MakeBuffaloGreatAgain Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 Emmitt Smith on any other team would have been a fart in the wind. He did nothing exceptional. But running behind the best O-line in NFL history, and now you have clout. The most over rated RB to put pads on.
Domdab99 Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 4 minutes ago, fridge said: Hard to argue this. Who would you rather have in his prime, Thurman with 18 hall of famers around him, or OJ when he was the whole offense and yet he still broke records?
MakeBuffaloGreatAgain Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 8 minutes ago, Domdab99 said: Who would you rather have in his prime, Thurman with 18 hall of famers around him, or OJ when he was the whole offense and yet he still broke records? OJ... he can cut through a defense like no other.
folz Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 1 hour ago, Buffalo716 said: I argued that Thurman is overlooked in the world of modern running backs and is a top 10 RB in NFL history... sure he didn’t dazzle like Barry or churn out 5 yard runs at a whack like Emmitt... but he was the most complete back of his time... his running, receiving, blocking and toughness made him the most rounded back of his Era his power / speed ratio was the best in the NFL and he was a violent runner led the NFL in yards from scrimmage an NFL record 4 consecutive seasons... an NFL MVP... a first ballot HoF As a student of the game I don’t find it foolish to say Thurman is a top 10 modern back That stat alone gets overlooked way too often. That is a feat!. And he would have been Super Bowl MVP of SB XXV if Norwood's kick went through. 39 minutes ago, dave mcbride said: In his era, thomas was a clear #3 behind Smith and especially Sanders. They were both clearly better. Thomas was a great player, to be sure, but I remember this debate at the time and no one in good conscience was arguing that Thomas was as good as those two. It's not like the Bills didn't have an elite o-line between 1989 and 1992 (his elite years). News flash: Emmitt Smith was really effing good. Call me a Homer, but I honestly always felt that the RBs from that era stacked up as Barry, Thurman, and then Smith. Smith's stats are amazing, but Emmitt had 1,575 more touches than Thurman and 1,510 more touches than Sanders and ran behind one of the best offensive lines in NFL history. But, even if consensus says Smith was a better back than TT, I don't think it is as clear cut as you make it out to be. With Barry it is, he could do things that no other human at that time could do. The Michael Jordan of RBs, if you will. And to No Saint who posted his list of guys that would go in the top 10 ahead of TT, I pretty much agree with your first 7, and might add in Tony Dorsett, but then I think you could debate from there between guys like TT and Smith, Peterson, LT, Faulk, Allen, RIggins, etc. And I don't think any of those guys go in over TT without at least a debate. So, I would put Thurman in the 9-12 range all-time. Just my opinion. I just googled a bunch of Best RBs of all-time lists, just to see what the general thought is, and Thurman landed anywhere from 10 to 17 on the many lists I looked at. One list had him at 10 and another at 11, but most had him in the 12-17 range.
Dadonkadonk Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 Thurman is my favorite Bill of all time. I put him 3rd all time as a Bill behind Bruce and OJ, and ahead of Kelly and Reed. Thurman is definitely a HOF player but not top 10. Probably 11-15.
Chandler#81 Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 6 hours ago, Buffalo716 said: I argued that Thurman is overlooked in the world of modern running backs and is a top 10 RB in NFL history... sure he didn’t dazzle like Barry or churn out 5 yard runs at a whack like Emmitt... but he was the most complete back of his time... his running, receiving, blocking and toughness made him the most rounded back of his Era his power / speed ratio was the best in the NFL and he was a violent runner led the NFL in yards from scrimmage an NFL record 4 consecutive seasons... an NFL MVP... a first ballot HoF As a student of the game I don’t find it foolish to say Thurman is a top 10 modern back Interested to know what your friends argument was. I thought about TThomas today as NFLRadio was talking up Barkley. Thurman had deceptive speed for a “Squatty Body” and his uncanny ability to bounce through slivers of openings was a treasure to behold. He may run sideways, bump butts, twist or squirm. Whatever his instinct was at a given time, he did and then seemed to immediately have 15-20 yards of open secondary to burst through. But his unique capability to find a sliver of daylight anywhere on the line and exploit it, tops all his other deserved accolades, IMO.
george c Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 (edited) Love Thurman, but for all of his great moments, the one I remember first is his early 2nd half “head hanging” after a fumble against Dallas in the 4th SB. He was defeated, and it spread like a disease which fueled Dallas’s momentum. Is he top ten? Yes. He was an unreal double threat, and his receiving skills were as respected as much as his run skill. Many times he lined up as a wide receiver running a sideline pattern with the ball coming. He would be great in today’s game. Edited April 14, 2018 by George C
ghostwriter Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 Thurman was a smart RB with great vision, top 5 though? Probably not, maybe top 10-12. In today's NFL Thurman would still be a star. He was Le'Veon Bell 30 years before his time, definitely a modern RB. He would be the best RB in the NFL if he played today in his prime IMO.
vincec Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 7 hours ago, 26CornerBlitz said: I agree wholeheartedly, but please don't get me started. 15 FN carries for the entire game was a travesty! Just make the kick.
