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The Duke
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Analyze This: Veterans' day
(Oct. 28, 2004) -- It goes without saying that a lot of veteran running backs have gone above and beyond expectations this year -- just ask fantasy football fans that drafted Emmitt Smith, Curtis Martin or Tiki Barber. Players that were thought to be on the decline are actually on the rise. It's like these running backs have found the fountain of youth and are drinking Gatorade container-sized amounts of it.
Who's doing what? Here's a run down:
Tiki Barber, NYG -- 647 rush yards, 4 TDs
Corey Dillon, NE -- 637 rush yards, 3 TDs
Marshall Faulk, STL -- 465 yards, 3 TDs
Curtis Martin, NYJ -- 683 rush yards, 6 TDs
Emmitt Smith, ARI -- 459 yards, 5 TDs
Duce Staley, PIT -- 582 yards, 1 TD
But of all these backs, which one caught our analysts off guard the most? That is to say, which one "bowled over" our pros the most? We handed that question off to them, and the amount of different responses -- and different running backs -- gave us a good run for our money.
PAT KIRWAN
"Every year, there are few running backs who pleasantly surprise the coaches and fans, and there are a few who disappoint with their performance. As we hit the middle of the season, Priest Holmes, Curtis Martin and Tiki Barber are emerging as the stars they have been in the past. Barber needs to make the Pro Bowl and it is a mystery to me why he gets passed over. At this point in his career, he has just surpassed 6,000 yards, rushing at 4.5 yards per carry and also is about to pass the 4,000 yard mark as a receiver. In eight seasons, he has over 10,000 yards of offense. The surprise here is that he goes unrecognized. As for 2004 surprises, Emmitt Smith is on course for 1,000 yards, which is flat-out awesome. Thomas Jones in Chicago will also get to the 1,000 yard mark and looks like a bargain. But, my favorite surprise running back story is a dead heat between Mewelde Moore in Minnesota and Reuben Droughns in Denver. Both men went to camp as the fourth-string running back on their respective teams and now look like All-Pro backs. Opportunity knocked when injuries hit both teams and these players jumped at the chance to shine. Both backs will hit the 1,000 yard mark easily if the head coach doesn't take them off the field. Minimum wage players that can dominate games are hard to find."
ADAM SCHEFTER
"Boy, there are so many worthy choices. It seems like Curtis Martin is a surprise every year, so he can't be too big of a surprise. Jerome Bettis is a surprise for the short stops The Bus is making. It's surprising how well Corey Dillon fits into New England, and how he has become as quiet and unassuming as any other Patriot. But the most surprising running back has to be Reuben Droughns. We're talking about a player who opened the season as the Broncos fifth-string running back, and now looks like he is carrying the football and Denver's tradition."
PHIL SIMMS
"Well, I'm sure a lot of people might say Duce Staley, but I really expected him to fit right in and make an impact with the Steelers. It's got to be Curtis Martin and Tiki Barber. Martin, because I thought maybe his days as a premier running back were over. But he has shown that he has more quickness and explosion than he had last year. Barber might be the biggest surprise, because he has been so dynamic for the New York Giants and he has turned into a real every-down back. I'm not sure that's the life he wants in the NFL, but that's what he's got right now, and it's caught me a little by surprise. I didn't know if he was even going to find a spot with Tom Coughlin, because he's not the kind of workhorse back Coughlin prefers, like he had with Fred Taylor in Jacksonville. Barber has found that spot and now the Giants are trying hard not to overuse him, but it's hard not to. He just makes so many big plays, both in the passing game and running game."
VIC CARUCCI
"My pick is Curtis Martin. At 31, he no longer has the top-end speed he showed earlier in his career. But that hasn't noticeably diminished Martin's effectiveness because he does the bulk of his damage running inside. Martin's excellent vision, patience, strength, and ability to quickly change direction make him as dangerous between the tackles as any running back in the league. He still shows exceptional burst, and the Jets have no qualms about pulling center Kevin Mawae and allowing Martin to run outside on occasion. However, Martin does his best work inside, something for which the Jets' offensive line also deserves plenty of credit. Although he shows every indication that he can continue to carry a heavy rushing load, I do wonder how well his legs can hold up, particularly in the latter portion of the season."
TROY AIKMAN
"The veteran running back that has surprised me the most is my former teammate, Emmitt Smith. He is currently averaging 4.2 yards a carry which is better than Clinton Portis and LaDainian Tomlinson, two of the premier running backs in the NFL. And to show that he still has a burst left in those 35-year-old legs, he currently has three runs of over 20 yards. Only six running backs in the entire league have more."
