NFL Top 10 teams, week 7
So after 6 games for most of the NFL teams, much has been learned. We have now 4 undefeated teams, two with one loss, and nine with 2 losses. My math tells me that makes 15 teams, meaning I have to trim the fat with 5 teams in order to make my top 10 list.
That meant I had to drop 5 teams with 2 losses, and right off the bat I got rid of the NFC West teams, Arizona and San Francisco. To me, this is a very weak division, and any team with 2 losses out of there is not worth of a top 10 ranking. Yeah, I know the Cardinals got to the Superbowl last year, but a lot of that was built off this weak division.
So without further delay, let’s crank up the NFL top 10 teams, starting with one that missed the cut:
Dallas Cowboys: At 3-2, they are certainly in the mix, but nobody is predicting them to right the ship and have the successful season they thought they would have. It would seem that Emmitt Smith was correct in saying that this team may not win more than 7 games. It seems that “America’s Team” is on pace for that, although mathematically they are on pace for 9 wins….not sure if they can get that though.
#10 Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2): The defending Superbowl champs was not on my list last week, and barely makes it this week because they do have a winning record, and I felt they were better than 5 other 2-loss teams. You still have to give this team a chance, and with four wins they still have a little work to do. Beating the Browns does not make for so much of an argument, but they are one of 3 teams at this moment with a 4-2 record.
#9 Chicago Bears (3-2): Last week this team was #8 on my list, and I didn’t drop them far because they lost to the Atlanta Falcons, which is a pretty decent team. I am not fully convinced that this team can make the playoffs, but we will learn much when they play the Vikings. Between the Bears, Vikings and Packers, this could get interesting as a few losses may be traded around.
#8 Cincinnati Bengals (4-2):Well, back down a bit to reality, with a loss to Houston. Yeah, they fell hard from the second best team in the NFL to the 8th, but that still gets them in the playoffs in my book. The Bengals rode that high of winning for awhile, and I think they are not through yet. But losing to a team they should have beaten, if they are who we think they are, can make a cross check on whether this team is indeed an elite team, or a good team.
#7 New England Patriots (4-2): Are we seeing the beginning signs of a team that is about to go in a southern direction? Is the world coming to an end with the Pats losing two games already? Well, the dismemberment they put on Tennessee in the snow shows that this team is not done yet, and is still strongly in the hunt for the AFC Champs. The Patriots are still a heavy favorite, but after losing many key members, the armor is starting to crack…perhaps one reason they went back to get Junior Seau, who is quite ancient in football terms. Still, this is still an elite AFC squad, whether they have 2 losses or none. It just so happens they have two now… and I am sure it won’t be the last loss this year either.
#6 Atlanta Falcons (4-1): There is much to be said for this team, and with only one loss, to the aforementioned Patriots, this is indeed a quality team. And consider they just beat the Bears, so they are surely a good squad. But the Bears was the first quality opponent they have beaten, so they are as good as their record. But when they meet the Saints…and they will, we will learn how good this 4-1 record is. In fact, they have to play twice, so this will be two very tough games between two teams that seem poised to make a strong run in the NFC.
#5 New York Giants (5-1): To me, this is, right now, the best one loss team in the NFL…but that’s not saying much since there are only 2 teams with one loss. The Giants lost to the Saints bad, which was in fact the first REAL team they played this year. I do think that the Giants are more experienced than the Falcons, but the big loss they suffered made them quite touchable. With division games against the Eagles, Cowboys and Redskins, it is now a question if this team really is as good as we think. Time will tell.
#4 Indianapolis Colts (5-0): For me to put them here says that right now, I think the Colts are the weakest undefeated team in the NFL. I gotta tell you, beating the Jags, Dolphins, Cardinals, Seahawks and Titans cannot make you the best team. Of all those teams, only the Cardinals has a legit shot of even making the top 10. Who, if anybody, can challenge the Colts? Or maybe the other question is, how good are the Colts since they have not played anybody yet? Didn’t we think the same of the Giants until they met with a real team? For me to have them here means I think the Colts could be in the AFC Championship game, but I am not totally sold on it just yet….need to see them win against quality opponents.
