NFLN - Top 10 Most Elusive Runners...

[aikemirv]

Was Emmit as elusive as Barry Sanders? Absolutely not.


But..... If Emmitt was not running in the same time period as Sanders no one would ever question whether he was one of the top 10 elusive runners in NFL history.

You guys, I think, tend to forget how elusive he really was early in his career before he had all the mileage on him. That is what it seems that a lot of you tend to remember.

You forget the first 5 - 8 years of Emmitt, he was extremely elusive and if you ever got to see him at Florida that is what he was known for!!!!

 

[Vintage]

there was this running back by the name of emmitt smith. at first he was just a mid 1st round pick and nothing special by looking at the value at the time. yet through the years he avoided things like dog fighting, strip clubs, getting shot or shooting others, paintballs to the tata's and so forth by doing something unusual like performing on the field to the tune of ending his career not as a cowboy (well, except for that 1 day contract signing good people sometimes do) but as the NFL all time leading rusher - setting the record at least as a cowboy at home against seattle.

he wasn't the fastest kid on the block and calling him "elusive" can be done out of love if not factual. he was caught from behind from time to time yet his overall skill and "gift" was durability. so much so that many fans of emmitt (and he does rightfully have quite a few!) take it personal when you mention facets of a game that other RBs can have (it's not like emmitt rolled a 10 on every skillset known to running backs and had a vorpal helmet to boot) and how other RBs were damn good at the game in their own right, they tend to get whiney-girl upset that *their*favorite back isn't mentioned every time great RB's are mentioned and they tee off on the topic as useless.

simply because it didn't include "their" boy.

/sarcasmoff.

Oh, so its a modern day case of OMGNewmanWasntSelectedtoTheProBowlAgainOMG***BBQ disease

 

[BouncingCheese]

there was this running back by the name of emmitt smith. at first he was just a mid 1st round pick and nothing special by looking at the value at the time. yet through the years he avoided things like dog fighting, strip clubs, getting shot or shooting others, paintballs to the tata's and so forth by doing something unusual like performing on the field to the tune of ending his career not as a cowboy (well, except for that 1 day contract signing good people sometimes do) but as the NFL all time leading rusher - setting the record at least as a cowboy at home against seattle.

he wasn't the fastest kid on the block and calling him "elusive" can be done out of love if not factual. he was caught from behind from time to time yet his overall skill and "gift" was durability. so much so that many fans of emmitt (and he does rightfully have quite a few!) take it personal when you mention facets of a game that other RBs can have (it's not like emmitt rolled a 10 on every skillset known to running backs and had a vorpal helmet to boot) and how other RBs were damn good at the game in their own right, they tend to get whiney-girl upset that *their*favorite back isn't mentioned every time great RB's are mentioned and they tee off on the topic as useless.

simply because it didn't include "their" boy.

/sarcasmoff.

 

[Stautner]

I would say that Emmitt is a COMPLETE back, however, I think his elusiveness was his main staple:
-longer career by avoid the big hits
-vision to evade the first tackler

I'm wondering if you are a youngster who only knows Emmitt from highlight reels.

This list is for guys like Sanders and Sayers whose gift was making people miss in the open field and then outrunning them.

Sure Emmitt had some of that, but his primary gift was his vision, his balance and his ability to break tackles or even drive right through tacklers.

He was known much more for keeping tacklers from getting a clean shot and running thorugh tackles rather than avoiding contact altogether.

He was much more in the Walter Payton mold than the mold of Sanders and Sayers.

Oh you mean the Baseball Team, right?

i'll never understand why if someone's favorite player doesn't make a list, it's a crap list.

Good point.



FACE IT EVERYONE: While Emmitt was a special RB, elusiveness was not his strongest point - and it's NOT a slap in his face to say that.

I personally believe Jim Brown was the best RB ever, and while he was fast enough to outrun most folks, his special talent was his strength and ability to run though tackles on his way to breaking out into the open field.

Same for Earl Campbell - also a better RB than most that made the list, but elusiveness was clearly not his strenghth as a RB.

Franco Harris and Eric Dickerson also come to mind - along with, obviously, Walter Payton. All great RB's, and all better than most on the list, but their greatness was derived from a combination of abilities, not a great capicity to be elusive.

 

[SultanOfSix]

wah. emmitt didn't make the list.

wah....emmitts my buddy and i've got a blow up bobblehead of him.

wah....emmitt should make all lists!

wah....all the cowboy haters out there are holding emmitts true greatness wah back.

wah.

wah i say.

there. help any?

Not really. You just invented about five strawmans.

Perhaps you live or previously lived on a farm for many years or the "Wizard of Oz" was your favorite movie?