BOOMER ESIASON
"Curtis Martin. We all expected him to have another ho-hum 1,000-yard season that would come in the form of 80 yards here, 60 yards there. Instead, he bolted out of the blocks at the beginning of the season with a new set of legs. The New York Jets are definitely benefiting from this resurgence."
SHANNON SHARPE
"There are a few veterans who have really stood out this year. Emmitt looks really impressive. He's had a few big games already, after not doing much last year. But my pick is from start to finish is Curtis Martin. He's done it the longest and most consistent this year. You know what you're going to get from this guy every time out. Even when he's hurt, he still gives you a quality performance."
GREGG EASTERBROOK
"I'd say the state of New Jersey is having the surprising year at running back. Curtis Martin of Jersey/B is second in the league in rushing, Tiki Barber of Jersey/A is fifth – both are having much stronger seasons had anyone would have expected. Martin is 31 years old, at the point when the production of a feature runner is expected to decline, yet he's on a pace for his best season ever. Barber is also on a pace for a best-ever season, and his 5.5 yards per carry average sounds more like a fantasy league stat than a figure from the modern NFL. Martin and Barber share in common a tremendous work ethic – both having grueling offseason training regimes, both try to play every game as if it were the most important game of their lives. Neither has ever thrown a sideline or press-conference tirade about not getting enough attention. And both perform in New York, which for NFL purposes is located in New Jersey. "
CRIS COLLINSWORTH
"Emmitt Smith is the most obvious answer. Other veterans such as Curtis Martin and Corey Dillon are having good years, too. But if I had to pick one, it would be Ricky Williams. I never would have thought that a healthy Ricky Williams would have zero yards this season."
GIL BRANDT
"This is like deciding between a ribeye, sirloin or tenderloin -- you just can't go wrong. I think all five of the veteran surprise running backs have really accomplished something this year beyond expectations. Emmitt Smith breaking Walter Payton's 100-yard record is amazing. Duce Staley has been responsible for the Steelers' reconstructing of their running game. Corey Dillon's whole career has been reconstructed in New England. But there's no comparison to what Curtis Martin and Tiki Barber are doing for their teams in New York. No one expected the Giants to be any good, and here's Barber running all over the place and the Giants in the middle of the wild card race in the NFC. Martin is doing the exact same thing for the Jets -- they just lost their first game of the year. Both of them have the chance to be the first running back that started season at 30 years of age to win a rushing title. The Giants would never be where they are without Barber, and the same for the Jets without Martin."
(Oct. 28, 2004) -- It goes without saying that a lot of veteran running backs have gone above and beyond expectations this year -- just ask fantasy football fans that drafted Emmitt Smith, Curtis Martin or Tiki Barber. Players that were thought to be on the decline are actually on the rise. It's like these running backs have found the fountain of youth and are drinking Gatorade container-sized amounts of it.
Who's doing what? Here's a run down:
Tiki Barber, NYG -- 647 rush yards, 4 TDs
Corey Dillon, NE -- 637 rush yards, 3 TDs
Marshall Faulk, STL -- 465 yards, 3 TDs
Curtis Martin, NYJ -- 683 rush yards, 6 TDs
Emmitt Smith, ARI -- 459 yards, 5 TDs
Duce Staley, PIT -- 582 yards, 1 TD
But of all these backs, which one caught our analysts off guard the most? That is to say, which one "bowled over" our pros the most? We handed that question off to them, and the amount of different responses -- and different running backs -- gave us a good run for our money.
"Every year, there are few running backs who pleasantly surprise the coaches and fans, and there are a few who disappoint with their performance. As we hit the middle of the season, Priest Holmes, Curtis Martin and Tiki Barber are emerging as the stars they have been in the past. Barber needs to make the Pro Bowl and it is a mystery to me why he gets passed over. At this point in his career, he has just surpassed 6,000 yards, rushing at 4.5 yards per carry and also is about to pass the 4,000 yard mark as a receiver. In eight seasons, he has over 10,000 yards of offense. The surprise here is that he goes unrecognized. As for 2004 surprises, Emmitt Smith is on course for 1,000 yards, which is flat-out awesome. Thomas Jones in Chicago will also get to the 1,000 yard mark and looks like a bargain. But, my favorite surprise running back story is a dead heat between Mewelde Moore in Minnesota and Reuben Droughns in Denver. Both men went to camp as the fourth-string running back on their respective teams and now look like All-Pro backs. Opportunity knocked when injuries hit both teams and these players jumped at the chance to shine. Both backs will hit the 1,000 yard mark easily if the head coach doesn't take them off the field. Minimum wage players that can dominate games are hard to find."