#3 Minnesota Vikings (6-0): Well, well, where are all those Brett Farve nay-sayers now? I know it is still early, but I am sure right now the Packers are wondering why they let Farve walk away. Now last week’s game was too close, showing me that the Viking defense can be suspect, and I am not sure if they can continue to win games like that. But with a very experienced quarterback, and a great running back, they are as good as any team in the NFL. Yet right now I think they are the third best team, meaning I could not put them in the Superbowl, because I think there is a better NFC team out there…
#2 New Orleans Saints (5-0): I had the Saints as the third best team in the NFL, but the best NFC team, that has not changed. Beating the Giants the way they did clearly proves that this is a very good team, and seems to be on a mission to bring the Superbowl Trophy to New Orleans…the place of my birth. Of all the teams, I think the Saints have, so far, the toughest schedule, and has sliced through it all. They have yet to play the Falcons, so we will see them face each other twice, and they also play the Patriots this year. Can they continue to go undefeated? Who can say, with such a high maintenance offense? If they stay healthy, I see them winning at least 12 games, maybe more.
#1 Denver Broncos (6-0): With the win over the Chargers, this puts the Broncos miles ahead of everybody else in their division…but who are we kidding? Between the Raiders, Chiefs and now the confusing Chargers, the Broncos may have already locked in their bid to the playoffs. But this team has overachieved like few could believe. Beating the Patriots and Cowboys are indeed quality wins, and the Chargers were average as well. It seems to show that sometimes when an organization flips as much as they have, it is hard to prepare for them. This is a new animal that the rest of the NFL has to solve, and until they do, the Broncos will keep winning…I mean come on, you see them losing to the Chiefs or Raiders? They are almost assured of 3 more wins. But with games ahead vs. the Ravens, Steelers, Giants, Colts, Eagles and a second game vs. the Chargers, this could get interesting.
So there you have it, my 10 best teams in the NFL. That would imply that I think the Broncos will play the Saints in the Superbowl…not necessarily. Let us not forget that the Titans had a perfect record for 13 weeks, and then the bottom fell out. Four undefeated teams remain, and I see none of them going perfect… the 1972 Dolphins might as well crack that champagne now. But there is much parity in the NFL, so any team has a shot…well, other than those that are winless now.
Until next week…
Showing posts with label Denver Broncos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Denver Broncos. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
NFL Top 10, after 5 (2009)
NFL Top 10, after 5
Had to do some changes here because of some great NFL games over the weekend.
I will jump right into this, since I took sometime to look at these teams. To make the top 10, I had to look at the 5 undefeated teams, the 4 teams with one loss, and also I had to look at 9 teams with 2 losses. Anywhere from 5-0 to 2-2 could have made my top 10 list. But after much debate and a few cups of coffee…and a DELICIOUS honey bun, here are my top 10 teams…
But wait! Before I begin, let me share with you one team that didn’t make the cut:
Philadelphia Eagles: Technically speaking, as a 3-1 team they should have been on the top 10, but I can’t put them there yet. They are just outside, looking in. Yes, the record is nice, but beating the Panthers, Chiefs and Buccaneers does not show a power in the NFC. Losing to the Saints is nothing to be ashamed of, but one wonders if this team is really healthy.
Now, let’s countdown the top 10:
#10 Baltimore Ravens: Oh what could have been if they had beaten the Patriots awhile back. At 3-2, I still think this is a very strong team, with a key win over the Chargers. Their losses come to the Patriots and the Bengals, both of which they were in. A few calls here or there and these same Ravens could be 4-1, maybe even 5-0, but there is much more games to play for these guys.
#9 New England Patriots: Is the king dead? Two losses in one year with Tom Brady? I still have this team in the top ten because they beat both the Ravens and the Falcons, two good squads. Losing to the Broncos may be the changing of the guard, but nobody has really man-handled the Pats yet. Still many more games to go, and experience is on their side.
