How high would you rank Marshawn Lynch in your all time Running Back list ?

[Coach E. No]

I've been thinking about this question a lot for some reason. I looked up a list of all time best RB's and I think I'd have to drop Lynch personally. I agree with Nine2Five. He's probably around the 15 mark or so after looking again. I was also thinking about AP, dude basically played 1 season less than Lynch and has 1500+ more yards or so than Lynch and if it was crunch time, I'd trust him to carry the ball just as much as I'd trust Lynch now that he's not a fumble machine like he used to be. But like 925 said, if Lynch wins another Super Bowl and notches a couple more good seasons, he's going to move up on the list.

I also didn't give Dorsett, Thomas, or Allen enough credit before. Looking at the stats, I was surprised to see that Curtis Martin had more yards than Tomlinson and he played one less season, but even then he doesn't seem to get a ton of credit for being an ATG. He was pretty damn good though. Same with Corey Dillon, even though he's not that high on the list as far as career stats. There were also a couple of dudes that could've been ATG if they would've kept playing, like Priest Holmes, Terrell Davis, and Eddie George.

Here's the list as far as total yards
1. Emmitt Smith+ 18,355 1990-2004 2TM
2. Walter Payton+ 16,726 1975-1987 chi
3. Barry Sanders+ 15,269 1989-1998 det
4. Curtis Martin+ 14,101 1995-2005 2TM
5. LaDainian Tomlinson 13,684 2001-2011 2TM
6. Jerome Bettis 13,662 1993-2005 2TM
7. Eric Dickerson+ 13,259 1983-1993 4TM
8. Tony Dorsett+ 12,739 1977-1988 2TM
9. Jim Brown+ 12,312 1957-1965 cle
10. Marshall Faulk+ 12,279 1994-2005 2TM
11. Edgerrin James 12,246 1999-2009 3TM
12. Marcus Allen+ 12,243 1982-1997 2TM
13. Franco Harris+ 12,120 1972-1984 2TM
14. Thurman Thomas+ 12,074 1988-2000 2TM
15. Fred Taylor 11,695 1998-2010 2TM
16. Steven Jackson (31) 11,388 2004-2014 2TM
17. John Riggins+ 11,352 1971-1985 2TM
18. Corey Dillon 11,241 1997-2006 2TM
19. O.J. Simpson+ 11,236 1969-1979 2TM
20. Frank Gore (31) 11,073 2005-2014 sfo
21. Warrick Dunn 10,967 1997-2008 2TM
22. Ricky Watters 10,643 1992-2001 3TM
23. Jamal Lewis 10,607 2000-2009 2TM
24. Thomas Jones 10,591 2000-2011 5TM
25. Tiki Barber 10,449 1997-2006 nyg
26. Eddie George 10,441 1996-2004 2TM
27. Ottis Anderson 10,273 1979-1992 2TM
28. Adrian Peterson (29) 10,190 2007-2014 min
29. Ricky Williams 10,009 1999-2011 3TM
30. Clinton Portis 9,923 2002-2010 2TM
31. Joe Perry+ 9,723 1948-1963 2TM
32. Shaun Alexander 9,453 2000-2008 2TM
33. Earl Campbell+ 9,407 1978-1985 2TM
34. Ahman Green 9,205 1998-2009 3TM
35. Marshawn Lynch (28) 8,695 2007-2014 2TM
36. Chris Johnson (29) 8,628 2008-2014 2TM
37. Terry Allen 8,614 1991-2001 5TM
38. Jim Taylor+ 8,597 1958-1967 2TM
39. Willis McGahee (33) 8,474 2004-2013 4TM
40. Earnest Byner 8,261 1984-1997 3TM
41. Herschel Walker 8,225 1986-1997 4TM
42. Roger Craig 8,189 1983-1993 3TM
43. Gerald Riggs 8,188 1982-1991 2TM
44. Priest Holmes 8,172 1997-2007 2TM
45. Maurice Jones-Drew (29) 8,167 2006-2014 2TM
46. Larry Csonka+ 8,081 1968-1979 2TM
47. Freeman McNeil 8,074 1981-1992 nyj
48. Stephen Davis 8,052 1996-2006 3TM
49. Garrison Hearst 7,966 1993-2004 4TM
50. James Brooks 7,962 1981-1992 4TM
51. Matt Forte (29) 7,704 2008-2014 chi
52. Chris Warren 7,696 1990-2000 3TM
53. Terrell Davis 7,607 1995-2001 den

 

[Coach E. No]

his all or nothing style isn't condusive to winning.

