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Can you name the top 6 career NFL rushing leaders? (1 Viewer)

JoeSteeler

JoeSteeler

Footballguy
In order?

The top 3 are easy but 4-6 maybe not so much. I had 4 and 5 reversed and somehow forgot #6 had passed #7. Interested to see how many can get this without looking.  :popcorn:

Link to list

 
Off the top of my head

Emitt Smith

Walter Payton

Jim Brown

Curtis Martin

Jerome Bettis

Frank Gore (I would not have got this but I just read it in the Gore thread a little earlier)

OJ Simpson

ETA: that's 7

 
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Emmitt Smith
Walter Payton
Jim Brown
Curtis Martin
Jerome Bettis
Barry Sanders
Marshall Faulk
Ladanian Tomlinson
Edgerrin James?? 

EDIT: :lol:  gave 9. Thought you were looking for top 10

1-6 in order
Emmitt Smith
Walter Payton
Barry Sanders
Ladanian Tomlinson
Jerome Bettis
Jim Brown

 
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Amazing that Gore and Peterson are the only two active players in the top 25. Some of those records are going to stand for a long time.

 
STEADYMOBBIN 22 said:
Emmitt Smith

everyone else. 
Click to expand...


matuski said:
No better evidence in sports that stats are misleading.
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Emmitt was not the best to ever lace em up but you're kidding yourself if you think he isn't an all time great. The Cowboys brought in a gaggle of backs to back up Emmitt and none of them produced. 

He was clutch in big games and at the goal line. He was rarely ever caught from behind. 

He was put in a situation to produce at a high level and that's what he did. Can't ask for anymore. 

 
kutta said:
Amazing that Gore and Peterson are the only two active players in the top 25. Some of those records are going to stand for a long time.
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Oh yeah, the top of the rushing list isn't going to change anytime soon, IMO. The league is way too pass heavy and most RBs now only have a 5-6 year window to produce before they are cast aside. Hell, just to get to 10,000 yards going forward is going to be a challenge.

 
STEADYMOBBIN 22 said:
Emmitt Smith

everyone else. 
Click to expand...
If he hadn't played for those early 90s Cowboys team he wouldn't even be a HOFer.  When considering the best RBs of all-time his name is never in consideration.  The best ever (in no particular order) are Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, and Walter Payton. 

 
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STEADYMOBBIN 22 said:
Emmitt was not the best to ever lace em up but you're kidding yourself if you think he isn't an all time great. The Cowboys brought in a gaggle of backs to back up Emmitt and none of them produced. 

He was clutch in big games and at the goal line. He was rarely ever caught from behind. 

He was put in a situation to produce at a high level and that's what he did. Can't ask for anymore. 
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His stats are all time great.  His team was all time great.  His line + fullback perhaps the greatest ever.

Versus his own contemporaries I would say he was good/above average.  There were 3-5 other RBs in his era I'd argue ahead of him as RBs (obviously not career stats).

Barry

Marshall

TD

Emmitt- CMart - Watters - Thurman

Bettis - George

 
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matuski said:
His stats are all time great.  His team was all time great.  His line + fullback perhaps the greatest ever.

Versus his own contemporaries I would say he was good/above average.  There were 3-5 other RBs in his era I'd argue ahead of him as RBs (obviously not career stats).

Barry

Marshall

TD

Emmitt- CMart - Watters - Thurman

Bettis - George
Click to expand...
:lmao:

Everyone says: 

Aikman was overrated 

Michael Irvin pushed off

Emmitt was average.

Its simply amazing they won 3 Super Bowls with all those average players. 

At this point Emmitt Smith is criminally underrated.

 
STEADYMOBBIN 22 said:
:lmao:

Everyone says: 

Aikman was overrated 

Michael Irvin pushed off

Emmitt was average.

Its simply amazing they won 3 Super Bowls with all those average players. 

At this point Emmitt Smith is criminally underrated.
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I didn't say it - so i guess not everyone, right?

The skill positions were good not great.  The line was best these 41 year old eyes have ever seen by a LONG shot.  The defense very very good.

It isn't complicated.. the strength of that team were the lines, especially on offense.

 
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matuski said:
His stats are all time great.  His team was all time great.  His line + fullback perhaps the greatest ever.

Versus his own contemporaries I would say he was good/above average.  There were 3-5 other RBs in his era I'd argue ahead of him as RBs (obviously not career stats).

Barry

Marshall

TD

Emmitt- CMart - Watters - Thurman

Bettis - George
Click to expand...
It's been discussed too many times but imho, switch Eddie and Emmitt and the teams wouldn't have been affected.  

 
matuski said:
I didn't say it - so i guess not everyone, right?

The skill positions were good not great.  The line was best these 41 year old eyes have ever seen by a LONG shot.  The defense very very good.

It isn't complicated.. the strength of that team were the lines, especially on offense.
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They had a lot of really good skill players. And exceptional lines on both sides of the ball.   Novacek and Alvin Harper were both more than solid starters too.  That team didn't have much of a weakness - although in today's NFL, half the team would have been suspended for drugs or other infractions.

