I am Questioning the Impact of RB's

[superonyx]

I have always loved running back. And in dallas we have had more than our share of quality ones. Even great ones.
However, this style of football we are seeing the last few years has really made me question the importance of a great runningback.

Here are the top runningbacks this year.
Look at how their teams are doing and ask if they are one of the powers of the nfl.
1. Willie Parker PIT 1317
2. LaDainian Tomlinson SD 1311
3. Adrian Peterson MIN 1278
4. Willis McGahee BAL 1197
5. Brian Westbrook PHI 1191

Now lets look at top QB's and how their teams are doing.

1 Tom Brady NE QB 119.7
2 David Garrard JAC QB 101.6
3 Tony Romo DAL QB 101.0
4 Ben Roethlisberger PIT QB 100.5
5 Brett Favre GB QB 97.7
6 Peyton Manning IND QB 95.2
7 Jeff Garcia TB QB 93.6

Are the days of the great running back really over?
We sure are lucky to have Tony Romo.
With this being the way things are do we need a running back in the draft?

I am intrigued by a home run hitter like McFadden though.

 

[Doomsday101]

I have always loved running back. And in dallas we have had more than our share of quality ones. Even great ones.
However, this style of football we are seeing the last few years has really made me question the importance of a great runningback.

Here are the top runningbacks this year.
Look at how their teams are doing and ask if they are one of the powers of the nfl.
1. Willie Parker PIT 1317
2. LaDainian Tomlinson SD 1311
3. Adrian Peterson MIN 1278
4. Willis McGahee BAL 1197
5. Brian Westbrook PHI 1191

Now lets look at top QB's and how their teams are doing.

1 Tom Brady NE QB 119.7
2 David Garrard JAC QB 101.6
3 Tony Romo DAL QB 101.0
4 Ben Roethlisberger PIT QB 100.5
5 Brett Favre GB QB 97.7
6 Peyton Manning IND QB 95.2
7 Jeff Garcia TB QB 93.6

Are the days of the great running back really over?
We sure are lucky to have Tony Romo.
With this being the way things are do we need a running back in the draft?

I am intrigued by a home run hitter like McFadden though.

I think it you put a stud RB in the back field with a top QB that offense becomes even more dangerous than NE. Myself I would love to stick a stud RB in our backfield along with Romo

 

[Kangaroo]

I think you need at least 1-2 good rb if not a great one. The new rules seem to make throwing the ball more important week in and week out. The 5 yard chuck rule enforcement has changed a lot of this

 

[Doomsday101]

I think you need at least 1-2 good rb if not a great one. The new rules seem to make throwing the ball more important week in and week out. The 5 yard chuck rule enforcement has changed a lot of this

That 5 yard bump rule was around with Troy and Emmitt. You get into some bad weather games or just taking control of a game a star RB still becomes an important part of an offense. I think RB are just as important today as ever where. You control the ground and the air you control the game.

 

[Kangaroo]

That 5 yard bump rule was around with Troy and Emmitt. You get into some bad weather games or just taking control of a game a star RB still becomes an important part of an offense. I think RB are just as important today as ever where. You control the ground and the air you control the game.

key word enforcement yes the rule was around but the enforcement of the rule is night and day compared to when Irvin was playing catch

Also the bad weather is starting to apply less and less in the NFL a lot of the new stadiums are going to the retractable roof for that reason that and they charge fans an arm and a leg to go to the game so they need to make it so they want to come.

 

[mmillman]

most of the teams with a top rb are playoff bound. A top rb gives the team balance and keeps the defenses guessing instead of teeing off on the qb. That being said, I think a good offensive line is the most important position on offense, even above qb. An offensive line can make or break your qb or rb.

 

[khiladi]

Imagine putting the top QBs together with top running backs....

 

[Gangsta Spanksta]

If you need to run down the clock, wear out a D in the second half, then a great running back is a good thing.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Well, quarterback has always been the most important position on the field, over RB and everything else.

But yes, unfortunately, RBs do seem to be losing importance. I think it's because all the rules have slowly evolved to help the passing game. No touching QBs, no touching WRs after five yards, no-calls on offensive holding except for rare cases (especially this year), and for Pete's sake, definitely don't hit the WR too hard. Especially when he's "defensless".

Meanwhile, the running game is about the same as it always was.

Looking at the big picture, I wonder if things might change if and when colleges slowly go back to running the ball more. Probably not, because of what the NFL rulemakers want.