#8 Chicago Bears: I rank this 3-1 team pretty low because their wins over the Steelers may SOUND good, but Pittsburgh seems to be struggling. Also, beating the Seahawks and Lions does not make front line news. Losing to the so-and-so Packers isn’t that great either. Beat the Vikings and then we are talking….
#7 Atlanta Falcons: I put the Falcons ahead of the Bears, even though both are 3-1 for a couple of reasons. Their loss to the Patriots is more credible than the Bear’s loss. And the Falcons beat the 49ers, a decent team, and the Dolphins, who are not so bad as some think. They have yet to play the Saints, and must see them twice. We will know much more about the Falcons then.
#6 Indianapolis Colts: Yeah, I know they are 5-0 and everybody is talking about how great Manning is, and I agree…but have you seen their opponents? The Colts beat the Jaguars, the Dolphins, the Cardinals, Seahawks and Titans…how many of these teams have a winning record? At this point, NONE. We have not seen the Colts truly tested, and until we do, I can’t put them any higher unless other circumstances change. A good team, yes, and by my list the THIRD best team in the AFC.
#5 New York Giants: Yes, another 5-0 team ranked lower than many thought. Last week I had them #1, but when you look at the body of work, and with Manning slightly injured, this could be a problem. Their wins are over the very troubled Redskins, the confusing Cowboys, the hapless Buccaneers, the lowly Chiefs and the “what the heck” Raiders…hardly a strong case for to be the best team in the NFL.
#4 Minnesota Vikings: Last week I had them #6, but the last three weeks they have beaten teams that are at least .500. This includes the Cardinals, Packers and 49ers. Minnesota is playing a tougher competition (though not by too much) than the Giants and the Colts. We know this will play itself out, but right now, I think Brett Farve and AP are worth the top 4 ranking.
#3 New Orleans Saints. I dropped the Saints one spot from last week simply because they are 4-0, not 5-0 like other teams. But I also dropped them one spot becaue their wins over the Lions and Bills don’t seem like so much, and the Eagles are not on my top 10 list. So their only big win was over the Jets, but they didn’t make my list this week either. Still I have them, as of now, as the best NFC team…Superbowl bound?
#2 Cincinnati Bengals: This 3-1 team is playing better than most 4-0 or 5-0 teams, and the wins prove it. I vault them up from #9 to number 2 because their body of work is impressive. They beat the Packers, who are at .500, they beat the defending Superbowl champs in the Steelers, they beat their rival the Browns (ok, not the hardest thing to do) and they beat the Ravens, who I have as #10 on my list. Their only loss comes to the….
#1 Denver Broncos: At 5-0, who would have thought that? I had the Broncos at #3 last week, even then believing they were the best AFC team, now they may well be the best team period. They beat the Bengals and the Patriots, two very quality wins. And let’s face it folks, with the Raiders and the Chiefs in the division, they seemed to be assured of at least 4 more wins. But the Chargers could make it interesting. Still, right now, who can deny the Broncos?
So that’s my list right now, always subject to change as the weeks go on. Now let’s have some fun this weekend with more football!!!!
Had to do some changes here because of some great NFL games over the weekend.
I will jump right into this, since I took sometime to look at these teams. To make the top 10, I had to look at the 5 undefeated teams, the 4 teams with one loss, and also I had to look at 9 teams with 2 losses. Anywhere from 5-0 to 2-2 could have made my top 10 list. But after much debate and a few cups of coffee…and a DELICIOUS honey bun, here are my top 10 teams…
But wait! Before I begin, let me share with you one team that didn’t make the cut:
Philadelphia Eagles: Technically speaking, as a 3-1 team they should have been on the top 10, but I can’t put them there yet. They are just outside, looking in. Yes, the record is nice, but beating the Panthers, Chiefs and Buccaneers does not show a power in the NFC. Losing to the Saints is nothing to be ashamed of, but one wonders if this team is really healthy.
Now, let’s countdown the top 10:
#10 Baltimore Ravens: Oh what could have been if they had beaten the Patriots awhile back. At 3-2, I still think this is a very strong team, with a key win over the Chargers. Their losses come to the Patriots and the Bengals, both of which they were in. A few calls here or there and these same Ravens could be 4-1, maybe even 5-0, but there is much more games to play for these guys.
