Non Bill, unheralded, under the radar favorite player.

[Big Turk]

Zach Thomas...5th round pick, made the HOF.

 

Priest Holmes...UDFA, was headed to the HOF until injuries derailed his career...3x All-Pro, led the NFL in rushing in 2001.

 

[Savage]

Just now, Big Turk said:

Zach Thomas...5th round pick, made the HOF.

 

Priest Holmes...UDFA, was headed to the HOF until injuries derailed his career...3x All-Pro, led the NFL in rushing in 2001.

 

Just saying, wasn’t the same as London Fletcher, making tackles 7-10 yards downfield?

 

They both made a ton of tackles, maybe just not where you’d want them made.

 

JMHO

[Big Turk]

Just now, Savage said:

Just saying, wasn’t the same as London Fletcher, making tackles 7-10 yards downfield?

 

They both made a ton of tackles, maybe just not where you’d want them made.

 

JMHO

 

Thomas is a 5x All-Pro, 7x Pro-Bowler(back when it still meant something), is in the HOF and also on the HOF All-2000s Team.

 

So to answer your question, no, they weren't.

[Savage]

Just now, Big Turk said:

 

Thomas is a 5x All-Pro, 7x Pro-Bowler(back when it still meant something), is in the HOF and also on the HOF All-2000s Team.

 

So to answer your question, no, they weren't.

Fair enough.

 

has the HOF become the Hall of Really Good?

 

seems to be watered down the last 15 years or so.

 

again,

 

JMHO.

 

[Big Turk]

2 minutes ago, Savage said:

Fair enough.

 

has the HOF become the Hall of Really Good?

 

seems to be watered down the last 15 years or so.

 

again,

 

JMHO.

 

 

I can't argue that...there are several people who got in that made me do a double take, especially since I watched some of them play and they weren't all that...and yet Sterling Sharpe still isn't in...that is a travesty.

[DCofNC]

42 minutes ago, machine gun kelly said:

Present, Mike Evans.  He is the definition of Cal Ripken consistency.

 

Past- By far, Earl Campbell.  That man was a beast.  He ran over everyone with Christian Okoye a quick second.  Both were bruisers.

Great call on Evans.  Perhaps the most under appreciated WR ever.

[ALLinALLEN]

I grew up loving chad johnson (ocho cinco lol). Not only was he a hell of a player, but he gave 10 years to a horrible franchise and I always dreamed of a player like that for Buffalo back in the drought days.

[Buffalo716]

11 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

Zach Thomas...5th round pick, made the HOF.

 

Priest Holmes...UDFA, was headed to the HOF until injuries derailed his career...3x All-Pro, led the NFL in rushing in 2001.

 

I liked priest Holmes a lot but I don't know if he was on his way to the hall of fame

 

He was already on the plus side of 30 and slowing down... He had almost 400 touches three straight years which is usually when players decline 

 

2001 02 and 03 he basically had 390 touches per year and he wasn't Young.. that's basically using up everything he has left 

 

He was an amazing running back with a short prime but there are other amazing backs who had amazing years who are not Hall of famers 

 

Eddie George and Jamal Lewis both come to mind.. both were freaks with some big years , running back is just probably the toughest spot to make it to Canton

[chongli]

Many of the players listed so far were not unheralded of under the radar.

[Logic]

I see a lot of very heralded, fully on the radar players being mentioned in this thread.

Anyway...

For some reason, I really liked (and occasionally still think about) the 2003 Minnesota Vikings running back trio of Michael Bennett, Mo Williams, and Onterrio Smith.

Beat that!

 

[Big Turk]

11 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

I liked priest Holmes a lot but I don't know if he was on his way to the hall of fame

 

He was already on the plus side of 30 and slowing down... He had almost 400 touches three straight years which is usually when players decline 

 

2001 02 and 03 he basically had 390 touches per year and he wasn't Young.. that's basically using up everything he has left 

 

He was an amazing running back with a short prime but there are other amazing backs who had amazing years who are not Hall of famers 

 

Eddie George and Jamal Lewis both come to mind.. both were freaks with some big years , running back is just probably the toughest spot to make it to Canton

 

Eddie George, for my money, is the most overrated "great" player of all time.  The man averaged 3.6 YPC for his CAREER and only averaged over 4 YPC twice for a season, both barely at 4.1...people confuse his college career with his pro career.