 

[Doomsday101]

There is nothing that will take the wind out of the sails of a defensive lineman than a RB running on them. As for the rules this game is still about running as it is passing. Yes rules have changed but not to the extent that a RB becomes meaningless. You put a star RB behind Romo and you freeze LB and safeties off play action because stud RB force defense to look run 1st and that alone will slow down a pass rush. No doubt many teams have gotten away from true FB which has hurt their ability to run and in the process of adding more WR into routs they leave the QB's more exposed to taking the big hit which is a big reason why we see more QB going down than ever before. You have 5 blocking and 7 rushing so even if the QB can get the ball away he will still be subjected to the hits.

 

[joseephuss]

I have always loved running back. And in dallas we have had more than our share of quality ones. Even great ones.
However, this style of football we are seeing the last few years has really made me question the importance of a great runningback.

Here are the top runningbacks this year.
Look at how their teams are doing and ask if they are one of the powers of the nfl.
1. Willie Parker PIT 1317
2. LaDainian Tomlinson SD 1311
3. Adrian Peterson MIN 1278
4. Willis McGahee BAL 1197
5. Brian Westbrook PHI 1191

Now lets look at top QB's and how their teams are doing.

1 Tom Brady NE QB 119.7
2 David Garrard JAC QB 101.6
3 Tony Romo DAL QB 101.0
4 Ben Roethlisberger PIT QB 100.5
5 Brett Favre GB QB 97.7
6 Peyton Manning IND QB 95.2
7 Jeff Garcia TB QB 93.6

Are the days of the great running back really over?
We sure are lucky to have Tony Romo.
With this being the way things are do we need a running back in the draft?

I am intrigued by a home run hitter like McFadden though.

Brady has a good running back behind him in Maroney. They don't run the ball that much, but if they needed to run they probably could.

Garrard has two good running backs behind him.

Romo has a combo of backs behind him that can put up some good numbers.

Roethlisberger has a good running back behind him.

Favre and GB have found good production in the running game in the last few weeks.

Manning has a good running back behind him.

Garcia and TB have found good production in the running game in the last few weeks.


Balance has always been the key. There is a reason that only a handful of running backs who have led the league in rushing have also been on the SB winning team. Their teams tended to be unbalanced and too reliant on the running game. Most SB champs can beat you by both the run and pass.

Dallas of the early 90s did both very well and also happened to buck the trend and produce the leagues leading rusher each year they won the SB. They did not rely on the run to win, but they did emphasize the run more heavily than the pass during the regular season. There was still a balance, but they definitely leaned more toward the running game. And most times that is all they needed. Come playoff time they used more balance by incorporating more of the passing game.

 

[Doomsday101]

Brady has a good running back behind him in Maroney. They don't run the ball that much, but if they needed to run they probably could.

Garrard has two good running backs behind him.

Romo has a combo of backs behind him that can put up some good numbers.

Roethlisberger has a good running back behind him.

Favre and GB have found good production in the running game in the last few weeks.

Manning has a good running back behind him.

Garcia and TB have found good production in the running game in the last few weeks.


Balance has always been the key. There is a reason that only a handful of running backs who have led the league in rushing have also been on the SB winning team. Their teams tended to be unbalanced and too reliant on the running game. Most SB champs can beat you by both the run and pass.

Dallas of the early 90s did both very well and also happened to buck the trend and produce the leagues leading rusher each year they won the SB. They did not rely on the run to win, but they did emphasize the run more heavily than the pass during the regular season. There was still a balance, but they definitely leaned more toward the running game. And most times that is all they needed. Come playoff time they used more balance by incorporating more of the passing game.

I agree and I think the big thing with Emmitt is teams were forced to key on him going into game which only made play action even more effective. There were games when teams knew what was coming and Dallas still ran right over them with these 11 play drives with 10 runs coming in the drive and as teams started putting up extra defenders to stop Smith it opened up the secondary for guys like Irvin and Jay.

 

[khiladi]

Give me a balanced team over a one-trick pony any day of the week....

 

[silverblue]

what will always be important is a dominant O-line

 

[Doomsday101]

what will always be important is a dominant O-line

I agree but I do think a great RB can make a line more dominant. Fact is no other RB on the team could make the plays and have the same impact that Emmitt had behind the same line. The season Emmitt held out it showed and when Emmitt would miss games due to injury it showed. The big guys up front matter a lot but having a back who knows how to attack the line of scrimmage and use his blockers is the differance of avg back and the great ones.

 

[Rack]

I have always loved running back. And in dallas we have had more than our share of quality ones. Even great ones.
However, this style of football we are seeing the last few years has really made me question the importance of a great runningback.

Here are the top runningbacks this year.
Look at how their teams are doing and ask if they are one of the powers of the nfl.
1. Willie Parker PIT 1317
2. LaDainian Tomlinson SD 1311
3. Adrian Peterson MIN 1278
4. Willis McGahee BAL 1197
5. Brian Westbrook PHI 1191

Now lets look at top QB's and how their teams are doing.