#9 New England Patriots: Is the king dead? Two losses in one year with Tom Brady? I still have this team in the top ten because they beat both the Ravens and the Falcons, two good squads. Losing to the Broncos may be the changing of the guard, but nobody has really man-handled the Pats yet. Still many more games to go, and experience is on their side.
#8 Chicago Bears: I rank this 3-1 team pretty low because their wins over the Steelers may SOUND good, but Pittsburgh seems to be struggling. Also, beating the Seahawks and Lions does not make front line news. Losing to the so-and-so Packers isn’t that great either. Beat the Vikings and then we are talking….
#7 Atlanta Falcons: I put the Falcons ahead of the Bears, even though both are 3-1 for a couple of reasons. Their loss to the Patriots is more credible than the Bear’s loss. And the Falcons beat the 49ers, a decent team, and the Dolphins, who are not so bad as some think. They have yet to play the Saints, and must see them twice. We will know much more about the Falcons then.
#6 Indianapolis Colts: Yeah, I know they are 5-0 and everybody is talking about how great Manning is, and I agree…but have you seen their opponents? The Colts beat the Jaguars, the Dolphins, the Cardinals, Seahawks and Titans…how many of these teams have a winning record? At this point, NONE. We have not seen the Colts truly tested, and until we do, I can’t put them any higher unless other circumstances change. A good team, yes, and by my list the THIRD best team in the AFC.
#5 New York Giants: Yes, another 5-0 team ranked lower than many thought. Last week I had them #1, but when you look at the body of work, and with Manning slightly injured, this could be a problem. Their wins are over the very troubled Redskins, the confusing Cowboys, the hapless Buccaneers, the lowly Chiefs and the “what the heck” Raiders…hardly a strong case for to be the best team in the NFL.
#4 Minnesota Vikings: Last week I had them #6, but the last three weeks they have beaten teams that are at least .500. This includes the Cardinals, Packers and 49ers. Minnesota is playing a tougher competition (though not by too much) than the Giants and the Colts. We know this will play itself out, but right now, I think Brett Farve and AP are worth the top 4 ranking.
#3 New Orleans Saints. I dropped the Saints one spot from last week simply because they are 4-0, not 5-0 like other teams. But I also dropped them one spot becaue their wins over the Lions and Bills don’t seem like so much, and the Eagles are not on my top 10 list. So their only big win was over the Jets, but they didn’t make my list this week either. Still I have them, as of now, as the best NFC team…Superbowl bound?
#2 Cincinnati Bengals: This 3-1 team is playing better than most 4-0 or 5-0 teams, and the wins prove it. I vault them up from #9 to number 2 because their body of work is impressive. They beat the Packers, who are at .500, they beat the defending Superbowl champs in the Steelers, they beat their rival the Browns (ok, not the hardest thing to do) and they beat the Ravens, who I have as #10 on my list. Their only loss comes to the….
#1 Denver Broncos: At 5-0, who would have thought that? I had the Broncos at #3 last week, even then believing they were the best AFC team, now they may well be the best team period. They beat the Bengals and the Patriots, two very quality wins. And let’s face it folks, with the Raiders and the Chiefs in the division, they seemed to be assured of at least 4 more wins. But the Chargers could make it interesting. Still, right now, who can deny the Broncos?
So that’s my list right now, always subject to change as the weeks go on. Now let’s have some fun this weekend with more football!!!!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Greatest RBs ever...#8, #7, #6...
Greatest Rbs ever…#8, #7, #6...
So now we inch closer and closer to the proverbial “Greatest Running Back EVER”…
Before we continue, I wanted to revisit the reasoning I used to come up with this list. I realize there may be 100 or more different ways to do this, but it just seems to me that when you really sit down and think about it, there has to be some acceptable form of elements that truly make a great running back, and then there are factors that separate the greatest from the rest of that pack.
Consider how many running backs have played at least a year in the NFL. There is no way I could sit down and go over every single back, but then, I would not need to. Many people already have ideas of what makes a guy great, so from that list I can put together my ranking, based on four basic elements.
