Emmitt, you can relax, LT is on the downside

[TD-33]

Interesting question actually even if tongue in cheek.

I suspect they probably should even if they wouldn't.

Well it was tongue in cheek but I must admit AD is my favorite RB hands down. The guy is just like my all-time favorite RB Eric Dickerson.

But just imagine a guy like that in the backfield behind Romo.
Thing about him is, once he's in the secondary you don't just 'run him down' like MBIII. You HAVE to game plan a guy like that. And that makes the passing game even more of a threat.
If the Vikings ever get a legit QB....

 

[RoadRunner]

Oh, but according to a lot of mentally challenged folks out there, Emmitt shouldn't even be considered a top 5 back. "He was a good back that benefitted from a great oline, and not a great runner like Barry."

Bah, screw all that. Emmitt is the greatest ever, and it gets proven every time the next "chosen one" comes up short.

Like was said earlier, Emmitt was one of the greates high school RBs ever, was one of the greatest college backs over a 3 season period (including 300 yard game), and of course has all the career records for pro football backs. his playoff success cannot be questioned as he was the work horse of a dynasty.

When it comes to debating the greatest backs in NFL history, pro Emmitt people have facts, anti-Emmitt people only have "what ifs".

 

[es22]

Next year is very important for LT. Like LT, Marshall Faulk had a bad year due to injury and came back. Although I like LT, I dont believe he will catch Emmitt

 

[Chocolate Lab]

You guys are right about Emmitt. He had that rare combination of huge, incredibly strong and sturdy tree trunk legs but with deceptive quickness to avoid big hits. It's still amazing that he lasted as long as he did -- I think a lot of us didn't appreciate his durability at the time. I know I didn't.

But think about Barry Sanders. Barely 3,000 yards behind Emmitt, and he retired in the prime of his career at age 30. He legitimately could have gotten 20k if he'd played until he couldn't go anymore like Emmitt did.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

I don't think LT is done... He'll be back next year, but I doubt Emmitt's record is in jeopardy.

 

[AbeBeta]

I don't think LT is done... He'll be back next year, but I doubt Emmitt's record is in jeopardy.

Emmitt had a down year at 27 and returned to a very good but not dominant form.

To be honest. LT is ending this year with less than 7,000 yards to go.

This record is about whether LT really wants it. Even on the downside LT can be a 1000 yard back for 4 or 5 more years as part of a rotation and he can pick up 800+ for a few years playing out his career as a stat ***** like Emmitt did.

 

[THUMPER]

But think about Barry Sanders. Barely 3,000 yards behind Emmitt, and he retired in the prime of his career at age 30. He legitimately could have gotten 20k if he'd played until he couldn't go anymore like Emmitt did.

Except that he didn't.

Barry didn't have a love for the game like Emmitt did. Just like Jim Brown, once he accomplished what HE wanted to prove he quit. Brown was an amazing athlete and runner but I don't have any respect for him as a person or as a man. Same goes for Barry Sanders.

He screwed his team by waiting until AFTER the draft to just quit on them and that was after he made a big stink about his contract. They gave him a new deal and he bails out on them. Then he hints that he would come back and play if the Lions would trade him. When Detroit tells him to pound sand he pouts and goes into isolation.

At least Sanders hasn't taken any RBs under his wing and twisted their minds or beaten up his woman a number of times like Brown did.

I would take Emmitt over Barry Sanders any day of the week. I don't care how exciting he was to watch, he never took his team to the next level like Emmitt did.

 

[THUMPER]

Emmitt had a down year at 27 and returned to a very good but not dominant form.

To be honest. LT is ending this year with less than 7,000 yards to go.

This record is about whether LT really wants it. Even on the downside LT can be a 1000 yard back for 4 or 5 more years as part of a rotation and he can pick up 800+ for a few years playing out his career as a stat ***** like Emmitt did.

No, actually he can't. Once a RB loses a step teams aren't going to feature him anymore. He might get spot duty but he won't get 20+ carries a game after that.

Emmitt was still a productive RB for us and could be depended on for short yardage and goalline situations. Tomlinson is not going to get that chance, they will replace him and use him in situations only. After Emmitt turned 30 he still had 5 years of over 250 carries (would likely have had 6 but he missed most of the year after Roy Williams hit him and broke his collarbone). LT isn't likely to get that many carries after this year, certainly not 5 more years of it.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Except that he didn't.

Barry didn't have a love for the game like Emmitt did.

Emmitt's love for the game wasn't as strong as many want to believe

he lasted as long as he did because he wanted the record for most rushing yards

 

[THUMPER]

Emmitt's love for the game wasn't as strong as many want to believe

he lasted as long as he did because he wanted the record for most rushing yards

Really? Just for the record, he played 2 more seasons AFTER he broke the record and would have played longer if he could have been a starter. Evidently, his love for the game was a lot stronger than YOU want to believe.

Hear that.... it's the sound of your argument being flushed away.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Really? Just for the record, he played 2 more seasons AFTER he broke the record and would have played longer if he could have been a starter. Evidently, his love for the game was a lot stronger than YOU want to believe.

Hear that.... it's the sound of your argument being flushed away.

do yourself a favor and read "Boys Will Be Boys"

Emmitt wanted to be the all-time leading rusher and wanted to be on TV, as far back as his rookie year

 

[RoadRunner]

You guys are right about Emmitt. He had that rare combination of huge, incredibly strong and sturdy tree trunk legs but with deceptive quickness to avoid big hits. It's still amazing that he lasted as long as he did -- I think a lot of us didn't appreciate his durability at the time. I know I didn't.

