Greatest RBs ever...#5, #4, #3...

Greatest Rbs ever…#5, #4..#3...

So now we are in the top 5 greatest running backs of all time. I have counted down from #25 to this point, so if you have missed any, drop back a few to catch them.

There was a question that came up about the points I award, and what the minimum and maximum points could be. That’s actually a very interesting question.

The minimum is easier to explain than the max, so I will start there. The least a running back could score would be in the negatives. I mean, if a running back never went to a championship, or isn’t in the top 30 in yardage, touchdowns or even yards per carry, then he’d have no points. If he had no individual awards, that would be a zero in that element too, but even with no points he still has to get an era adjustment. A real old school player could get 6 or 7 points deducted by era adjustment, giving them a -6 or -7 on their score…but then, if they were that low, they would not be considered great, right?

Now, as far as the max, that is very relative. I mean, just off the team accomplishments alone, what is the max number of Superbowls or Championships you could win? You can, in theory, win one every year of your career. But what if a guy played 7 years and won 7 Superbowls? That’s 70 points right there! Now that sounds silly, but you see the relativity of the element. I cannot truly say what the max would be, since every player on this list is different.

So let’s continue with the top 5 and see what we’ve got ok?

#5 Marshall Faulk: 62 points

Years ago, when this cat was playing for San Diego State, there was just something special about him. When he was picked by the Colts, he almost immediately began to show his greatness. But it was with the Rams that he solidified his legacy, helping the Rams to two Superbowls. Marshall Faulk was an incredible weapon not just for rushing, but passing as well. As a part of the “Greatest show on turf”, Faulk was indeed one of the key performers on a team that saw much success. A highly decorated running back, he is clearly one of the best…ever.

Why not higher? There are a handful of running backs that are indeed better than Marshall Faulk. Some might wonder why he is listed above Barry Sanders. Faulk has much better post season experience than Barry Sanders, with 2 Superbowl appearances. Some wonder why he is listed above Walter Payton. Faulk narrowly edges out Sweetness by only one point, even with the postseason experience and with the era adjustment against Payton. But Marshall Faulk himself is edged out by one point by the next two individuals. He’s not any higher because the next few are better.

Why on the list? To be one of the greatest of all time, you really have to score well on all three elements. Marshall Faulk scored 17 points in the team accomplishments because of his great postseason experience, and 11 points in the individual stats element, and got major points from the individual awards element. Remember, this is a guy that was selected to 7 Pro-Bowls, won the MVP, Rookie of the Year and other awards. Sure, others may have won that, but few put together the total package of greatness as Marshall Faulk did.

#4 Marcus Allen: 63 points

If the argument of best running back ever included collegiate, then Marcus Allen would be even higher. But this guy made a profound impact on not one, but TWO NFL teams. The Raiders were the first to see his greatness as he led them to a Superbowl victory (something the Redskins won’t forget). I remember this game because as a child I went to a preseason game that next season in DC to watch the “rematch”. We had seats on the field on the Raiders end zone off to the corner and it was the only NFL game I was ever able to go to. We actually left that game late because the Redskins was winning, and we thought it was all over…MY Raiders ended up winning the game. Marcus Allen gave the Raiders some of the last success they would see for a long time, then went to the Chiefs and helped them to find postseason success. Few backs in the history of this game were as outstanding as Marcus Allen and clearly set the mark as one of the greatest backs ever to play the game.

Why not higher? Marcus Allen may have had an extremely great career, but there are better ones ahead of him. He is tied on points with the #3 back, but nobody is going to question his greatness. I certainly cannot say he is THE greatest, even as a Raiders fan, but I can say he is amongst the greatest. Heck, even with 5 more points, he’d still not be any higher, only jumping over #3 and breaking the tie. There is no sin in Marcus Allen being in this spot, he truly has earned that.

Why on the list? No doubt there are many guys that have more points in the team accomplishments than Marcus Allen, but his 14 points in this element is better than greats such as Walter Payton. His team stats element scores him 12, because he is in the top 10 in yards and top 3 in touchdowns. But it’s his team awards that really puts him on this spot, scoring more than all other backs except ONE… we’ll get to him later. But rest assured, Marcus Allen won’t get too many arguments as being one of the best ever.

#3 Jim Taylor: 63 points

The 1960s and the Green Bay Packers will probably have no argument here, but most people will wonder just who this old cat is. Only one other guy was better than Jim Taylor during those days…only ONE. If you remember the earlier countdown, Paul Hornung was listed in the top 15...he was in the backfield WITH Jim Taylor, and the reason why Green Bay won the NFL Championship several times, and the first Superbowl. This was a back that was great in the pre Superbowl era as well as the early Superbowl era. Long after he has retired, he is STILL on the list in some individual stats, solidifying his greatness to the sport.

Why not higher? Well, I already mentioned that while Jim Taylor played, there was one that was better. And he loses 4 points on era adjustment. He is tied with Marcus Allen with 63 points, but I give the nod to Jim Taylor because of his team accomplishments. Remember, a great player makes his team great, and that is not a knock in any way to Marcus Allen. Jim Taylor had a more successful post season experience, which is what makes a great player and a great team. Jim’s championships prove that.

Why on the list? This actually could be a legitimate question, because the novice football fan may not even know Jim Taylor. I mean, personally speaking, he is before my time, so I never saw him play. Before I started compiling this list, I would have omitted him if I wasn’t looking at other lists of great running backs. But Jim Taylor is a perfect example that a great player elevates his team to greatness. What would the legacy be of the Green Bay Packers if they didn’t win those earlier NFL Championships and that first Superbowl?

Well, that takes us into the very elite…and if you have been following my list carefully, you might have noticed something…odd…

We’re down to the #2 and #1 running backs in NFL history…and I’ll reveal then next time…but I wonder if you caught something I just said…and how this makes the debate even more interesting…

Anyway, gotta fly.