I cna actually remember watching Earl Campbell granted I was only like 5 - 8 years onld at the time but I do remember seeign the man destroy all would be talkers by simply running over them then right past them !LJ is not the short yardage runner yet that Earl was - not saying LJ sucks at short yarage either just he needs a little work -- but I have yet to see a runner run literally with such MEAN intentions as LJ since Earl Campbell ! It takes 3 people to bring this guy down at least in the open field and he carrys guys 10 yards . If the chiefs even think about making Priest a RBBC guy in 06 they are total idiots LJ is maybe the #1 RB in the NFL right now or at least the last 8 weeks.
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LJ = Earl Campbell ! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter The Moz
- Start date
Earl Campbell I've seen on replays of old games was nothing like LJ. I can't think of whom he's like maybe maybe maybe he's like Christian Okoye and Mark Bavaro. I mean he was huge, somewhat fast and just plowed guys over including his linemen if need be. The defenders would hang on him(like Bavaro) and he'd carry them on his back, literally, and keep running. I've never watched a replay of an old Earl Campbell game and NOT thought what a tough sonofagun.He was a big guy and seemingly bigger than defenders of those days, like big brother playing with little brother on their front lawn. LJ is more speed and flash IMO and nothing like that.So while I think it's a bad comparison it's good though for you. Take a look at the TV guide every now and again and try to catch some Earl Campbell highlights. You're in for a treat, definitely an enjoyable back to watch with the ball.
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Urinal Mint
Footballguy
The difference is, Earl Campbell would run for 2,000 yards behind Kansas City's offensive line. Earl Campbell played for some of the worst teams in NFL history while he was in Houston and his career was very short as a result.
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Urinal Mint
Footballguy
LJ blossomed behind the best O-Line since the Dallas lines of the 90s. He is good... but I don't think he could hold a candle to Campbell.
Umm, there is a very good chance that had LJ been starting all year he would have 2000 yds this season.
Raiders Fan
The Black Hole
Chance?? It was almost a dead lock if he started almsot every week.. He fell 450 yards short only starting 8 games this year. The guy is better then a lot give him credit for.. So many say its the OL that's why he does well but its so much more.. He has the power and burst to get through the line quick AND probably the biggest part of his game he has the patience to WAIT for his line to make a hole for him.. I can't get over how in control he is with every carry.Umm, there is a very good chance that had LJ been starting all year he would have 2000 yds this season.
Just because he has a good offensive line doesn't mean he's not truly great. We can only speculate on what he'd do with another team, but he looks real good to me. It's too early, obviously, to say he's as good as Campbell but if I were picking a real (not fantasy) football team, he'd be the first RB I'd take. If I were picking a real football team for one season only, I'd probably go with LT, but LJ would be second on my list.
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Gargoylez
Footballguy
You could put the majority of starting RB's behind the Chiefs offensive line and a get a 1600+ 15+ TD RB. Larry is a good back but not a great back by any means. He hits the hole well becuase its so FRIGGEN big and he has time to make his moves alot earlier then most backs do. When LT makes a big gain, 9 out of 10 times its because he has the vision and he has to make 5-6 moves. LJ just runs through a hole, make one move and off he goes.Not saying LJ is a bad back but he would be a bench sitter behind the majority of starting RB's in this NFL on different lines. He should feel very fortunate, he will never be an elite back in talent, but he can be with the best offensive line in football.
Raiders Fan
The Black Hole
Then tell us WHY you think he is avg. I made points that show his above avg skills and why he succeeds. Tell us the things you see that make him not. So far I haven't heard anything you just said that tells me WHY he not. I am all for a debate.. I just don't want politician responses which means there is nothing behind the post.