 
STEADYMOBBIN 22 said:
:lmao:

Everyone says: 

Aikman was overrated 

Michael Irvin pushed off

Emmitt was average.

Its simply amazing they won 3 Super Bowls with all those average players. 

At this point Emmitt Smith is criminally underrated.
Click to expand...
The most appropriate 8 letters of the alphabet in the above are "criminal".

 
Well, you guys can all think what you like but the fact is - my favorite player from my childhood sits atop one of the most hallowed records in all of sports and the last guy who had even the slightest chance of catching him is all but done. 

Long live the King. 

 
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JohnnyU said:
If he hadn't played for those early 90s Cowboys team he wouldn't even be a HOFer.  When considering the best RBs of all-time his name is never in consideration.  The best ever (in no particular order) are Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, and Walter Payton. 
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This won't be popular but I think OJ belongs on that list with the 3 guys you listed 

 
The Shark Pool's rankings of the top 8 RBs all time (from 2011), created by voting for each spot from 1 down to 8.  % of the vote is what they won their spot with.

RB #1: Jim Brown 48.5% of the vote.

RB #2: Walter Payton 41.7% of the vote.

RB #3: Barry Sanders 70.6% of the vote.

RB #4: OJ Simpson 27.4% of the vote.

RB #5(tie): Marshall Faulk 25.2% of the vote.

RB #5(tie): Emmitt Smith 25.2% of the vote.

RB #7: Eric Dickerson 41.0% of the vote.

RB #8: Ladainian Tomlinson 42.2% of the vote

 
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GregR said:
The Shark Pool's rankings of the top 8 RBs all time, created by voting for each spot form 1 down to 8.  % of the vote is what they won their spot with.

RB #1: Jim Brown 48.5% of the vote.

RB #2: Walter Payton 41.7% of the vote.

RB #3: Barry Sanders 70.6% of the vote.

RB #4: OJ Simpson 27.4% of the vote.

RB #5(tie): Marshall Faulk 25.2% of the vote.

RB #5(tie): Emmitt Smith 25.2% of the vote.

RB #7: Eric Dickerson 41.0% of the vote.

RB #8: Ladainian Tomlinson 42.2% of the vote
Click to expand...
Percent of people voting that ever even saw Jim Brown play:  5%

 
MattFancy said:
Oh yeah, the top of the rushing list isn't going to change anytime soon, IMO. The league is way too pass heavy and most RBs now only have a 5-6 year window to produce before they are cast aside. Hell, just to get to 10,000 yards going forward is going to be a challenge.
Click to expand...
... and don't forget there are only a handful of guys at RB that aren't in some sort of RBBC now. A three-down-RB that has all the carries in an offense is kind of like a unicorn now. I think that's why people act like there is no risk associated with Le'Veon Bell. It's just so exciting to a see a player that doesn't come off the field(... when healthy.... and not suspended). How many guys have enjoyed that role for even three years in a row let alone 5-6?

 
Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Jim Brown, Curtis Martin...

Bettis? Barry?

I didn't do too bad. Thought Jim Brown was much higher. LT floated around in my head but didn't think he was that high on the list. Somehow Dickerson slipped my mind (even though he's not Top 6). Barry is higher than I thought probably because everyone knows he could've played longer than he did.

 
MattFancy said:
Oh yeah, the top of the rushing list isn't going to change anytime soon, IMO. The league is way too pass heavy and most RBs now only have a 5-6 year window to produce before they are cast aside. Hell, just to get to 10,000 yards going forward is going to be a challenge.
Click to expand...


BoltBacker said:
... and don't forget there are only a handful of guys at RB that aren't in some sort of RBBC now. A three-down-RB that has all the carries in an offense is kind of like a unicorn now. I think that's why people act like there is no risk associated with Le'Veon Bell. It's just so exciting to a see a player that doesn't come off the field(... when healthy.... and not suspended). How many guys have enjoyed that role for even three years in a row let alone 5-6?
Click to expand...


The money too. It's a rare bird that wants to hang around and scrap when you've got millions in your bank. Concerns for concussions another hurdle. 

 
STEADYMOBBIN 22 said:
The money too. It's a rare bird that wants to hang around and scrap when you've got millions in your bank. Concerns for concussions another hurdle. 
Click to expand...
Yeah, I almost added the concussion protocol in my post. Having that many carries and not missing any time due to a concussion situation does seem unlikely. 

On the other hand, the owners got pretty much everything they wanted in the last CBA so if they really do expand the regular season that would make a huge impact on these cumulative career records. Personally, I'd like to see the NFL expand the regular season substantially but go to player bye weeks instead of team bye weeks so that a player could only play in 16 games per season. That would also keep the players healthy/rested for the 16 games they did play and would an advantage for a player trying to break into that top group.

 
STEADYMOBBIN 22 said:
Well, you guys can all think what you like but the fact is - my favorite player from my childhood sits atop one of the most hollowed records in all of sports and the last guy who had even the slightest chance of catching him is all but done. 

Long live the King. 
Click to expand...
It's not totally hollow.  

 
Hypothetically, If Barry didnt retire when he did abruptly, would there be anyone near his record? 