The first is team accomplishments. As I said before, if you are great, then your team must be great. This is a team sport, so team goals are critical to determine if a running back is good, very good, great or the greatest. I give points for three parts of this element. If a back has won a Superbowl (or NFC Championship prior to the Superbowl era) I give him 10 points PER Championship. If he got there, but lost, I give him 5 points. If he made it to the semi finals (or the AFC/NFC Championship in the Superbowl era) I give him 2 points for each game. So a back can score 0 points if he never got his team in these fields, or over 40, depending on what his team did.
The second is Individual stats. Team stuff is cool, but you still gotta separate yourself from the pack. It proves that you weren’t a by-product of the system, and establishes you as the best in your position. I award points in three categories of this element; total yards gained, touchdowns and average yards per carry. If any back is the best in any of those categories, I give him 10 points for each category. If he is in the top 5, I award 7 points. If in the top 10, I give him 5 points. If a running back is in the top 20 all time I give him 3 points, and if he is in the top 30 he gets 1 point.
This means that the max points a back can get in this element is 30, and of course the minimum being 0. You’ll find that many of the great ones are usually somewhere in the middle of this element.
The third element is Individual awards. This is kinda tricky because nowdays they come up with all kinds of ways to award players. I mean, McDonalds could have a “Happy Meal Player of the Year” and create some award that looks like a burger. So what I did was narrow the awards to the main ones. I awarded 10 points each time a player got the MVP award or Superbowl MVP award. This is the highest honor the NFL can bestow. I know there are others, but these are the best ones. I then award 7 points for Offensive MVP for each year a player wins it. I also awarded 5 points for the AFC and NFC Player of the Year, and 2 points for the Rookie of the Year. I know a couple of these awards have been changed, but in the bulk of the NFL history, these were important. I also award one point for every Pro-Bowl a player has been selected to. Whether he goes or not is up to him but he was selected.
This means that one can rack up a lot of great points. Many of the great ones will shine in this element.
And finally there is the Era Adjustment. Simply put, I deduct one point for every decade since the player has retired, starting with the 90’s. For example, if a running back retired in 1987, then I have to deduct 2 points from his total score. Why? Because the running theory (fact?) is that players today are better in nearly every way than those before them. I don’t think we’re gonna get an argument that guys playing today, 2008 are equal or lesser than guys that played back in 1948. Players today are bigger, faster, meaner and more skilled than those before them. So a player can lose as much as 7 or 8 points if he is on this list. If a player has retired in 2000 or is still playing, he loses no points. There is no penalty for anyone who has left the game from 2000 to now.
So, having shared that, let’s continue the countdown!
#8 Barry Sanders: 55 points
I have several football cards of Barry Sanders, and I am wishing that one day I can sell them and buy a yacht! This guy was THE face of the Detroit Lions and clearly one of the greatest running backs to ever suit up. It’s actually amazing that he and Thurman Thomas were actually in the same backfield in college. This quite machine was the fear of every defensive back, and even when the Lions were no good, everybody knew that Barry Sanders was going to be fed the ball…and yet, they STILL could not stop him. When he retired, the city of Detroit hung their collective heads in sorrow. Even the NFL had to pause at the premature retirement of this incredible player. What would have been if he played just another year or two…
Why not higher? This is a tough question for me because before I did this ranking, I would have sworn that Barry Sanders would have been EASILY in the top 5, maybe top 3. But a very key element stands out…team accomplishments. A great player MUST be able to give him team a chance to win championships, or at least get to them. Barry Sanders scores only 2 points in the team accomplishments, and loses one point in era adjustment. The Detroit Lions could never capitalize on this great talent, and wasn’t even going to let him go to another team. I guess misery loves company, but had they given Barry Sanders a chance to go to a WINNING team, he’s EASILY be one of the greatest ever.
Why on the list? This isn’t even a debate, Barry Sanders is one of the greatest ever. He may not have scored well in the team accomplishments element, but NOBODY scored better in the individual stats and he scores a ton of points in the team awards element. If I left out the team accomplishments element, he’d probably be the best on the list. Of all the backs without a Superbowl appearance or NFC Championship experience, he IS the best.