 

Essentially he was a dude who put up lots of yards but only because he got a ton of carries. The only year he had under 300 carries was his final year in the league with Dallas.

 

Holmes averaged 4.6 YPC for his career, and averaged over 5 YPC in a season twice. He also led the league in rushing one year and yards rushing/game another year, something George never did.

 

Holmes also was a fantastic receiving back as well, having over 2,000 yards from scrimmage 3 straight years, including 2 where he led the NFL. Thurman Thomas led the NFL in yards from scrimmage 4 straight years, but he only had 2 that were over 2,000 yards. 

 

George was a first round pick, Holmes was a UDFA. Honestly they deserved to be swapped and that would have been more like the way they performed in the NFL. Holmes earned his carries and touches in the NFL, George, in large part, did not.

Edited September 17 by Big Turk

[Bill from NYC]

3 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Eddie George, for my money, is the most overrated "great" player of all time.  The man averaged 3.6 YPC for his CAREER and only averaged over 4 YPC twice in his career, both barely at 4.1...people confuse his college career with his pro career.

 

 

I also place Curtis Martin in the class of a "statistics compiler." I am NOT saying that he wasn't very good, because he was. I just think that his greatest asset was endurance. 

 

Of course, jmo.

 

[Buffalo716]

31 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Eddie George, for my money, is the most overrated "great" player of all time.  The man averaged 3.6 YPC for his CAREER and only averaged over 4 YPC twice for a season, both barely at 4.1...people confuse his college career with his pro career.

 

Essentially he was a dude who put up lots of yards but only because he got a ton of carries. The only year he had under 300 carries was his final year in the league with Dallas.

 

Holmes averaged 4.6 YPC for his career, and averaged over 5 YPC in a season twice. He also led the league in rushing one year and yards rushing/game another year, something George never did.

 

Holmes also was a fantastic receiving back as well, having over 2,000 yards from scrimmage 3 straight years, including 2 where he led the NFL. Thurman Thomas led the NFL in yards from scrimmage 4 straight years, but he only had 2 that were over 2,000 yards. 

 

George was a first round pick, Holmes was a UDFA. Honestly they deserved to be swapped and that would have been more like the way they performed in the NFL.

I get what you're saying but Thurman Thomas has 12,000 yards running and almost 5,000 yards receiving 

 

That's the longevity and stats that get him in...

 

I'm not really a fan of Terrell Davis getting in with his short career because the Hall of Fame is also partially about longevity 

 

I wasn't necessarily comparing skill sets with priest Holmes and Eddie George.. but you just can't take Eddie George's 3.7 yards per carry 

 

He literally got nine straight seasons of 300 carries per year.. played hurt and got all goal line carries .. he survived the abuse

 

8 straight 1000 yard seasons while everybody knows you're getting the ball is impressive still.. especially when he's 240 lb.. he was basically a fullback.. he was trying to run through you every carry and break you down.. his game was about punishment.. watch some of the old games between him and Ray Lewis.. insane 

 

Most of running backs today and back then couldn't even survive the punishment Eddie George took and his workload..  his longevity with his workload is definitely impressive for a running back when they knew he was getting the ball all day

 

I'm not saying he's more talented than priest Holmes.. but again in the NFL you need to have the durability to go along with you're talent

 

Some running backs can take 300 carries for  8-9-10 years... Some can only take it for 5 

 

That's generally the difference between 7,000 yards rushing and 12,000... or a really good and a Hall of Fame career

 

Jamal Lewis is another stud who has really good stats but still not really at the hall of fame echelon for running backs..  clock killing Corey Dillon is another .. he's a stud with over 11,000 yards... And he's really not thought of for the Hall of Fame... There's just so many good running backs

23 minutes ago, Bill from NYC said:

I also place Curtis Martin in the class of a "statistics compiler." I am NOT saying that he wasn't very good, because he was. I just think that his greatest asset was endurance. 

 

Of course, jmo.

 

Durability and longevity while playing at a high level is a part of greatness 

 

You could be great for 3 years but hurt for the rest of your career and you're known as the guy who could have been 

 

If you play well for 12 years.. super steady... You're going to have the stats and name recognition.. longevity is part of the game

 

Any running back that can play for as long as Curtis Martin and as steady deserves love

Edited September 17 by Buffalo716

[Doc Brown]

NaVorro Bowman is the name that always comes to mind when it comes to unheralded players.  Four time first team All Pro linebacker for the 49ers when they were good under Harbaugh in the early 2010's.  Yet, I'm willing to be some of you don't even know his name.

