries had he not been so concerned about his durability and shortening his career. Landry stated in interviews he didn't give Dorsett more carries because he wanted to prolong his career. Both Dorsett and Emmitt would have produced behind the others OL because both had great OL's during their prime years but Dorsett wouldn't have been able to provide some of the tough inside running in traffic that Emmitt provided especially the many redzone TD's Emmitt scored. Dorsett didn't have the leg drive and balance to run defenders over and maintain his feet which is why he scored less than half the TD's Emmitt did. Most of Dorsett's TD's came from breaking long runs. You couldn't pound a back of Dorsett's stature over 360 times in 4 seasons like Emmitt was pounded.

His 185 pound frame wouldn't have been able to hold up to the 4409 carries Emmitt received. Dorsett's career ended after 2936 carries with an ACL injury he suffered during a non-contact drill in Denver. At his size he wouldn't have been able to endure the punishment Emmitt did game after game. He wouldn't have been able to break near as many tackles as Emmitt did especially in the redzone. Dorsett never excelled in the redzone because he needed some room. Emmitt didn't need any room he would just bust over one defender and bounce off another while somehow maintaining his feet and scamper into the endzone.

 

[KJJ]

That is ridiculous. Emmitt would have been just fine playing in the 70's and 80's.

Both guys were great and would have been so in just about any situation you put them in. It certainly helped that both backs played with great teams, but they would have been great backs even on bad teams. They would have been diamonds surrounded by trash.

I don't agree Dorsett would have been great on a "bad" team. Emmiitt showed in 1990 on a 7-9 team he could produce on a bad team and make a pro bowl but Dorsett never produced on a losing team. Had he ended up with the 77 Bucs that went 0-14 in 76 and 2-12 in 77 he would not have had near the success with that team he had with the Cowboys. How would it have been possible? Every opponents game plan vs Tampa would have been to stop Dorsett which wouldn't have been that hard to do with the ZERO talent he would have had around him.

With the Cowboys he was surrounded by a wealth of talent including one of the greatest QB's in NFL history. Those early Cowboy teams Dorsett played for could beat you a number of ways with all the great talent those teams had. If Dorsett was contained the Cowboys could beat you with the passing game and their great defense led by Randy White, Harvey Martin and Too Tall Jones. With the 77 Bucs Dorsett would have been surrounded by some of the worst trash the NFL has ever seen.

Just listen to some of the comments John McKay who had the unenviable task of coaching those miserable teams made about the players he was stuck with. The Bucs selected Ricky Bell over Dorsett because they knew they couldn't ride a 185 pound back. Bell a 220 pound back missed several games his first 2 seasons in Tampa because of all the punishment he took.