#7 Terrell Davis: 60 points
This one will get some arguments, and I can respect that. But to be considered the greatest, there has to be a some indication of greatness in the three elements. A player like Terrell Davis. If John Elway was reading this, I am pretty sure he would give an “amen” to the fact that Davis was one of the final pieces to the puzzle to not one, but TWO Superbowls. This sixth round draft pick of 1995 helped the Broncos to the Superbowl only a couple of years after he got into the league. In the mid 90’s this was THE best running back in the NFL and the individual awards proved it. Had he not had the injuries, we might have singing his praises even louder.
Why not higher? If there was anything that kept Terrell Davis from being higher, it was the individual stats. Two Superbowl wins gives him 20 points right off the bat, and he was highly decorated with a few MVP awards and other individual awards. In fact he scored 35 points here. If I ranked these guys based on that number, he would be tied for #4. But his shortened career seemed to be the main reason why he is not higher.
Why on the list? There are a lot of people that would be angry that Terrell Davis is above some of the others I have listed. I truly understand that, so I cannot argue, but the reason he is where he is was because when he played, he was great. If I compared him to Barry Sanders, he would be better by team accomplishments by a landslide, and slightly better in individual awards. Part of being great is also making your team great, and say what you want about Terrell Davis, he DID get the Denver Broncos to the Superbowl twice.
#6 Walter Payton: 61 points
“Sweetness” will forever be an icon of the Chicago Bears and easily one of the most beloved running backs of ALL TIME. On that team with a cast of characters, Walter Payton was the shining example of what a profession was about. He made me a fan before the Bears went to the Superbowl, and I personally think Mike Ditka did a grave injustice by not allowing Walter Payton to score a touchdown in the Superbowl. I remember hearing all the fans chanting for Walter Payton to score when the Bears were in the red zone; we ALL wanted Walter Payton to get a touchdown in his only Superbowl…but Ditka didn’t do it. Unless somebody tells me that Sweetness didn’t WANT to score a touchdown, I hold Mike Ditka responsible for not allowing one of the most beloved backs the NFL has ever seen to score a touchdown in the greatest game of his career. I will ALWAYS have respect for Walter Payton.
Why not higher? The actual spots between 5 spots here is paper thin. Walter Payton is one point behind #5, and 2 points behind #4 and #3 (there’s your hint that there is another tie). The reason why Payton isn’t higher is not for what he lacked but simply because the others did a little more. Let’s also add that he lost 2 points by era adjustment. This could have put him in the top 5. He scored 12 points with team accomplishments, but remember for awhile, the Bears were an average team with a great player. It took awhile for Walter Payton and the Bears to get to the promised land. He scores 17 out of 30 in the individual stats and gets 34 points in the individual awards element. This is a great score, it’s just that there are a few that are better…but not many.
Why on the list? Anybody that is on the top 5 in yards and touchdowns MUST be on this list. This cat was a legend and a hero to some of the players playing today. How many running backs playing now had posters of Walter Payton on their wall? If this was a list of the classiest running backs ever, this guy is in my top 3. He is also one of my favorite running backs so I might have a slight bias to him. But Walter Payton is easily one of the greatest ever, and most people won’t argue that at all.
So, we are now about to enter the top 5 running backs of all time. The next three I am going to cover next time are separated by one point. Two are tied and one is just a single point behind.
Remember folks, greatness isn’t JUST about stats, it is about what he adds to a team. A great player has to elevate his team to greatness. In fact, of the top 10, only Barry Sanders is the only running back with no championship awards. This actually speaks greatly to how good this guy was, even though his team was…well…bad.
So as we continue to count it down, we will be revealing even greater running backs of the NFL. Hope you’ll continue to join me. Until next time…..
So now we inch closer and closer to the proverbial “Greatest Running Back EVER”…
Before we continue, I wanted to revisit the reasoning I used to come up with this list. I realize there may be 100 or more different ways to do this, but it just seems to me that when you really sit down and think about it, there has to be some acceptable form of elements that truly make a great running back, and then there are factors that separate the greatest from the rest of that pack.