"Boy, there are so many worthy choices. It seems like Curtis Martin is a surprise every year, so he can't be too big of a surprise. Jerome Bettis is a surprise for the short stops The Bus is making. It's surprising how well Corey Dillon fits into New England, and how he has become as quiet and unassuming as any other Patriot. But the most surprising running back has to be Reuben Droughns. We're talking about a player who opened the season as the Broncos fifth-string running back, and now looks like he is carrying the football and Denver's tradition."
"Well, I'm sure a lot of people might say Duce Staley, but I really expected him to fit right in and make an impact with the Steelers. It's got to be Curtis Martin and Tiki Barber. Martin, because I thought maybe his days as a premier running back were over. But he has shown that he has more quickness and explosion than he had last year. Barber might be the biggest surprise, because he has been so dynamic for the New York Giants and he has turned into a real every-down back. I'm not sure that's the life he wants in the NFL, but that's what he's got right now, and it's caught me a little by surprise. I didn't know if he was even going to find a spot with Tom Coughlin, because he's not the kind of workhorse back Coughlin prefers, like he had with Fred Taylor in Jacksonville. Barber has found that spot and now the Giants are trying hard not to overuse him, but it's hard not to. He just makes so many big plays, both in the passing game and running game."
"My pick is Curtis Martin. At 31, he no longer has the top-end speed he showed earlier in his career. But that hasn't noticeably diminished Martin's effectiveness because he does the bulk of his damage running inside. Martin's excellent vision, patience, strength, and ability to quickly change direction make him as dangerous between the tackles as any running back in the league. He still shows exceptional burst, and the Jets have no qualms about pulling center Kevin Mawae and allowing Martin to run outside on occasion. However, Martin does his best work inside, something for which the Jets' offensive line also deserves plenty of credit. Although he shows every indication that he can continue to carry a heavy rushing load, I do wonder how well his legs can hold up, particularly in the latter portion of the season."
"The veteran running back that has surprised me the most is my former teammate, Emmitt Smith. He is currently averaging 4.2 yards a carry which is better than Clinton Portis and LaDainian Tomlinson, two of the premier running backs in the NFL. And to show that he still has a burst left in those 35-year-old legs, he currently has three runs of over 20 yards. Only six running backs in the entire league have more."
"Curtis Martin. We all expected him to have another ho-hum 1,000-yard season that would come in the form of 80 yards here, 60 yards there. Instead, he bolted out of the blocks at the beginning of the season with a new set of legs. The New York Jets are definitely benefiting from this resurgence."
"There are a few veterans who have really stood out this year. Emmitt looks really impressive. He's had a few big games already, after not doing much last year. But my pick is from start to finish is Curtis Martin. He's done it the longest and most consistent this year. You know what you're going to get from this guy every time out. Even when he's hurt, he still gives you a quality performance."
"I'd say the state of New Jersey is having the surprising year at running back. Curtis Martin of Jersey/B is second in the league in rushing, Tiki Barber of Jersey/A is fifth – both are having much stronger seasons had anyone would have expected. Martin is 31 years old, at the point when the production of a feature runner is expected to decline, yet he's on a pace for his best season ever. Barber is also on a pace for a best-ever season, and his 5.5 yards per carry average sounds more like a fantasy league stat than a figure from the modern NFL. Martin and Barber share in common a tremendous work ethic – both having grueling offseason training regimes, both try to play every game as if it were the most important game of their lives. Neither has ever thrown a sideline or press-conference tirade about not getting enough attention. And both perform in New York, which for NFL purposes is located in New Jersey. "
"Emmitt Smith is the most obvious answer. Other veterans such as Curtis Martin and Corey Dillon are having good years, too. But if I had to pick one, it would be Ricky Williams. I never would have thought that a healthy Ricky Williams would have zero yards this season."
"This is like deciding between a ribeye, sirloin or tenderloin -- you just can't go wrong. I think all five of the veteran surprise running backs have really accomplished something this year beyond expectations. Emmitt Smith breaking Walter Payton's 100-yard record is amazing. Duce Staley has been responsible for the Steelers' reconstructing of their running game. Corey Dillon's whole career has been reconstructed in New England. But there's no comparison to what Curtis Martin and Tiki Barber are doing for their teams in New York. No one expected the Giants to be any good, and here's Barber running all over the place and the Giants in the middle of the wild card race in the NFC. Martin is doing the exact same thing for the Jets -- they just lost their first game of the year. Both of them have the chance to be the first running back that started season at 30 years of age to win a rushing title. The Giants would never be where they are without Barber, and the same for the Jets without Martin."