Gargoylez
Footballguy
Its common sense dude. Plain and simple. Get a GREAT offensive line and your back will succeed. Have a crappy Oline and you will struggle. Willis McGahee is a better back and he is struggling because he has no offensive line. It's so easy to sit back and spew stats... But A.Green for an example... perenial 1200 yards 12 TD back adn he loses two of his offensive lineman... now he "sucks." Its because the majority of people just look at stats and say GREAT/SUCK. WHen they should see what is really happening on the feild. You think Johnson EARNED the first 7 yards he had with a gaping hole? Trent Green could hit that hole. LJ will be JUST an above average back until he can prove he can run with a crappy oline. If for any reason teh Cheifs line takes a nose dive and he is effortlesslymaking 7 yard carries still... then I will eat crow but I am pretty sure, he will drop a good 1.5 yards per carry and barely make 10-12 TD's in a year. He will be an average back. Holmes is a better back IMO. He just can't stay healthy.
Legion of Doom
Footballguy
LMFAO Whatever,do you actually watch the games?
ericttspikes
Footballguy
Earl was sweet. A couple of memories stand out for me. One was the break away jersey. Do they still have that? Did they ever have that? I can't remember any players since Earl that would leave a defender holding a RBs jersey back as they scamper for a big run, and if my memory serves me I remember Earl doing this a couple of times. Also, Earls thighs were like tree trunks. He simply couldn't be wrapped up.
HULLOBUDMAN
Footballguy
This is the best arguement for LJ that there is. Not the actual content but the fact a Raider fan is touting a Chief player's talent.Chance?? It was almost a dead lock if he started almsot every week.. He fell 450 yards short only starting 8 games this year. The guy is better then a lot give him credit for.. So many say its the OL that's why he does well but its so much more.. He has the power and burst to get through the line quick AND probably the biggest part of his game he has the patience to WAIT for his line to make a hole for him.. I can't get over how in control he is with every carry.Umm, there is a very good chance that had LJ been starting all year he would have 2000 yds this season.
buck naked
Footballguy
LJ does not have the pure power that Campbell did. Not even close.
I agree with the 2000 yard comment. Assumming health, and starting all year, 2000 was within easy reach. 2000+ and 500+ receiving with 22+ TDs would have been a great season. So what is it ? LJ's talent ?Vermeil's offense (see Priest and Faulk, he certainly has been good to RB) ?The All-Pro offensive line ?it's a combination of all three. They just went through 3 or 4 of the toughest Run defenses in the NFL like they were playing the Rams every week. As far as watching the game against SD this week. LJ's receiving TD showed agility, speed, and power. He also had another where the blocking completely fell apart, and he was hit 5-6 yards behind the line, yet managed to turn it into a gain all on effort, and another where he and he alone pushed the pile 3-4 yards after contact. and yes, it was somewhat campbell-esque. It was fun to watch of you had him on your Championship team.Can we anoint him great ? the best ever ? of course not. Do it for the next 5-10 years then maybe. Can we say that during the last 8 games he has been the best Fantasy back in the game ... oh yeah no question.
Legion of Doom
Footballguy
Yep, but outside of maybe Jerome Bettis who does/did? But,he does have his same mentality.Both would rather run you over than go around you!There is zero doubt LJ runs with a chip on his shoulder
Balco
Footballguy
I have watched football for 20 years, and Kansas City has the best offensive line I have ever seen. Better than the Cowboys, better than anyone. Textbook blocking on almost everyplay. That interior line is amazing, they get to the second level on every play and just seal off defenders. The sweep is a thing of beuty. Larry Johnson does not even run with a full head of steam, he trots for five yards, untouched, and then accelerates.Larry Johnson is a good back, but it is that offensive line that makes the running game. Roaf and Shields are sure fire hall of famers, and Waters and Wirgmann are top 3 at their positions in the NFL right now. Larry Johnson is nothing like Earl Campbell.