Consider how many running backs have played at least a year in the NFL. There is no way I could sit down and go over every single back, but then, I would not need to. Many people already have ideas of what makes a guy great, so from that list I can put together my ranking, based on four basic elements.
The first is team accomplishments. As I said before, if you are great, then your team must be great. This is a team sport, so team goals are critical to determine if a running back is good, very good, great or the greatest. I give points for three parts of this element. If a back has won a Superbowl (or NFC Championship prior to the Superbowl era) I give him 10 points PER Championship. If he got there, but lost, I give him 5 points. If he made it to the semi finals (or the AFC/NFC Championship in the Superbowl era) I give him 2 points for each game. So a back can score 0 points if he never got his team in these fields, or over 40, depending on what his team did.
The second is Individual stats. Team stuff is cool, but you still gotta separate yourself from the pack. It proves that you weren’t a by-product of the system, and establishes you as the best in your position. I award points in three categories of this element; total yards gained, touchdowns and average yards per carry. If any back is the best in any of those categories, I give him 10 points for each category. If he is in the top 5, I award 7 points. If in the top 10, I give him 5 points. If a running back is in the top 20 all time I give him 3 points, and if he is in the top 30 he gets 1 point.
This means that the max points a back can get in this element is 30, and of course the minimum being 0. You’ll find that many of the great ones are usually somewhere in the middle of this element.
The third element is Individual awards. This is kinda tricky because nowdays they come up with all kinds of ways to award players. I mean, McDonalds could have a “Happy Meal Player of the Year” and create some award that looks like a burger. So what I did was narrow the awards to the main ones. I awarded 10 points each time a player got the MVP award or Superbowl MVP award. This is the highest honor the NFL can bestow. I know there are others, but these are the best ones. I then award 7 points for Offensive MVP for each year a player wins it. I also awarded 5 points for the AFC and NFC Player of the Year, and 2 points for the Rookie of the Year. I know a couple of these awards have been changed, but in the bulk of the NFL history, these were important. I also award one point for every Pro-Bowl a player has been selected to. Whether he goes or not is up to him but he was selected.
This means that one can rack up a lot of great points. Many of the great ones will shine in this element.
And finally there is the Era Adjustment. Simply put, I deduct one point for every decade since the player has retired, starting with the 90’s. For example, if a running back retired in 1987, then I have to deduct 2 points from his total score. Why? Because the running theory (fact?) is that players today are better in nearly every way than those before them. I don’t think we’re gonna get an argument that guys playing today, 2008 are equal or lesser than guys that played back in 1948. Players today are bigger, faster, meaner and more skilled than those before them. So a player can lose as much as 7 or 8 points if he is on this list. If a player has retired in 2000 or is still playing, he loses no points. There is no penalty for anyone who has left the game from 2000 to now.
So, having shared that, let’s continue the countdown!
#8 Barry Sanders: 55 points
I have several football cards of Barry Sanders, and I am wishing that one day I can sell them and buy a yacht! This guy was THE face of the Detroit Lions and clearly one of the greatest running backs to ever suit up. It’s actually amazing that he and Thurman Thomas were actually in the same backfield in college. This quite machine was the fear of every defensive back, and even when the Lions were no good, everybody knew that Barry Sanders was going to be fed the ball…and yet, they STILL could not stop him. When he retired, the city of Detroit hung their collective heads in sorrow. Even the NFL had to pause at the premature retirement of this incredible player. What would have been if he played just another year or two…
Why not higher? This is a tough question for me because before I did this ranking, I would have sworn that Barry Sanders would have been EASILY in the top 5, maybe top 3. But a very key element stands out…team accomplishments. A great player MUST be able to give him team a chance to win championships, or at least get to them. Barry Sanders scores only 2 points in the team accomplishments, and loses one point in era adjustment. The Detroit Lions could never capitalize on this great talent, and wasn’t even going to let him go to another team. I guess misery loves company, but had they given Barry Sanders a chance to go to a WINNING team, he’s EASILY be one of the greatest ever.