His yards per carry ranks among the highest all time at 5 yards per carry. I don't care if he loses yards at times or not with a yards per carry average that high. He had 2 seasons averaging 5.7 and 6.1 yards per carry man, that's freakin insane!

Smith played 6 more years than Barry as well. I think virtually everyone agrees that Sanders could've easily had done what Smith did on those Cowboys teams that Smith was on, but I don't think anyone believes that Smith could've done what Sanders did on that Lions team. Smith had the best line ever IMO. Looking at stats as far as how many yards he was able to get before first contact says it all. It's not that he was so elusive that dudes were having a hard time catching him, it's that he had so much running room that he could gain positive yards thanks to the blocking before even being touched. Sanders almost never had that luxury. Sanders also had what is probably the greatest college season ever.

 

[StillHustlin]

I've been thinking about this question a lot for some reason. I looked up a list of all time best RB's and I think I'd have to drop Lynch personally. I agree with Nine2Five. He's probably around the 15 mark or so after looking again. I was also thinking about AP, dude basically played 1 season less than Lynch and has 1500+ more yards or so than Lynch and if it was crunch time, I'd trust him to carry the ball just as much as I'd trust Lynch now that he's not a fumble machine like he used to be. But like 925 said, if Lynch wins another Super Bowl and notches a couple more good seasons, he's going to move up on the list.

I also didn't give Dorsett, Thomas, or Allen enough credit before. Looking at the stats, I was surprised to see that Curtis Martin had more yards than Tomlinson and he played one less season, but even then he doesn't seem to get a ton of credit for being an ATG. He was pretty damn good though. Same with Corey Dillon, even though he's not that high on the list as far as career stats. There were also a couple of dudes that could've been ATG if they would've kept playing, like Priest Holmes, Terrell Davis, and Eddie George.

Here's the list as far as total yards
1. Emmitt Smith+ 18,355 1990-2004 2TM
2. Walter Payton+ 16,726 1975-1987 chi
3. Barry Sanders+ 15,269 1989-1998 det
4. Curtis Martin+ 14,101 1995-2005 2TM
5. LaDainian Tomlinson 13,684 2001-2011 2TM
6. Jerome Bettis 13,662 1993-2005 2TM
7. Eric Dickerson+ 13,259 1983-1993 4TM
8. Tony Dorsett+ 12,739 1977-1988 2TM
9. Jim Brown+ 12,312 1957-1965 cle
10. Marshall Faulk+ 12,279 1994-2005 2TM
11. Edgerrin James 12,246 1999-2009 3TM
12. Marcus Allen+ 12,243 1982-1997 2TM
13. Franco Harris+ 12,120 1972-1984 2TM
14. Thurman Thomas+ 12,074 1988-2000 2TM
15. Fred Taylor 11,695 1998-2010 2TM
16. Steven Jackson (31) 11,388 2004-2014 2TM
17. John Riggins+ 11,352 1971-1985 2TM
18. Corey Dillon 11,241 1997-2006 2TM
19. O.J. Simpson+ 11,236 1969-1979 2TM
20. Frank Gore (31) 11,073 2005-2014 sfo
21. Warrick Dunn 10,967 1997-2008 2TM
22. Ricky Watters 10,643 1992-2001 3TM
23. Jamal Lewis 10,607 2000-2009 2TM
24. Thomas Jones 10,591 2000-2011 5TM
25. Tiki Barber 10,449 1997-2006 nyg
26. Eddie George 10,441 1996-2004 2TM
27. Ottis Anderson 10,273 1979-1992 2TM
28. Adrian Peterson (29) 10,190 2007-2014 min
29. Ricky Williams 10,009 1999-2011 3TM
30. Clinton Portis 9,923 2002-2010 2TM
31. Joe Perry+ 9,723 1948-1963 2TM
32. Shaun Alexander 9,453 2000-2008 2TM
33. Earl Campbell+ 9,407 1978-1985 2TM
34. Ahman Green 9,205 1998-2009 3TM
35. Marshawn Lynch (28) 8,695 2007-2014 2TM
36. Chris Johnson (29) 8,628 2008-2014 2TM
37. Terry Allen 8,614 1991-2001 5TM
38. Jim Taylor+ 8,597 1958-1967 2TM
39. Willis McGahee (33) 8,474 2004-2013 4TM
40. Earnest Byner 8,261 1984-1997 3TM
41. Herschel Walker 8,225 1986-1997 4TM
42. Roger Craig 8,189 1983-1993 3TM
43. Gerald Riggs 8,188 1982-1991 2TM
44. Priest Holmes 8,172 1997-2007 2TM
45. Maurice Jones-Drew (29) 8,167 2006-2014 2TM
46. Larry Csonka+ 8,081 1968-1979 2TM
47. Freeman McNeil 8,074 1981-1992 nyj
48. Stephen Davis 8,052 1996-2006 3TM
49. Garrison Hearst 7,966 1993-2004 4TM
50. James Brooks 7,962 1981-1992 4TM
51. Matt Forte (29) 7,704 2008-2014 chi
52. Chris Warren 7,696 1990-2000 3TM
53. Terrell Davis 7,607 1995-2001 den