26CornerBlitz Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 Just now, vincec said: Just make the kick. Shouldn't have come down to a 47 yard FG on grass that was no gimme.
vincec Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 7 hours ago, Buffalo716 said: I argued that Thurman is overlooked in the world of modern running backs and is a top 10 RB in NFL history... sure he didn’t dazzle like Barry or churn out 5 yard runs at a whack like Emmitt... but he was the most complete back of his time... his running, receiving, blocking and toughness made him the most rounded back of his Era his power / speed ratio was the best in the NFL and he was a violent runner led the NFL in yards from scrimmage an NFL record 4 consecutive seasons... an NFL MVP... a first ballot HoF As a student of the game I don’t find it foolish to say Thurman is a top 10 modern back Maybe, but top 10 is hard. The top 5 (in your order of preference) have to be Brown, Simpson, Campbell, Sanders and Payton. Then you have guys Smith, Dickerson, Peterson, Faulk, Riggins, Allen, Tomlinson, Sayers. Thomas needs to be ahead of 4 of them to be #10. 3 minutes ago, 26CornerBlitz said: Shouldn't have come down to a 47 yard FG on grass that was no gimme. No game should ever come down to the last play, but they frequently do. No one plays a perfect game. I'm just tired hearing about how Thurman should have had more carries, Levy should have run another play, Reich didn't get the laces turned, Talley didn't turn up, etc. Just make the kick.
26CornerBlitz Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 3 minutes ago, vincec said: Maybe, but top 10 is hard. The top 5 (in your order of preference) have to be Brown, Simpson, Campbell, Sanders and Payton. Then you have guys Smith, Dickerson, Peterson, Faulk, Riggins, Allen, Tomlinson, Sayers. Thomas needs to be ahead of 4 of them to be #10. No game should ever come down to the last play, but they frequently do. No one plays a perfect game. I'm just tired hearing about how Thurman should have had more carries, Levy should have run another play, Reich didn't get the laces turned, Talley didn't turn up, etc. Just make the kick. Okay if that works for you.
JM57 Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 (edited) 7 hours ago, Buffalo716 said: I argued that Thurman is overlooked in the world of modern running backs and is a top 10 RB in NFL history... sure he didn’t dazzle like Barry or churn out 5 yard runs at a whack like Emmitt... but he was the most complete back of his time... his running, receiving, blocking and toughness made him the most rounded back of his Era his power / speed ratio was the best in the NFL and he was a violent runner led the NFL in yards from scrimmage an NFL record 4 consecutive seasons... an NFL MVP... a first ballot HoF As a student of the game I don’t find it foolish to say Thurman is a top 10 modern back I agree with the premise of your argument but I think the way you are framing it hurts it a bit. When you talk about "top X players" you're going to be talking about dominance in their era, etc. What Thurman really was, was ahead of his time. He was doing what David Johnson or Leveon Bell, or even McCoy do today almost 30 years ago. I was very young during the Bills best days, but as far as I understand it, and looking at the stat lines, that's the best way to frame it. He was cranking out 1000 yards rushing and then adding in 30-50 catches for a couple hundred yards, just like they do now, but in an era where running backs were runners only for the most part Edited April 14, 2018 by JM57
The Jokeman Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 14 minutes ago, 26CornerBlitz said: Shouldn't have come down to a 47 yard FG on grass that was no gimme. True. One could argue we left too much time on the clock and run at least one more play.
Solomon Grundy Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 8 hours ago, Augie said: I fully agree. Emmitt is overrated IMO playing as long as he did behind great OLines. He was certainly good, but I’d rather have Thurman. Two thumbs up!! I argue with people about this too. One guy tried to throw out Marshall Faulk. Thurman was one of the most COMPLETE RBs EVER!! I'd rank Thurman behind Marcus Allen only as the most complete.
Domdab99 Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 (edited) 32 minutes ago, vincec said: Just make the kick. Make a kick on grass that he had never made that long before? In the last few seconds of the Super Bowl? A few more yards would've been better. *** You know, it's odd...I think of Bruce, and I can SEE various plays he made. I think of Reed, and I SEE catch after catch and touchdown after touchdown. Hell, I can SEE plays made by Lofton, Tasker, Odoms...I know Thurman is one of the best ever, and his stats while with this team were incredible. But when I think of him, I don't SEE anything. I just don't remember any one play of his. Well, except for the fumble in the last Super Bowl. That, I remember. Edited April 14, 2018 by Domdab99
Wacka Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 Not going to read the whole thread, but Smith's career lasted longer because he ran out of bounds a lot instead of turning it up field and getting hit.
26CornerBlitz Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 7 minutes ago, Wacka said: Not going to read the whole thread, but Smith's career lasted longer because he ran out of bounds a lot instead of turning it up field and getting hit. Emmitt Smith? Not true at all.
DriveFor1Outta5 Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 53 minutes ago, Domdab99 said: Make a kick on grass that he had never made that long before? In the last few seconds of the Super Bowl? A few more yards would've been better. *** You know, it's odd...I think of Bruce, and I can SEE various plays he made. I think of Reed, and I SEE catch after catch and touchdown after touchdown. Hell, I can SEE plays made by Lofton, Tasker, Odoms...I know Thurman is one of the best ever, and his stats while with this team were incredible. But when I think of him, I don't SEE anything. I just don't remember any one play of his. Well, except for the fumble in the last Super Bowl. That, I remember. Expecting that kick to be made wouldn’t be asking much these days. However, the kicking game of 2018 is superior to that of the early 90’s. Making a 47 yard field goal was an impressive feat back then. That is no longer the case.
Steve O Posted April 14, 2018 Posted April 14, 2018 9 hours ago, Augie said: Since disco? No...that’s probably not right. actually it probably is, or at least close
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