1 Tom Brady NE QB 119.7
2 David Garrard JAC QB 101.6
3 Tony Romo DAL QB 101.0
4 Ben Roethlisberger PIT QB 100.5
5 Brett Favre GB QB 97.7
6 Peyton Manning IND QB 95.2
7 Jeff Garcia TB QB 93.6

Are the days of the great running back really over?
We sure are lucky to have Tony Romo.
With this being the way things are do we need a running back in the draft?

I am intrigued by a home run hitter like McFadden though.

Pretty simplistic way of looking at it. Most of those teams with top RBs have sorry QBs.

What happens if you line LT up behind Romo?

Well... then again, as long as Garrett is calling the plays LT would probably be a non factor.

 

[smarta5150]

Pretty simplistic way of looking at it. Most of those teams with top RBs have sorry QBs.

What happens if you line LT up behind Romo?

Well... then again, as long as Garrett is calling the plays LT would probably be a non factor.

Can LDT pass block? :

 

[jterrell]

Yes, RB has lost a lot of its importance and sizzle.

This is seen in the draft itself.

Being able to run is important but nearly as important as being able to pass.

You can pass in any down and distance while running is limited to 5 yards or less to go if you expect to actually convert.

You should want a good running back but a great one is not worth the cost of business at the top of a draft.

The teams who drafted high running backs are often right back their drafting high again.

Let's look at top 10 overall RBs since 2000....

2000
Jamal Lewis 5
Thomas Jones 7

2001
LaDainian Tomlinson 5

2002
none til 16

2003
none til 23

2004
none til 24

2005
Ronnie Brown 2
Cedric Benson 4
Cadillac Williams 5

2006
Reggie Bush 2

2007
Adrian Peterson 7

So 8 guys total since 2000 out of 70 overall picks.
Of those I'd argue two are actually the special players they were made out to be---AP and LT. Others are solid but hardly carrying teams or providing the type of value you'd expect of a top of the draft guy.

So I'd say RB is actually a pretty bad early draft gamble.

Now that said individual players can always transcend any trend or position.
Is Darren McFadden worthy of a top 5 pick? Yes, I think he probably is. Is he worth trading up to a top 5 pick for? I'd say definitely not. The value of trading up that high is a franchise QB or Pro Bowl Left Tackle or shutdown CB or dominant pass rusher imho.

 

[joseephuss]

Yes, RB has lost a lot of its importance and sizzle.

This is seen in the draft itself.

Being able to run is important but nearly as important as being able to pass.

You can pass in any down and distance while running is limited to 5 yards or less to go if you expect to actually convert.

You should want a good running back but a great one is not worth the cost of business at the top of a draft.

The teams who drafted high running backs are often right back their drafting high again.

Let's look at top 10 overall RBs since 2000....

2000
Jamal Lewis 5
Thomas Jones 7

2001
LaDainian Tomlinson 5

2002
none til 16

2003
none til 23

2004
none til 24

2005
Ronnie Brown 2
Cedric Benson 4
Cadillac Williams 5

2006
Reggie Bush 2

2007
Adrian Peterson 7

So 8 guys total since 2000 out of 70 overall picks.
Of those I'd argue two are actually the special players they were made out to be---AP and LT. Others are solid but hardly carrying teams or providing the type of value you'd expect of a top of the draft guy.

So I'd say RB is actually a pretty bad early draft gamble.

Now that said individual players can always transcend any trend or position.
Is Darren McFadden worthy of a top 5 pick? Yes, I think he probably is. Is he worth trading up to a top 5 pick for? I'd say definitely not. The value of trading up that high is a franchise QB or Pro Bowl Left Tackle or shutdown CB or dominant pass rusher imho.

Is it that running backs in general are not worth drafting high? Or is it that there just have not been many running backs worth drafting high? Poor scouting may lead to missing or over estimating the worth of a specific running back. Those same scouts and GMs are also the ones making the other draft picks, so it makes sense that a team that drafts a guy high in one draft is drafting high again the next season. They keep missing.

 

[Doomsday101]

Is it that running backs in general are not worth drafting high? Or is it that there just have not been many running backs worth drafting high? Poor scouting may lead to missing or over estimating the worth of a specific running back. Those same scouts and GMs are also the ones making the other draft picks, so it makes sense that a team that drafts a guy high in one draft is drafting high again the next season. They keep missing.

QB's come in a pretty close second when you figure out how many #1 QB's have failed and you look around and see the likes of Tom Brady, Romo and Anderson who were later picks or undrafted yet are starting QB who are playing at a high level.