Garrison Hearst had more yards than Terrell Davis.... wowzers

goes to show numbers outside of SB rings mean nothing word to Barry Sanders

 

[Coach E. No]

Garrison Hearst had more yards than Terrell Davis.... wowzers

goes to show numbers outside of SB rings mean nothing word to Barry Sanders

He played like 5 more seasons than Davis though too. I can't remember why Davis retired? I know he was having an issue with migraines for awhile, not sure if that's it though. He was a beast in his prime.

 

[BUTCHER 206]

>1970-2010

Soooo much fucking steroids and cheating and the players back then arent even remotely close to the ones today. The game today is a different game altogether. Unless they're doing great now or very recetly then fuck em', the games changed and none of those ancient stats matter.

 

[NiNe2FiVe]

>1970-2010

Soooo much fucking steroids and cheating and the players back then arent even remotely close to the ones today. The game today is a different game altogether. Unless they're doing great now or very recetly then fuck em', the games changed and none of those ancient stats matter.

If you were talking about baseball, I might agree with you more, not entirely but more. I always thought baseball holds its past greats in high regard, and simultaneously ignores the advancing skill of (relatively) current players. My example to keep things short: Babe Ruth was one of the best hitters ever, but if Pedro Martinez pumped in a 96mph rising fastball, the babe would have shit his pants.

But you're butcher, so you're wrong, and I hate you.

I think with football cheating, or at least finding a competitive advantage has been a, more-or-less, constant since at least the 60's. I think you can draw a straight line from the 60's when everyone was goosed up on amphetamines and stick'em and shit, to the roided out players of the 80's and 90's to the health conscious supplement gobbling players today. Not to mention other stuff like deflating footballs, watering sidelines, pumping in crowd noise, etc...

I guess what I'm getting at that amazing natural talent rises to the top regardless of time period, or chosen method of cheating. Jim Brown, Bo Jackson, Walter Payton would still be leading rushers today because their skill, athletic prowess, and game smarts were on a different level.

There are players, with every sport, that are either great athletes point blank period, or great athletes because of the circumstances they played. Bronko Nagurski was great because he played in the 30's, Marshall Faulk was great because he was great. Bob Cousy was great because he played in the 50's, Charles Barkley was great because he was great. Nap Lajoie was great because he played in the early 1900's, Rickey Henderson was great because he was great.

