Emmitt Smith, the greatest ever
- Thread starter RAMA
- Start date
Orenthal.
There's no doubt Smith deserves his HoF status, and to be considered one of the greatest running backs of all time. Yet however great he was, he also played with some of the best talent ever assembled.... something Barry Sanders never had or even came close to enjoying. Survey the defensive players of the era, and they usually say that Sanders was the best they ever played against.
Smith was the engine behind an amazing offensive team, and he had the perfect skill set to match that team. However, he isn't the greatest running back of all time IMO, he just has the the best stats because he played with the best collection of talent in a scheme that featured him. That O-Line is legendary, and you can make a case that it is the best ever (up there with the Packers of the 60s and the Dolphins of the 70s), plus it was augmented by an amazing fullback and two hall of famers in the passing game in Aikman and Irvin. PLUS the most dominant short to intermediate TE of its time. There was literally 7-8 pro bowlers on that offense every year for the bulk of Smith's tenure there.
That being said, I think the arguments that Barry Sanders played on an awful team is complete bunk. They made the playoffs 6 of 10 years in the 90s. That's a good team, not an awful one. He played with multiple pro bowl talents as well (though no where near the level of Emmit Smith's offense). His LT, Lomas Brown, made 5 pro bowls, and his RG Kevin Glover made 3 while Barry was there. He also had the luxury of a 3 time pro bowler at WR in Herman Moore, plus a deep and talented set of WRs running the run and shoot which was an excellent offense for Barry's skills. On D the Lions in the 90s had Chris Spielman, Jerry Ball, Robert Porcher, and Bennie Blades, all of whom made pro bowls, and Mel Grey was a preeminent special teams player. It was a solid team, making it as far as the NFC championship game.
I'd put Emmit and Barry both very high in the pantheon of runners. But Jim Brown still stands out even now, and Walter Payton was the best over-all back of anyone I ever saw. Payton was a far better blocker and receiver than either Emmit or Barry (he retired as the all time leader in both receptions and yardage for a back) and was nearly as good a pure runner as Barry, without the penchant for negative yards that Sanders routinely picked up, and with a nose for the end zone nearly as great as Emmit's.
Brown was just a man among boys in the 50s-60s, and retired simply because he was bored with the game - he had already DOUBLED the all time rushing totals of the era and could have played another 5-6 years.
That being said, I think the arguments that Barry Sanders played on an awful team is complete bunk. They made the playoffs 6 of 10 years in the 90s. That's a good team, not an awful one. He played with multiple pro bowl talents as well (though no where near the level of Emmit Smith's offense). His LT, Lomas Brown, made 5 pro bowls, and his RG Kevin Glover made 3 while Barry was there. He also had the luxury of a 3 time pro bowler at WR in Herman Moore, plus a deep and talented set of WRs running the run and shoot which was an excellent offense for Barry's skills. On D the Lions in the 90s had Chris Spielman, Jerry Ball, Robert Porcher, and Bennie Blades, all of whom made pro bowls, and Mel Grey was a preeminent special teams player. It was a solid team, making it as far as the NFC championship game.
I'd put Emmit and Barry both very high in the pantheon of runners. But Jim Brown still stands out even now, and Walter Payton was the best over-all back of anyone I ever saw. Payton was a far better blocker and receiver than either Emmit or Barry (he retired as the all time leader in both receptions and yardage for a back) and was nearly as good a pure runner as Barry, without the penchant for negative yards that Sanders routinely picked up, and with a nose for the end zone nearly as great as Emmit's.
Brown was just a man among boys in the 50s-60s, and retired simply because he was bored with the game - he had already DOUBLED the all time rushing totals of the era and could have played another 5-6 years.
For my money, yes... Jim Brown is #1. He played in a more brutal game. Most, if not all, of his seasons were 12 games, rendering the comparison of season stats more than a little difficult. Sweetness is also up there because of his production on far less talented Bears teams. Of course, he was a vital part of that 1985 championship team.
However, my comment regarding the quality of the teams Sanders played on comes from comparing those with the teams Emmitt played on. The two men were contemporaries, so comparisons are a little easier. Sanders' teams made the playoffs far fewer times and never even came close to making a Super Bowl, let alone winning one. Yes they did have some inarguable talent and definite success. However stacked up against Smith's Cowboys teams and the Lions might have well been "awful". Okay, that's hyperbole, but I still contend that the Lions of that era were far inferior rendering Sanders' performance more significant.
One thing I will definitely give Smith... I'm not sure that I ever saw a tougher back. That year he played most of the game with a - separated? broken? - shoulder was one of the most impressive displays of guts I've ever seen by an athlete. Imagine the pounding a completely healthy back feels, then amp that up a few dozen times. wow!
However, my comment regarding the quality of the teams Sanders played on comes from comparing those with the teams Emmitt played on. The two men were contemporaries, so comparisons are a little easier. Sanders' teams made the playoffs far fewer times and never even came close to making a Super Bowl, let alone winning one. Yes they did have some inarguable talent and definite success. However stacked up against Smith's Cowboys teams and the Lions might have well been "awful". Okay, that's hyperbole, but I still contend that the Lions of that era were far inferior rendering Sanders' performance more significant.
One thing I will definitely give Smith... I'm not sure that I ever saw a tougher back. That year he played most of the game with a - separated? broken? - shoulder was one of the most impressive displays of guts I've ever seen by an athlete. Imagine the pounding a completely healthy back feels, then amp that up a few dozen times. wow!
But he never played for the greatest team of all time. The beloved Denver Broncos, and that is the only thing that truly makes a player great.
You know whats sad? If you're under 60 and a Lions fan, the soul crushing time period you refer to is also know as the glory years.
Barry Sanders was the better running back, not only in terms of pure talent, but in contrast to the claims made by the first poster, the stats DO back him up-
Sanders amassed 15,000 yards-in only ten seasons. That's an average of 1,500 yards a season, or basically 100 yards per game for a career-ridiculous numbers. He also had a higher average gain per run.
Smith's records are LONGEVITY records, and that's the problem-when comparing two players in ANY sport, the best numbers to use are per-game type stats, or overall averages, NOT number of wins(for a pitcher), number of yards(for a QB, RB, or WR) number of points or assists(in basketball), etc.
Sanders amassed 15,000 yards-in only ten seasons. That's an average of 1,500 yards a season, or basically 100 yards per game for a career-ridiculous numbers. He also had a higher average gain per run.
Smith's records are LONGEVITY records, and that's the problem-when comparing two players in ANY sport, the best numbers to use are per-game type stats, or overall averages, NOT number of wins(for a pitcher), number of yards(for a QB, RB, or WR) number of points or assists(in basketball), etc.