[Buffalo716]

4 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

NaVorro Bowman is the name that always comes to mind when it comes to unheralded players.  Four time first team All Pro linebacker for the 49ers when they were good under Harbaugh in the early 2010's.  Yet, I'm willing to be some of you don't even know his name.

Well he made the NFL all decades team and is on the Hall of Fame voting list so I think most people remember Navarro 

 

Him and Patrick Willis were the best linebacker tandem

[DCofNC]

43 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Eddie George, for my money, is the most overrated "great" player of all time.  The man averaged 3.6 YPC for his CAREER and only averaged over 4 YPC twice for a season, both barely at 4.1...people confuse his college career with his pro career.

 

Essentially he was a dude who put up lots of yards but only because he got a ton of carries. The only year he had under 300 carries was his final year in the league with Dallas.

 

Holmes averaged 4.6 YPC for his career, and averaged over 5 YPC in a season twice. He also led the league in rushing one year and yards rushing/game another year, something George never did.

 

Holmes also was a fantastic receiving back as well, having over 2,000 yards from scrimmage 3 straight years, including 2 where he led the NFL. Thurman Thomas led the NFL in yards from scrimmage 4 straight years, but he only had 2 that were over 2,000 yards. 

 

George was a first round pick, Holmes was a UDFA. Honestly they deserved to be swapped and that would have been more like the way they performed in the NFL. Holmes earned his carries and touches in the NFL, George, in large part, did not.

Well said, George lived on reputation from College.  I looked at him and Antoine Smith (remember him?  Don’t blame you if you don’t) as the same guy.  The only difference is the Bills knew enough to not pay him just bc he was a first round pick.  Super unimpressive players. 
 

Holmes was a legit PROBLEM.  Him, Natron Means was another bad dude as was Jamaal Williams.  I miss that type of run you over or leave you in the dust type of back.  The only thing we have seen recently that’s remotely close is Henry, but the guy runs leaning backwards so even as big as he is, he can be stood up easily.  Peterson was a monster too, but also a high runner. 

1 hour ago, Savage said:

Fair enough.

 

has the HOF become the Hall of Really Good?

 

seems to be watered down the last 15 years or so.

 

again,

 

JMHO.

 

I think the HOF has become exactly what it’s named. Hall of FAME.  Note that it doesn’t say, Hall of All Time Great Players, though I feel that’s what it WAS, now it’s about name recognition/fame.  There have been a number of guys that made it in that I don’t feel belong based on play, but they were/are household names.

[Savage]

4 minutes ago, DCofNC said:

Well said, George lived on reputation from College.  I looked at him and Antoine Smith (remember him?  Don’t blame you if you don’t) as the same guy.  The only difference is the Bills knew enough to not pay him just bc he was a first round pick.  Super unimpressive players. 
 

Holmes was a legit PROBLEM.  Him, Natron Means was another bad dude as was Jamaal Williams.  I miss that type of run you over or leave you in the dust type of back.  The only thing we have seen recently that’s remotely close is Henry, but the guy runs leaning backwards so even as big as he is, he can be stood up easily.  Peterson was a monster too, but also a high runner. 

I think the HOF has become exactly what it’s named. Hall of FAME.  Note that it doesn’t say, Hall of All Time Great Players, though I feel that’s what it WAS, now it’s about name recognition/fame.  There have been a number of guys that made it in that I don’t feel belong based on play, but they were/are household names.

Agreed.

 

well put

 

15 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

Well he made the NFL all decades team and is on the Hall of Fame voting list so I think most people remember Navarro 

 

Him and Patrick Willis were the best linebacker tandem

Patrick Willis was fantastic, and smart enough to walk away after eight years.

[Savage]

What are the odds of Vrabel getting into the HOF?

 

in today’s standards, I’d say he has a very good chance.

 

that being said, he has no business being there.

[mannc]

Most underrated current player: Tyler Lockett.  Has averaged over 1000 yards per season for past six years but is never mentioned among the league’s elite WRs. He’s a serious deep threat with great hands.  Was a college QB, I believe…

Edited September 17 by mannc

[BuffaloBillyG]

Steve McNair. Loved watching him play ball.