 
Bronco Billy said:
Are Cowboys fans born obnoxious or is it an acquired behavior?
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Dude, you're one of the most obnoxious, hyperbolic posters on this forum. 

Ill answer your question though...

Sure there are a lot of obnoxious Cowboys fans and I hate 99% of them. Every single team has them and it is usually related to a teams success. See Patriots and Seattle fans of late. 

With that said there is not a team or organization of any business model that gets both the attention and heat than the Dallas Cowboys. Every fan of every team has a Facebook page that is littered with Cowboys memes. People love to root for their team and against the Cowboys. 

There are the obnoxious fans but the jealously and vitriol the Cowboys receive is compounded by the hate projected at us.

Emmitt Smith is my favorite player of my formative years. While he isn't the best every he is certainly one of the best. Those tired ### clichés like "replace Emmitt with Eddie george and there's no drop off are idiotic. Emmitt was put in a boatload of clutch positions and unlike every Cowboys team since his retirement, and unlike Eddie George folding up in that game agsinst the Ravens and Ray Lewis, Emmitt pulled through in the clutch just about every single time. Emmitt was a hell of a RB. He played hard, he played in nearly every game, he played hurt. He never got in trouble on or off the field, he's generally loved by everyone. He had the best vision of any back I've ever seen. His last few years behind awful offensive lines and the worst fullback whoever played in Robert Thomas from 96-2000 and he walked and sidestepped his way to 1,200 yard seasons. 

The point is, for every obnoxious Cowboys fan out there - there is another obnoxious fan of every other team that has the Cowboys in their crosshairs. Me joking that Emmitt is the best isn't because I'm being obnoxious, I just love my team and my favorite payer. What's wrong with that? People just don't like it and more often times than not, they don't like the Cowboys.

There aren't more obnoxious Cowboys fans because we're all obnoxious, it's just they're more Cowboys fans in general. 

Im rambling and all over the place and I'm not even sure I answered your question. 

 
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BoltBacker said:
Personally, I'd like to see the NFL expand the regular season substantially but go to player bye weeks instead of team bye weeks so that a player could only play in 16 games per season. That would also keep the players healthy/rested for the 16 games they did play and would an advantage for a player trying to break into that top group.
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This is a novel idea I haven't heard elsewhere, and I like it, as it would add another layer of complex strategy to the game.

I doubt coaches or GMs would ever embrace it, though, because of the added complexity.

It would make for some elaborate challenges in the fantasy community too...

 
Curtis Martin surprised me at #4 but I got the other five. Martin wasn't even in my thought process. He must've played a lot longer than I remember.

 
STEADYMOBBIN 22 said:
GregR said:
Faulk is probably not even close to being in the top ten in rushes, let alone top six.

I'd go with Barry or LT ahead of him.
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I looked it up after I posted and I was close. You're right though, Faulk was way down there and LT was higher. 
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Yes, one of the things that stuck in my mind from doing that RB ranking I gave the link to earlier, was how Faulk is up near the top in yards from scrimmage amongst RBs, yet he's a lot further down the rushing rankings than I would have thought. He was truly a weapon in the passing game like few RBs have been used.

This thread, and that fact, has had me considering doing another RB ranking thing not based on best historical RB... but based on who would you pick to play in today's game if you got them as a rookie.  My initial gut reaction is to say Faulk, though I spent some time looking at PFR the last few days and it is a tougher call than I had thought.

 
GregR said:
Yes, one of the things that stuck in my mind from doing that RB ranking I gave the link to earlier, was how Faulk is up near the top in yards from scrimmage amongst RBs, yet he's a lot further down the rushing rankings than I would have thought. He was truly a weapon in the passing game like few RBs have been used.

This thread, and that fact, has had me considering doing another RB ranking thing not based on best historical RB... but based on who would you pick to play in today's game if you got them as a rookie.  My initial gut reaction is to say Faulk, though I spent some time looking at PFR the last few days and it is a tougher call than I had thought.
Click to expand...


I think Faulk is one of the best backs and very underrated, if that's possible. 

Im not a stat geek but I'd be interested in somehow compairing the defenses these guys faced. 

Despite my affection for Faulk, I firmly believe he and LT faced some of the worst defenses in the league, especially LT. 

LT went up against Denver, LA Raiders and KC when they were god awful during those years. I know every division has its cupcake but I'd be shocked if he didn't face the most porous defenses in existence compared to the other top 10 rushing leaders. 

 
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Arodin said:
I doubt coaches or GMs would ever embrace it, though, because of the added complexity.
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You would think they would embrace it since both those positions kind of get held hostage by the QB situation right now. You either have a good one or you swing wildly with all your resources guessing that an unproven guy can be a good one. If it were a 20 game regular season for instance then you have 4 games to develop player or get an idea if a guy can actually play or not. At some point the league needs to think outside the box to develop young QB's and this is one way to work toward that goal. The current system is going to look awful in just a couple of years as all these mid-30's QB's retire. There just aren't enough starting caliber guys coming in from college ready to take over or at least they aren't getting the chance to develop/improve sitting behind guys pushing 40yo.

 
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