Emmitt like Dorsett??

[felix360]

Im watch the epic backs video from calico, and im watching Dorsett and for a few seconds for some reason i think im watching Emmitt, i dont know, maybe cuz ive watched the video so many times it just looks all the same to me. Now im only 25, so i never had the honor of watching dorsett live. but is it just me or are Dorsett's and Emmitt's style of running similar??

P.S. for those that havent seen it go to www.cowboysvids.com, u can download it there. Epic backs

 

[Kilyin]

I don't think so, Emmitt was more of a power and patience runner, Dorsett relied more on speed and moves.

 

[Rack]

Completely different styles.

 

[Zaxor]

While both were better north/south than east/west runners


TD had speed and a running style that was strickly his own...and you did not see TD power over anybody...

Emmitt was markedly slower but much more powerful and could break tackles

 

[felix360]

yea i guess u guys are right, must be my eyes playing tricks on me, thanks

 

[LILCOOK]

Emmit waited for his holes to open then he would burst through. Emmit also was very good on flare passes on the outside in his early years he would make pple miss in the open field, but then he started decling in his juke move once he got older. Didn't get to see Dorsett play, but from what my dad told me he used his speed more than anything else. Emmit also had a knack for his stiff arm once he got in the open field. Very patient running back.

 

[qowboys]

I just watched the video and some of the clips from the Tony Dorsett section were actually of Duane Thomas. They both wore 33 so it's easy to get confused. I think Dorsett was faster and shiftier than Emmit. Dorsett ran away from people where Emmit might bounce off a guy and keep going.

 

[Maxmadden]

Dorsett was a glider he just ran so effortlessly. But when he saw the hole Boom! he had a second gear that was un*******beleivable. It was like he had an automatic transmission he was so smooth, you wouldn't notice him changing gears until you realized everyone in front of him was now chasing him, but they looked like they were in slow motion. He could stop and turn on a dime and reach full acceleration in just a few steps. Just an all around awesome RB did everything well. Did I mention his second gear?

Could have led the leauge in rushing but Landry really didn't use him much, maybe 15 carries a game and 2 or 3 screens.

 

[The Curly One]

Emmitt had one of the best offesive lines ever to run behind. In 93 our O line was opening holes that you could literally drive a truck through most of the time. It was the linebackers or safeties that got Emmit because the defensine line was on their butts. Seriously it was that bad most of the time. Tony Dorsett never played behind a line like that in fact nobody else has ever had a dominant O line like we had then.

Playing behind the same line Tony Dorsett (or Barry Sanders) would probably had MUCH more yards than Emmitt. Still I think Emmitt is much better because Tony Dorsett fumbled, a lot.

There is absolutly no telling how many yards Barry Sanders could have put up behind an O line like we had in 93 and 94. You remember when Barry was playing he had no offensive line at all, every yard he got was on his own. If he ever had played behind a good line.........

To me it does not matter how many yards you get if turn the ball over to the opponenets. Not only that when Dorsett fumbled it was always at the very worst times...... So even with the same lines and I am sure Dorsett would have made much more yards I like Emmitt better. One can only wonder what Barry Sanders could have done with blocking.... Curly

 

[CowboyChris]

its hard to compare Dorsett's style to anyones imo, Dorsett was about as smooth as a runner i ever saw, and like another poster said earlier, if he saw a hole it was like putting on the nitros he would smoke through it, one other note on Dorsett he was very durable cause he never let you get a good shot on him.

 

[The Curly One]

Emmitt was tough and durable to as far as that goes. I do not know so much about their different styles of running as much as the fact that Emmitt had so much better line to block for him. That completly changes everything.

Bottom line is the quickest way to get to the goal is a straight line. If you do not have the blocking then you have to cut and go different directions more. Then they probably take more abuse when you run straight up the middle full speed and get hit full speed. Curly

 

[JackMagist]

Emmitt was tough and durable to as far as that goes. I do not know so much about their different styles of running as much as the fact that Emmitt had so much better line to block for him. That completly changes everything.