But what do you expect when an undrafted guy who was never a starter turns into the #1 RB there and then his replacement, a late first rounder with attitude problems from a school that is notorious for busts at the position, also turns into the #1 RB there. Of course, people are going to assume that its the system.Chance?? It was almost a dead lock if he started almsot every week.. He fell 450 yards short only starting 8 games this year. The guy is better then a lot give him credit for.. So many say its the OL that's why he does well but its so much more.. He has the power and burst to get through the line quick AND probably the biggest part of his game he has the patience to WAIT for his line to make a hole for him.. I can't get over how in control he is with every carry.Umm, there is a very good chance that had LJ been starting all year he would have 2000 yds this season.
satch
Footballguy
Let me get this straight, if a RB succeeds behind a great offensive line, he is therefore ineligible for greatness? Maybe we should go back and re-examine Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith, Curtis Martin, Marshall Faulk, etc and make sure their o-line's sucked before we call them great. Maybe they really weren't that good. Maybe any RB would've succeeded in their positions.Any successful RB requires the right situation. Wether it's a great o-line to open holes, a high powered passing attack to stretch the field or some other situation. Larry Johnson is putting up record numbers right now and to discredit him because his o-line is good is just ridiculous. Larry Johnson is not an average RB behind a great line, he's a great RB behind a great line. In fact, right now he's arguably the best RB in the NFL. If he were to continue to play at this pace he would break every RB record in the book. That's not an opinion, it's facts and math and impossible to ignore. If LJ started every game this year he likely would've had the best season in NFL history.
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Knightro
Footballguy
Thank goodness LJ doesn't have the fumble problems Earl had. Campbell used to be a pitch man for Skoal so fans used to get on him and tell him to put the ball between his cheeck and gum so he wouldn't fumble.I got to Houston in 1980 and those were truly some god awful Oiler teams. My dad had free tickets every week and we still wouldn't go to the games.
Chitown Mole
Footballguy
LJ is no Earl Campbell. Earl was the most punishing back I've ever seen in my life...I'm 41 and my Father had season tickets. This is how Earl would finish many of his runs...
http://www.geocities.com/dali_sherpas/Earl.avi
http://www.geocities.com/dali_sherpas/Earl.avi
el-gato-grande
Footballguy
The guys that will disagree with you on this are fantasy owners in keeper or dynasty leagues who didn't draft LJ this year and want to rationalize in their own minds how they could have passed over what will likely be the most dominating RB of this decade.
DoctorDetroit
Chocolate Thunder
Was it the 79 team that lost to the Steelers in the AFC Championship on that very questionable TD they didn't get? Mike Renfro from Danny P? Those teams were awesome and that was when I really started to get into football. Miss the oil rig on the helmet.
Balco
Footballguy
lol. Are you kidding me? You think that is a special talent? What runningback wouldn't love to have the "patience" (most would call it luxury) to wait for their line to make a hole? I honestly have never seen a line allow a running back to basically stop before going foward. Say what you want about Larry Johnson, but please dont say the fact he can wait for his line to make a hole is a strength. That is one of the funniest things I have heard.Chance?? It was almost a dead lock if he started almsot every week.. He fell 450 yards short only starting 8 games this year. The guy is better then a lot give him credit for.. So many say its the OL that's why he does well but its so much more.. He has the power and burst to get through the line quick AND probably the biggest part of his game he has the patience to WAIT for his line to make a hole for him.. I can't get over how in control he is with every carry.Umm, there is a very good chance that had LJ been starting all year he would have 2000 yds this season.
Raiders Fan
The Black Hole
Patience for a hole to open is the sign of a very mature RB.. Not all holes are made the instant the play is run.. Having that time is how you make something out of nothing. I watch so many RB's that just bull their way into the line the way the play is run.. Those are the ones that get 0-2 yards when nothing is there. LJ gets 4-6 yards almost every play.lol. Are you kidding me? You think that is a special talent? What runningback wouldn't love to have the "patience" (most would call it luxury) to wait for their line to make a hole? I honestly have never seen a line allow a running back to basically stop before going foward. Say what you want about Larry Johnson, but please dont say the fact he can wait for his line to make a hole is a strength. That is one of the funniest things I have heard.Chance?? It was almost a dead lock if he started almsot every week.. He fell 450 yards short only starting 8 games this year. The guy is better then a lot give him credit for.. So many say its the OL that's why he does well but its so much more.. He has the power and burst to get through the line quick AND probably the biggest part of his game he has the patience to WAIT for his line to make a hole for him.. I can't get over how in control he is with every carry.Umm, there is a very good chance that had LJ been starting all year he would have 2000 yds this season.