It's ironic that you speak about Emmitt's greatest asset being his "durability". Yet, you would think the number two most elusive back wouldn't be suffering from massive arthritis and almost not being able to walk after maintaining a NFL career of only six years if he was so "elusive" while Emmitt wasn't.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Marshall Faulk definitely deserves to make that list because he made plenty of people look stupid in the open field and in traffic. Some people's comments make me wonder do they watch the same games or do they even watch at all....

 

[aikemirv]

I'm sorry, but if that is not a stupid list, then where is Vick. Vick is the ONLy guy who compares to B Sanders, period.

And by the way, I watched the part with Joe Washington and I could run circles around those highlights with Emmitt Smith elusive highlights, period.

I'm not saying he should be top 5, but he should be on the list.

 

[iceberg]

Not really. You just invented about five strawmans.

Perhaps you live or previously lived on a farm for many years or the "Wizard of Oz" was your favorite movie?

It's ironic that you speak about Emmitt's greatest asset being his "durability". Yet, you would think the number two most elusive back wouldn't be suffering from massive arthritis and almost not being able to walk after maintaining a NFL career of only six years if he was so "elusive" while Emmitt wasn't.

lived on a farm. got something against farmers?

emmitt was a very damn good back. one of the best.

but that doesn't mean every time someone puts up a list of rb's emmitt has to be on it. that's just ignorance in motion.

keep moving.

 

[Stautner]

I'm sorry, but if that is not a stupid list, then where is Vick. Vick is the ONLy guy who compares to B Sanders, period.

And by the way, I watched the part with Joe Washington and I could run circles around those highlights with Emmitt Smith elusive highlights, period.

I'm not saying he should be top 5, but he should be on the list.

I agree with you about Vick - although there are a couple of guys on the list I can't comment about a all because I don't know who the hell they are.

As for Emmitt vs. Joe Washington, if you've seen Joe Washington play you know this isn't true.

Emmitt was infinitely more talented than Joe Washington, and Washington was nowhere near the RB Emmit was, But Joe Washington could elude a hungry cheetah in an open field.

Ever try to catch a rabbit? That's Joe Washington.

THE FUNNY THING IS THIS: Emmitt himself never even cared about completely avoiding contact -never even tried to be as elusive as he probably could have been. He just wanted enough of an advantage to avoid being hit cleanly, and he would use his legs and balance to drive through the tackle.

He was a North/South runner who ran downhill rather than worry about not being touched, not a guy who juked and faked and made his living avoiding contact.

Emmitt himself would tell you that - so why would fans be so adamant about disagreeing with the man himself?

 

[dndvalles]

I'm wondering if you are a youngster who only knows Emmitt from highlight reels.

Thanks for the compliment!

This list is for guys like Sanders and Sayers whose gift was making people miss in the open field and then outrunning them.

I believe Emmitt made people miss.....

Sure Emmitt had some of that, but his primary gift was his vision, his balance and his ability to break tackles or even drive right through tacklers.

Don't know if I would say Emmitt drove through tacklers...

He was known much more for keeping tacklers from getting a clean shot and running thorugh tackles rather than avoiding contact altogether.

Sounds like elusive to me....

He was much more in the Walter Payton mold than the mold of Sanders and Sayers.

I agree with that, however I think we forget his cutback and "juke-ability" when we compare that to Barry. I think he merits being on the list.

 

[Stautner]

I'm wondering if you are a youngster who only knows Emmitt from highlight reels.

Thanks for the compliment!

This list is for guys like Sanders and Sayers whose gift was making people miss in the open field and then outrunning them.

I believe Emmitt made people miss.....

Sure Emmitt had some of that, but his primary gift was his vision, his balance and his ability to break tackles or even drive right through tacklers.

Don't know if I would say Emmitt drove through tacklers...

He was known much more for keeping tacklers from getting a clean shot and running thorugh tackles rather than avoiding contact altogether.

Sounds like elusive to me....

He was much more in the Walter Payton mold than the mold of Sanders and Sayers.

I agree with that, however I think we forget his cutback and "juke-ability" when we compare that to Barry. I think he merits being on the list.

Listen to what I am saying - I'm not saying Emmitt couldn't juke or wasn;t elusive - I'm only saying that exceptional elusiveness wa not his true gift as a runner.

Emmitt made people miss more by breaking tackles and maintaining his balance after contact than by avoiding the contact altogther.

His gift WAS NOT being so elusive he avoided contact, it was in continuing to drive forward despite contact.

The point of this thread isn't who is best at not being tackled, but in how the runner goes about avoiding being tackled.

Some do it by being so elusive they avoid the contact altogether, and some by not letting contact stop them and continuing to drive through it.

Emmitt fit into the 2nd category.

 

[joseephuss]

Emmitt got an honorable mention. That means he ranked like 11th or 12th. If there was a top ten for each individual skill or asset of a running back, Emmitt probably is ranked 11th or 12th on every single list. Most of the guys on this elusiveness list probably don't make the top 50 in any other category. That is why Emmitt is a complete back and one of the all time best.

