OnTheRocks Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Cool article based on the idea that Larry Johnson might be next in line. The History of 2000 Yard Rushers in the NFL Since the merger of the AFL and NFL that was completed in 1970, there have been 36 seasons of pro football. In that time, the league has grown from 26 to 28 to 30 and finally to the 32 teams. Do the multiplication of the teams and in 35 full schedules (not counting the strike shortened nine-game season of 1982) that works out to exactly 1,000 seasons among all those individual teams. In those 1,000 seasons, NFL teams have produced 429 where a running back has gained 1,000 yards or more. That’s 43 percent of the seasons. In those same 1,000 seasons, NFL teams have produced five where a running back has gained 2,000 yards or more. That’s one-half of one percent of the seasons. Really interesting that of the 5 RB's to go for 2000+ yards, Simpson was the only one to do it in 14 games. If you take the best and worst game from the other runners, they would have finished with: Dickerson 1852 Sanders 1817 Davis 1771 Lewis 1703 Barry Sanders was incredible. He started the 1997 season with 53 yards rushing after the first two games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartshan-83 Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Barry Sanders was incredible. He started the 1997 season with 53 yards rushing after the first two games. 719054[/snapback] I remember that year, what a terrible start for him. Barry was crazy like that though. He was such a gambler that he would have games where he would have like 15 carries for 21 yds. Then all of a sudden here comes a 12 yarder, then a 28, then a 75...and BOOM....he has like 130 yds and a sweet average. It was like that in the last game of the year when he was going for 2000 vs. the Jets. It looked all game long like the Jets were gonna shut him down. Then he got one sweet run where he juked 3 or 4 defenders....then another...and then the flood gates opened. What a monster he was...as much as I hate Dallas, I would have loved to see him and Emmitt trade places. Just imagine what he would have done with their O-line (or Denver's.... ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Barry Sanders was incredible. He started the 1997 season with 53 yards rushing after the first two games. 719054[/snapback] Yep, I miss seeing him play, though I also feel fortunate that I saw a fair number of his games. He did things that simply defied the laws of physics. I know a lot of people criticize him for the number of "lost yardage" plays, but that doesn't take away from his greatness at all, in my eyes. He was a threat to go the distance on every play, and he made great defenders just look silly. Great player..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubes Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 I still think he was the best pure runner ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stinky finger Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 I still think he was the best pure runner ever. 719135[/snapback] I would agree with this. Of this list of incredible runners, I wish TD had stayed healthy throughout his career. He was special. IIRC, a 6th rounder. Unbelievable. I know Denver makes a habit of taking a "lesser" back and making him special, but TD was different. A real treat to see play. Class Act! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 I still think he was the best pure runner ever. 719135[/snapback] I do too....well, he's the best I've ever seen, which encompasses the past 26 years or so that I've been watching the NFL. I hear a lot of people say Gayle Sayers was as good or better, and based on the footage I've seen I certainly can't dispute that. I just never saw the guy during his playing years. I put Thurman up there with someone like Roger Craig as probably the best two all-around backs I've ever seen. I'm a bit biased toward TT, of course, but he could do it all. You've got guys like Marshall and LaDanian who are probably better runners than Thurman was, but Thurman was one of the best receiving backs to ever play. I have a 1991 highlight tape where he made a behind the back catch about 25 yards downfield....he had amazing hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie2times Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Growing up in Michigan I was lucky enough to see most of Barry’s games, especially later on his career. What an amazingly humble athlete with a style that will NEVER be duplicated. Anybody remember the run he had against us? He had a similar one against the Bears. My other favorite is when he broke into the open field against the Patriots, literally making one of their players go in circles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 What an amazingly humble athlete with a style that will NEVER be duplicated. 719230[/snapback] How was his team play, and blocking for others? I think is was "Barry First"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie2times Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 How was his team play, and blocking for others? I think is was "Barry First"... 719242[/snapback] The Lions had a team besides Barry? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H2o Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 I remember Barry breaking down the sideline running with one shoe and sock flappin in the wind on the other foot. LOL!!! I've never seen a player with the agility and acceleration that he had. He could stop, reverse field on a dime, and be full speed in a split second. Not even the "great" Reggie Bush could duplicate Sanders' agility and acceleration. One thing about Barry though, he would get caught from behind on long runs. More so than any of the other running backs I remember watching back then. I think it was because he had to expend so much energy finding a crease though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stinky finger Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Marcus Allen was one of my favorites also. It seems he gets overlooked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oneonta Buffalo Fan Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Well would you look at that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drnykterstein Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 I don't care how good of a runner he was, we can't be proud of him because he's known as a murderer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H2o Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Who??? Marcus Allen or Barry Sanders??? Just kidding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nero47 Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Best back ever jim brown. 1863 yards in 14 game season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDH Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 What a monster he was...as much as I hate Dallas, I would have loved to see him and Emmitt trade places. Just imagine what he would have done with their O-line (or Denver's.... ) 719082[/snapback] In retrospect I'd love to see what Emmitt could do behind those Detroit lines. I don't even think he'd be mentioned as an all time great if he ran behind the lines that Barry did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jokeman Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Marcus Allen was one of my favorites also. It seems he gets overlooked. 719260[/snapback] I always liked Marcus too, he's biggest problems were his feud with Al Davis and playing next to Bo didn't allow him to put up the numbers he could have with the Raiders. That said he didn't rank in Barry Sanders' classs. Though one problem I always had with Barry is as good as he was he was never good enough to take the Lions anywhere once the playoffs started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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