Why on the list? This isn’t even a debate, Barry Sanders is one of the greatest ever. He may not have scored well in the team accomplishments element, but NOBODY scored better in the individual stats and he scores a ton of points in the team awards element. If I left out the team accomplishments element, he’d probably be the best on the list. Of all the backs without a Superbowl appearance or NFC Championship experience, he IS the best.
#7 Terrell Davis: 60 points
This one will get some arguments, and I can respect that. But to be considered the greatest, there has to be a some indication of greatness in the three elements. A player like Terrell Davis. If John Elway was reading this, I am pretty sure he would give an “amen” to the fact that Davis was one of the final pieces to the puzzle to not one, but TWO Superbowls. This sixth round draft pick of 1995 helped the Broncos to the Superbowl only a couple of years after he got into the league. In the mid 90’s this was THE best running back in the NFL and the individual awards proved it. Had he not had the injuries, we might have singing his praises even louder.
Why not higher? If there was anything that kept Terrell Davis from being higher, it was the individual stats. Two Superbowl wins gives him 20 points right off the bat, and he was highly decorated with a few MVP awards and other individual awards. In fact he scored 35 points here. If I ranked these guys based on that number, he would be tied for #4. But his shortened career seemed to be the main reason why he is not higher.
Why on the list? There are a lot of people that would be angry that Terrell Davis is above some of the others I have listed. I truly understand that, so I cannot argue, but the reason he is where he is was because when he played, he was great. If I compared him to Barry Sanders, he would be better by team accomplishments by a landslide, and slightly better in individual awards. Part of being great is also making your team great, and say what you want about Terrell Davis, he DID get the Denver Broncos to the Superbowl twice.
#6 Walter Payton: 61 points
“Sweetness” will forever be an icon of the Chicago Bears and easily one of the most beloved running backs of ALL TIME. On that team with a cast of characters, Walter Payton was the shining example of what a profession was about. He made me a fan before the Bears went to the Superbowl, and I personally think Mike Ditka did a grave injustice by not allowing Walter Payton to score a touchdown in the Superbowl. I remember hearing all the fans chanting for Walter Payton to score when the Bears were in the red zone; we ALL wanted Walter Payton to get a touchdown in his only Superbowl…but Ditka didn’t do it. Unless somebody tells me that Sweetness didn’t WANT to score a touchdown, I hold Mike Ditka responsible for not allowing one of the most beloved backs the NFL has ever seen to score a touchdown in the greatest game of his career. I will ALWAYS have respect for Walter Payton.
Why not higher? The actual spots between 5 spots here is paper thin. Walter Payton is one point behind #5, and 2 points behind #4 and #3 (there’s your hint that there is another tie). The reason why Payton isn’t higher is not for what he lacked but simply because the others did a little more. Let’s also add that he lost 2 points by era adjustment. This could have put him in the top 5. He scored 12 points with team accomplishments, but remember for awhile, the Bears were an average team with a great player. It took awhile for Walter Payton and the Bears to get to the promised land. He scores 17 out of 30 in the individual stats and gets 34 points in the individual awards element. This is a great score, it’s just that there are a few that are better…but not many.
Why on the list? Anybody that is on the top 5 in yards and touchdowns MUST be on this list. This cat was a legend and a hero to some of the players playing today. How many running backs playing now had posters of Walter Payton on their wall? If this was a list of the classiest running backs ever, this guy is in my top 3. He is also one of my favorite running backs so I might have a slight bias to him. But Walter Payton is easily one of the greatest ever, and most people won’t argue that at all.
So, we are now about to enter the top 5 running backs of all time. The next three I am going to cover next time are separated by one point. Two are tied and one is just a single point behind.
Remember folks, greatness isn’t JUST about stats, it is about what he adds to a team. A great player has to elevate his team to greatness. In fact, of the top 10, only Barry Sanders is the only running back with no championship awards. This actually speaks greatly to how good this guy was, even though his team was…well…bad.
So as we continue to count it down, we will be revealing even greater running backs of the NFL. Hope you’ll continue to join me. Until next time…..
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