Yep, I watch a lot of football. I don't see Marshall Faulk as elusive. I followed him since he burst onto the nation as a freshman phenom at SDSU. I saw someone describe him as Emmitt with speed. That is a good description. Another one of my favorite running backs and one that is very complete, but #3 on the all time elusive list. I just can't buy that.

 

[Stautner]

Emmitt got an honorable mention. That means he ranked like 11th or 12th. If there was a top ten for each individual skill or asset of a running back, Emmitt probably is ranked 11th or 12th on every single list. Most of the guys on this elusiveness list probably don't make the top 50 in any other category. That is why Emmitt is a complete back and one of the all time best.

Yep, I watch a lot of football. I don't see Marshall Faulk as elusive. I followed him since he burst onto the nation as a freshman phenom at SDSU. I saw someone describe him as Emmitt with speed. That is a good description. Another one of my favorite running backs and one that is very complete, but #3 on the all time elusive list. I just can't buy that.

This is a fair statement. I agree with you and others about Faulk. I consider Faulk more of a Marcus Allen type than a Barry Sanders type. That doesn't mean he isn't elusive, but that elusiveness is not the primary gift that made him great.

Guys like Emmitt and Faulk and Allen are great due to a combination of factors, not one great talent, like being "elusive".

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Gotta throw *Terry Metcalf into the mix somewhere. That dude made so many defenders look sick. Tony Dorsett was robbed here; of course he belongs on this list. Top 5 without a doubt.

*attn young whippersnappers- he played for the St Louis Cardinals in 70's.

Eric was even more ellusive then his father. Amazes me how this guy gets overlooked all the time. TD and OJ Simpson both belong on this list. No question in my mind.

 

[aikemirv]

You just have to love the fact that Emmitt gets labeled as a downfield runner because he hit the hole and then made his moves in the secondary. It really is very funny I have to say. He was a great inside runner who then was very elusive in the defensive backfield.

It makes me laugh at how little credit Emmitt gets at times.

11 or 12th in every list:laugh2:

 

[joseephuss]

You just have to love the fact that Emmitt gets labeled as a downfield runner because he hit the hole and then made his moves in the secondary. It really is very funny I have to say. He was a great inside runner who then was very elusive in the defensive backfield.

It makes me laugh at how little credit Emmitt gets at times.

11 or 12th in every list:laugh2:

I meant to add or higher on a few, but typed too fast. I would put him up very high on a vision list and a patience list, for example. There are 25 modern era RBs to make the HoF. If it was limited to just those guys, then I can see Emmitt ranked Top 5 in any category that someone could come up with. To rank extremely high in every single category with 100s of running backs who have played in the NFL would be nearly impossible.

 

[SultanOfSix]

lived on a farm. got something against farmers?

No. You just like putting up strawmans. Hence the reference.

emmitt was a very damn good back. one of the best.

but that doesn't mean every time someone puts up a list of rb's emmitt has to be on it. that's just ignorance in motion.

keep moving.

No one said he had to be on every list. You seem to like playing with hay. The latter catches fire pretty darn easily, and then burns away.

 

[aikemirv]

Jim Brown was before my time, so I cannot comment on him. I would have to say that Payton is the best RB of all time. I think when you look at skills Payton, Tomlinson, Smith, OJ, Sayers, Dickerson and Dorsett would have to be all up there together and would be successful in any era in the NFL.

From my understanding, and correct me if I am wrong, Jim Brown was just a man amongst boys in his era and would just run people over. Those of you who watched him, would he be considered as great if he were running in todays NFL or would he be on the level of an Earl Campbell who I would rank just slightly below the above guys.

 

[BouncingCheese]

Marshall Faulk definitely deserves to make that list because he made plenty of people look stupid in the open field and in traffic. Some people's comments make me wonder do they watch the same games or do they even watch at all....

Double hammer for you.

I don't know what people are smoking... how do you people think Faulk amassed so many yards? Teams knew that he was going to get the ball on screen plays and dumpoffs yet he almost always made the first guy miss.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Jim Brown was before my time, so I cannot comment on him. I would have to say that Payton is the best RB of all time. I think when you look at skills Payton, Tomlinson, Smith, OJ, Sayers, Dickerson and Dorsett would have to be all up there together and would be successful in any era in the NFL.

From my understanding, and correct me if I am wrong, Jim Brown was just a man amongst boys in his era and would just run people over. Those of you who watched him, would he be considered as great if he were running in todays NFL or would he be on the level of an Earl Campbell who I would rank just slightly below the above guys.

Jim Brown was everything. He was big, strong, fast, quick and ellusive. I would not call him one of the most ellusive backs ever but he was certainly ellusive. I don't think he deserves to be on this list but he wasn't just a big pounding back.