 

[BUTCHER 206]

The limit of the fastball always has been the human arm itself, guys back then can throw as hard as they can today. If you said trying to hit a nasty splitter or sinker or slider or knuckle ball I'd agree. Going with the same logic, Babe Ruth was great because he was great, and probably one of the most dominating figures in all of sports history save maybe young Mike Tyson and anyone who disagrees is a commie anti-American bastard

 

[Mr. Nice Guy]

I would take Charles over LeSean and Lynch all day.

Your boys over at PFF disagree

 

[Fucky McFuckerson]

Your boys over at PFF disagree

Its becuase Lynch's break tackle ratio is off the charts.

 

[Fucky McFuckerson]

Lynch probably isnt up there with the greats but he is going to be remembered as the guy who just ran through people...he always gets yards after contact and he always falls forward and in terms of watching a RB you might see them break a tackle or get a few extra yards but nothing like what Marshawn Lynch does. At the end of the day he's a HOFer and a guy just about any NFL team would want on their roster.

I think when its all said and done he's going to have 2-3 seasons where he was the top back in the league and I think the respect he's going to get from fellow running backs and NFL players for what he can do is going to always make him someone to remember. You really can't say "Payton" "Sanders" because he played for Buffalo for like 4 years and they were terrible and no one paid attention to them.

Well it needs to happen soon, becuase he is 28 now and we all know about RB's and the plateau they hit around this time. Especially a bruiser like Lynch.

 

[BUTCHER 206]

http://www.whatifsports.com/nfl/

 

[Chree]

There will be an * next to his name when they find out skittles are the code name for the roids he takes with Sherman



Hearst run > lynch run

 

[StillHustlin]

He played like 5 more seasons than Davis though too. I can't remember why Davis retired? I know he was having an issue with migraines for awhile, not sure if that's it though. He was a beast in his prime.

Garrison Hearst also played on all shit teams w/ shit o-lines while Terrell had decent teams and two rings JS

at the end of the day though only the money and the rings matter, its a team sport

 

[2-0-Sixx]

SimMatchup Football - Free NFL Matchup and Football Sim Games

2013 Seahawks beat the 85 Bears 15-7.

 

[Defy]

There will be an * next to his name when they find out skittles are the code name for the roids he takes with Sherman







Hearst run > lynch run

What run are you talking about that's better than lynch's run, this I gotta see!

 

[Coach E. No]

The limit of the fastball always has been the human arm itself, guys back then can throw as hard as they can today. If you said trying to hit a nasty splitter or sinker or slider or knuckle ball I'd agree. Going with the same logic, Babe Ruth was great because he was great, and probably one of the most dominating figures in all of sports history save maybe young Mike Tyson and anyone who disagrees is a commie anti-American bastard

Babe Ruth was great against other white players. He didn't play against blacks, latinos, or anything other than whites. There is no question that there were great players in the past like Ty Cobb, and Ted Williams, but the competition wasn't as good as it is now in the NFL. Dudes were tougher back then though I'd argue. Maybe some were as fast, but not nearly as many. It wasn't as viable an option in the 50's for a career as it is now. Of course that's going to draw in more/better talent.

 

[Coach E. No]

Garrison Hearst also played on all shit teams w/ shit o-lines while Terrell had decent teams and two rings JS

at the end of the day though only the money and the rings matter, its a team sport

not true. The 49ers were really good the year that they lost in the NFC Championship to the Falcons when Hearst went down in the 1st quarter. They weren't bad the years before either

 

[Mr. Nice Guy]

Its becuase Lynch's break tackle ratio is off the charts.

I'm just saying that in the past you seemed to have respected the work done at PFF and last season they ranked JC out at 13.

 

[Cut-Throat]

What run are you talking about that's better than lynch's run, this I gotta see!

I'm guessing his 96 harder against the jets in ot...

 

[Defy]

I'm guessing his 96 harder against the jets in ot...

that was a big run but nowhere near what Lynch did.....Lynch should've been tackled behind the line of scrimmage and Hearst had a huge hole...there's no doubt that Hearst had a great run but it just doesn't compare
@Chree ju got some splainin to do