FUBAR
Footballguy
The guys that will disagree with you on this are fantasy owners in keeper or dynasty leagues who didn't draft LJ this year and want to rationalize in their own minds how they could have passed over what will likely be the most dominating RB of this decade.
I have LJ, and see him much more as Emmit than Earl. Like Emmit, he benefits from the line, but is a dominant force with it.If LJ had started every game this year, Trent Green would have been injured and the Chiefs would be long out of the playoff hunt. Teams would have not worried about the pass at all. If he continued to perform like he has, then I could see your point.
roadeyes
Footballguy
Why do they keep showing so many stats on LJ's "yards after contact"? I don't know where to find that stat, but if an RB ranks high on this, then isn't it fair to say he gets YAC on his own, not because his O-line is so great?Other than noticing that they always mention this stat when LJ plays, and therefore I assume he is pretty good at it, I really have no idea where he ranks.
Judge Smails
Footballguy
I'll tell you what, when he had 8 Chargers on his back for about 7 yards and wouldn't go down - that had nothing to do with the line. Don't be a hater - the guy has crazymadskills. Power, speed, vision. Of course a running back is only as good as his line, but he does have the skills to excel. Mike Cloud he ain't. P.S. I think he can go for 200 and 3TD's this week against the Bengals..
Tackling Dummies
Footballguy
Jim Brown might be a better comp for Johnson's running style rather than Campbell. 200 and 3 TDs could happen vs Cincy, but if you've been watching the Chiefs w/ Johnson, 150 & 2 is a standard, so with a few breaks, he's closing in on 200 & 3.
Gargoylez
Footballguy
and he runs 5-7 yards without even getting touched in a straight line.I might suggest you to take off the LJ glasses and watch a game or two yourself. Any of his big runs he just ran through a gaping hole and had such a head of steam on him he would power over the secondary guys who weigh 180lbs and 200lbs.
If you think he is comparable to the all time greats, then more pwoer to you. But I would rather stick to reality and say this guy is a good back with an amazing line who is making the most out of his opportunity. He would be a bench sitter if one of 15 other backs were on the roster.
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Futeki
Footballguy
Others may have LJ colored glasses on, but you need to take off the blinders.LJ is performing consistently better than Priest ever did, and that great OL is already aging. Declaring greatness is definitely some time off, but he is showing all of the requisite skills. He didn't start with the Chiefs with those skills, he has devloped them to go along with his raw talent. It has been fun watching him mature into an excellent running back knowing when to not just use his raw power and speed, but to set up defenders and blocks, properly deciding when to use patience or when to push through, having the vision to make multiple cuts, bursting when required, and always falling forward for a couple of yards. He has shown it all.
I might suggest you to take off the LJ glasses and watch a game or two yourself. Any of his big runs he just ran through a gaping hole and had such a head of steam on him he would power over the secondary guys who weigh 180lbs and 200lbs.
If you think he is comparable to the all time greats, then more pwoer to you. But I would rather stick to reality and say this guy is a good back with an amazing line who is making the most out of his opportunity. He would be a bench sitter if one of 15 other backs were on the roster.
As great as the KC O-line is, they aren't as good as they were. LJ is getting hit in the backfield far too often. Unlike Priest, he always gets positive yardage.
The one problem I see for him is he is a bit stiff in the shoulders at times. He lacks that bit of "wiggle" that is so hard to quantify. However, the result is for him to always be pointing downfield gaining positive yardage. It does seem to negatively affect his short yardage ability a little bit.
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Raiders Fan
The Black Hole
Where did he start other then KC?? Hard to compare his past when he was a backup.. 1 season he did have 1000 yards in Baltimore. Lets put it into perspective.. Holms BEST year was 2002 where he had 1615 yards rushing. LJ in 9 games starting and 7 as a back up will pass Holmes BEST year. If that doesn't tell you how good he is nothing will..