Bottom line is the quickest way to get to the goal is a straight line. If you do not have the blocking then you have to cut and go different directions more. Then they probably take more abuse when you run straight up the middle full speed and get hit full speed. Curly

They had very different styles and BTW the line blocking for TD was no bunch of slouches either. Yes the line Emmitt ran behind early in his career was probably the best ever but TD had a top notch line also.

Dorsett was a better outside runner than Emmitt because of his speed. And Dorsett had moves that I have never seen any other back make. He never ran over anyone except for the occasional smallish DB but he did run with his own unique type of power as well. He could run head on into a LB and stand him straight up then spin out of his grasp and be gone down the field before they knew what happened. Emmitt on the other hand would power his way past the LB.

Both were effective, obviously, and both were very productive but Tony was more fun to watch IMO. As much as I love Emmitt, Tony will always be my favorite Cowboys running back.

 

[Juke99]

Very different runners. Smith was more compact. Dorsett had a bit of an odd forward lean when he ran and was much looser with his arms.

He was also lightening fast..and quick.

The surprising thing, as stated by Coach Landry, was that for his size, Dorsett was a better inside than outside runner.

 

[Bizwah]

Dorsett is one of my all-time favorite Cowboys.

Very smooth, very fast. He could score from anywhere on the field (as evidenced by his 99 yard run) in any fashion. He was explosive and had ankle-breaking moves.

That being said, if it was third and goal from the one yard line and we needed a TD, I'd go with Emmitt.

 

[metfanjim]

TD was faster , quicker and did have the ability to run over people. He rarely took losses and always fell forward and finished his runs. He also was a good reciever and pass blocker. In my opinion if Landry had let him (TD), Emmitt would have been chasing TD and not Walter. He had it all.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Now im only 25

Dude, you missed out on a lot. Watch all the vids you can.

 

[DanTanna]

Tony Dorsett did run with a forward "crouched" style. He was always in control and as everyone has said - fast.

I remember him running off guard A LOT - straight up the middle, it was like he was shot out of a cannon. He was not big plus his crouching style hid him until he was already at full speed and you watched him run by you "did he have the ball, crap!!".

He reminded me of those little electric racecars on those tracks that could go super fast around the curves and still not crash. He was glued to the turf.

 

[DallasDomination]

Well I never saw TD run but My Dad is always bragging about him so I got a general Idea of how good he was.

Not to dog on emmitt but from what I've seen I would of rather had Dorsett behind our Oline in the 90s...I know it might be a little premature to say that but, the quickness and Hability of TD( from what I've seen) is far superior than Emmitts.

 

[Shaun]

The Cowboys linemen of the 90's were good, but Emmitt made them as much as they made him.

Really, I've always thought that people exaggerated how good they were so that they could call Emmitt overrated.

 

[EMMITTnROY]

I saw them both..

Emmitt is better, trust me..

Tony D was amazing, no doubt, but Emmitt was the better back.. TD was faster, but thats about it.. Emmitt was more powerful, had better vision, better balance, was tougher, was a better blocker, a better reciever, and had all the intagibles..

Cowboys fans, dont sell yourselves short.. Emmitt was one of the all-time greatest backs, if not THE greatest..

as for the O-line.. i think that Nate Newton said it best when he said "before Emmitt got here, we were all just a bunch of normal fat guys. Now we are fat guys who go to the Pro Bowl." its true too.. most of those guys had been playing for several years and blocked for Herschel Walker but never made a Pro Bowl and people thought they were scrubs.. Jimmy Johnson himself has come out and said that the O-line gets too much credit and Emmitt not nearly enough.. that he made them look that much better.. Emmitt's vision, patience, burst, and ability to make a man miss in space isnt as flashy as Tony D or a Barry Sanders, but it is even more effective.. experts have said that you need to watch Emmitt in slow motion to fully appreciate him.. Im not saying that the O-line wasnt great, because it was.. but Emmitt made them better.. there was a reason that we never won in our heyday when Emmitt was out of the lineup.. we could win when Aikman was out, but never when Emmitt was out.. those O-linemen didnt look nearly as good blocking for Walker, Williams, Warren, Lassic and so on..

anyways, here is how I rank the all-time backs:

1. Emmitt
2. Payton
3. Brown
4. Sanders
5. Dickerson
6. Dorsett
7. Simpson
8. Sayers
9. Campbell
10. Faulk