But think about Barry Sanders. Barely 3,000 yards behind Emmitt, and he retired in the prime of his career at age 30. He legitimately could have gotten 20k if he'd played until he couldn't go anymore like Emmitt did.

Here's an example of those "what ifs" I mentioned earlier. Its so great knowing that "what ifs" are not necessary when debating in favor of Emmitt. All you need are facts.

 

[THUMPER]

do yourself a favor and read "Boys Will Be Boys"

Emmitt wanted to be the all-time leading rusher and wanted to be on TV, as far back as his rookie year

And... your point is?

My point is that both Barry and Brown quit, Emmitt didn't. He didn't quit when he had what he set out to accomplish, that points to a love of the game that neither of the other two guys had.

 

[AdamJT13]

To be honest. LT is ending this year with less than 7,000 yards to go.

This record is about whether LT really wants it.

It doesn't matter how badly he wants it, it matters whether his body can stand the pounding of another 1,600 or so carries.

He'll be 30 years old next spring. Emmitt holds the record for rushing yards after age 30 with 5,789. Walter Payton (5,101) is the only other feature back with more than Tony Dorsett's 4,403. I don't see any way Tomlinson can get 7,000 after age 30. Once running backs hit the wall, they hit it hard.

LT can be a 1000 yard back for 4 or 5 more years as part of a rotation and he can pick up 800+ for a few years playing out his career as a stat ***** like Emmitt did.

The "four or five years" alone puts Tomlinson as old as Emmitt was when he retired. You think he can get another 2,000 yards AFTER that point?

 

[Bob Sacamano]

And... your point is?

My point is that both Barry and Brown quit, Emmitt didn't. He didn't quit when he had what he set out to accomplish, that points to a love of the game that neither of the other two guys had.

my point is that Emmitt wasn't Rudy

everyone wants to portray him as this untalented overachiever that had to play football, because that's all that he knew how to do and all that he loved, that's not the case, Emmitt certainly was driven though, but it was by more than just for the love of the game

again, pick up an edition of "Boys Will Be Boys"

 

[AbeBeta]

No, actually he can't. Once a RB loses a step teams aren't going to feature him anymore. He might get spot duty but he won't get 20+ carries a game after that.

The issue is whether he actually has lost a step or not. Folks were talking about Emmitt like he was done when he was 28 and he bounced back and had a couple 1300 yard seasons - why was 22 slowed? He had a nagging injury. Much like LT.

 

[AbeBeta]

It doesn't matter how badly he wants it, it matters whether his body can stand the pounding of another 1,600 or so carries.

He'll be 30 years old next spring. Emmitt holds the record for rushing yards after age 30 with 5,789. Walter Payton (5,101) is the only other feature back with more than Tony Dorsett's 4,403. I don't see any way Tomlinson can get 7,000 after age 30. Once running backs hit the wall, they hit it hard.

The "four or five years" alone puts Tomlinson as old as Emmitt was when he retired. You think he can get another 2,000 yards AFTER that point?

Depends on how LT is utilized. Folks make out like he's been crap. But he has nearly 1200 total yards in 12 games. When Emmitt came back following a couple of down years, he did so as a guy who was primarily a runner - and no longer a receiver. That's part of the transition that LT will need to make. Further at the same age, he's got a season fewer miles on him. And miles are far more telling than age.

Despite the stats you throw out, you know as well as I do that if LT drops 2600 yards season over the next two (much like 22 did at 30 and 31) then stuff gets really interesting. Particularly if he drops a third 1300 yard season after that.

 

[jrumann59]

Emmitt was very fortunate not to have a serious injury to his lower body, no knees or ankles since that is the area where RBs wear down the fastest and injuries just accelerate the wear down. I think that is why Emmitt was able to be such a good back and an OK back so late into his career. LT and AP will end up like Eddie George and production will fall off the table around 30-31.

 

[AdamJT13]

Further at the same age, he's got a season fewer miles on him. And miles are far more telling than age.

That's not true. At age 21, Emmitt had 265 touches. Tomlinson had 379 touches. Tomlinson's were wasted in college (wasted in the sense of going for the NFL rushing record), but it's still his body that was getting tackled.

Despite the stats you throw out, you know as well as I do that if LT drops 2600 yards season over the next two (much like 22 did at 30 and 31) then stuff gets really interesting. Particularly if he drops a third 1300 yard season after that.

Even if he does that (it's unlikely), he'll still be 33 years old and more than 3,000 yards behind Emmitt's record. The list of feature backs who were still going at age 33 has only one name on it: Emmitt Smith. And Tomlinson will have to keep going much longer than Emmitt did, even with your lofty expectations for his next three seasons.

But hey, the last guy who was supposed to break Emmitt's record fell short by only 4,254 yards. Who knows, maybe Tomlinson can get closer than that.

 

[THUMPER]

The issue is whether he actually has lost a step or not. Folks were talking about Emmitt like he was done when he was 28 and he bounced back and had a couple 1300 yard seasons - why was 22 slowed? He had a nagging injury. Much like LT.

A lot of it isn't whether LT has lost a step but whether the Chargers will be good enough to run the ball a lot. This year they haven't been that good and have had to pass a lot more than in the past. Rivers is having a great season but they are still losing games.