Futeki
Footballguy
In college, his senior year, he was replaced by Ricky Williams. I think you don't need anyone to remind you how highly Ricky Williams was regarded in college.First year as a pro, zero, nada.
The next year, in 13 games Priest Holmes had a 1000 yard season on only 233 carries, along with 43 catches and 7 TDs. Not a bad first year.
Injury plagued in 1999 (surprise), but then he was usurped by Jamal Lewis in 2000. Sheez, first Ricky Williams then the huge, fast Jamal Lewis.
The following year he was with the Chiefs.
LJ is a much better back than Priest as far as tools go. Priest was an oddity he got better in the NFL and learned the game really well in baltimore while watching and studying. he went to KC and was in a dream system where he could develope even more. Granted If priest was on a different team he's no where near the great back he's thought of now but He would still of been a 1,250 yard 10 - 15 TD RB. Priest however was on KC when nthe O line was at it's greatest point. LJ running behind a line that likley feature Roaf and Shields in either their last year or next to their last year. those 2 while great are not as great as they were a few years ago. LJ is maybe the strongest runner i have seen in a very long time as the guy is just a beast running with a bad attitude and withe awesome speed. maybe he isn't as strong as earl but the guy is great and will be a top RB for a long time.
Gargoylez
Footballguy
Oh Well. I got my comic releif for the day tho. Thanks.He is a straight line north south runner. That is it. Take away the Chiefs line and give him the Bills O line and your taking 3rd string RB. Thats just a simple conclusion.Holmes has/had better tools then Larry does. Holmes only knock is his health. If Priest was Healthy, Larry would only be getting 5-10 carries a game.Enough is enough. The love fest with Stats continues. 
Bojang0301
Omar4Heisman
Oh Well. I got my comic releif for the day tho. Thanks.
He is a straight line north south runner. That is it. Take away the Chiefs line and give him the Bills O line and your taking 3rd string RB. Thats just a simple conclusion.
Holmes has/had better tools then Larry does. Holmes only knock is his health. If Priest was Healthy, Larry would only be getting 5-10 carries a game.
Enough is enough. The love fest with Stats continues.
Have you watched the Chiefs? And I'm sorry stats arn't good enough for you buit not once, NOT ONCE, this year did Priest get 100 yds. rushing and his health failed once again without even having to carry the ball 20 times a game, which I also think he never did. One more interesting stat is that LJ has had 12, 20+ yard runs, the most Priest ever had was 11 and that was starting a full season. I'm sorry but the stats just do not lie and neither does the film. If you want to say LJ is not a good runner because of KC's line makes him better, fine be dilusional but if you want to say Priest is better... well then point me to the beach front property in New Mexico.
GreedoShotFirst
Footballguy
LJ: 6'1", 230 lbs.George Rogers: 6'2", 230 lbsLJ=George Rogers
Gr00vus
Footballguy
Johnson's a very good back.Earl was unique, there never was and never will be another one like him. It's a shame he fell apart so soon, but in truth that's the only way things could have ended up given his style - he dished it out, but he also took it to a degree and with a frequency I've never seen before or since. The human body just isn't designed to continue functioning under those conditions.
Raiders Fan
The Black Hole
I see you giving up cause you have NOTHING to base your reasoning on except for hating.. It's ok though.. If you can't honestly look at the numbers he put up this year, part time half the year then you will never see it.. How about we bring up Roaf being injured this year also and he still could run on anybody.. He is a decent size back thats not a little thing like FWP.. I guess you hold shifty RB's with higher degree of being better..Oh Well. I got my comic releif for the day tho. Thanks.
He is a straight line north south runner. That is it. Take away the Chiefs line and give him the Bills O line and your taking 3rd string RB. Thats just a simple conclusion.
Holmes has/had better tools then Larry does. Holmes only knock is his health. If Priest was Healthy, Larry would only be getting 5-10 carries a game.
Enough is enough. The love fest with Stats continues.
