Greatest rbs #17, #16, #15...

Greatest Rbs ever, #17, #16, #15...

So now we are moving up the ladder and as we go forth, there are likely to be some names you know quite well, and some that you may not remember…depending on your age.

But if anything, what I hoped to have proven by now is that the top running backs of the NFL are not all within the last 10 years. I think any bar room debate on this would usually favor the current players or those who have retired in the last 5 years or so, but when you REALLY sit down to think about it, the history of the NFL has produced a lot of very, very good running backs.

Already we have identified great running backs from today on back to the 40’s and all in between. At first I figured that only those in the last 20 years would dominate the list but I have slowly found that there is so much history to this game, that I have only touched part of it. Believe me, I am finding a new respect for guys like Bronco Nagurski, Steve Van Buren and Lenny Moore.

Now, to make a correction, I mentioned in the previous blog on the greatest ever identified #20, #19 and #18. I accidentally mentioned #18 twice, those being Lenny Moore and Bronco Nagurski. Even though they were tied with 37 points, I gave the nod slightly to Bronco because of team accomplishments.

Now, let’s continue with the countdown….

#17 Larry Csonka 38 points

Well…how many running backs do YOU know that played on a perfect team? Any guy that can win two Superbowls, get Superbowl MVP and play on a perfect team, well, he’s GOTTA be on this list. Larry Csonka was one of those tough nosed players that was an incredible piece to the Miami Dolphins and their Superbowl runs. A lot of stats may have changed since Larry Csonka has left the game in 1979, but his greatness still remains. Quite worth of this list.

Why not higher? If this poll was done about 10 years ago or so, Larry would certainly be higher. The strong case for Larry Csonka is his championship rings. Few running backs get the chance to win a Superbowl, let alone win two. As great as Larry Csonka was, the weak point in the formula for him was the individual stats. Larry was not on the top 30 in rushing yards or touchdowns, but was barely on the list with the yards per carry.

Why on the list? Superbowl champs should always be on the list, and two-time Superbowl champs should be up here as well. Larry Csonka is legendary for being on the perfect team, and although some teams have had a perfect regular season record (Patriots), no one has a perfect season…except the Dolphins, thanks in part to Larry Csonka.

#16 Tony Dorsett 39 points

If you run a short list of Superbowl Champion Running Backs, how can you NOT add this name. Anybody who calls themselves a Cowboys fan knows this cat, and he OUGHT to get a free pass to any Dallas Cowboy game. Tony Dorsett was (is) one of the most decorated running backs of football history. You’re not going to get a lot of arguments from die-hard football fans about this one, Tony is one of the best. It’s ironic that his season ended with the team he helped Dallas beat in the Superbowl…the Denver Broncos.

Why not higher? Within 3 points up or down of my list, there are 6 other guys who are great. Tony Dorsett ranks about half of them because not only does he have Superbowl Championship experience, he also has individual stats that still stand today. He’s on the high end of rushing yards, he ranks high on touchdowns and is on the top 30 for yards per carry. He also has individual awards as well. While he does not have as many individual awards like OJ Simpson or Larry Csonka, he has much more post season experience than the Juice and many more individual stat points than Csonka.

Why on the list? Well, if you gotta ask, you don’t know football. In fact, Tony Dorsett is on the list because of his greatness, but at the same time, he is in a tie with the next guy. You don’t have to win 5 Superbowls or be MVP every year to be great… but he is on the list because he has been one of the best ever.

#15 Paul Hornung: 39 points

A tie yes, but I give the nod to Paul. Even four decades later, there is such greatness dripping from this legend that he MUST be on this list. Before there was a Superbowl, Paul Hornung was winning championships. He was there in the pre-Superbowl era, as well as being there at the very first Superbowl. Before there were great legends in Green Bay like Brett Farve and Reggie White, there was, and apparently will ALWAYS be, Paul Hornung.

Why not higher? I mentioned that Paul Hornung and Tony Dorsett were even at 39 points. Technically that is a tie, but I give the nod to Paul because of his team accomplishments. He scores incredibly high in this element because he has a Superbowl rings and NFC championships…remember, this was before there WAS a Superbowl. But for all his team accomplishments, the era adjustment takes off from his greatness and his individual stats are very low.

Why on the list? You don’t get two Superbowl rings and Conference Championships AND become a legend in Green Bay Packer history and NOT make this list. He edges out Tony Dorsett because of his team accomplishments, but there are other running backs that are even greater than Paul Hornung. He’s great, no doubt about that, but not quite THE greatest.

So this takes us inside the top 15 of all time, now we start edging closer as we continue the countdown. Before I go, I wanted to share another very good running back that did not make the greatest short list and why.

Gale Sayers: 13 points

This one actually hurts my feelings. A couple of days ago I was watching Monday Night Football and Gale Sayers was in the stands. When I first started reading about football, this was perhaps the GREATEST running back I never saw play. He was before my time, but he was one of two backs that I never saw play, but greatly admired.

But why is he not on the list? Surely he is one of the greatest backs of all time? This is what bothers me, because I had to leave my favorites behind and run each player through my formula the same way.

When I did, I first had to award points for team accomplishments…that was the first problem. As great as Gale Sayers was, his teams never really accomplished much when it mattered. Remember, a great running back makes his team great. I could not award any points for the team accomplishment element.

When it came to individual stats, there was a slight problem too. Remember, Gale Sayers played for only 6 years, and had just under 5000 yards in his career. That alone puts him near the bottom of all 60+ running backs I tested. So he was not on the top 30 for touchdowns or yards all time, but had the best yards per carry of them all, so he got out of a possible 30 points in the individual stats department, a total of 10.

In the Individual awards element, he got 6 points total for his pro-bowls and Rookie of the Year, but lost 3 points because of era adjustment (retired 1971). In the end, he just didn’t have enough points to put him on my list.

I gotta tell you, I was half tempted to change the formula, but to do that would not be fair to what I set out to do. Gale Sayers in on my short list of FAVORITE running backs ever, but I am trying to share the GREATEST running backs ever. And unfortunately on my list, he was not up there.

Don’t take that as an insult to his or anyone else’s greatness, it was just that I had to narrow the field down to 25, and he was not up there. He’s still a legend to me, as well as everybody in Chicago who knows the Bears history.

Oh well, we’ll pick it up next time, hope you will continue to follow along….