Cakes and Junc help me out with this one... I'm having an argument with a friend who says that not only is Barry Sanders not a top 5 running back in NFL history, but he is the most overrated player in the history of the NFL. Here's the argument against him: -- Despite most people insisting he had no supporting cast around him, he had great receivers with Herman Moore and Brett Perriman, and two pro-bowl linemen who constantly opened up holes for him to run through -- Could Not pass block -- Only played well in the Silverdome -- SUCKED in the playoffs -- Of the five leading rushers in NFL history, he is the only one to never even make a super bowl appearance -- Was not an every down player since he refused to hit holes and could not catch -- Led the NFL in negative runs and constantly got his team in 3rd and long situations
Sounds like your friend might be Junc. he loves to take the contrary opinion just to see how long he can get people to argue with him.
No, I take the opinion I believe in and I back it up. No one ever proves me wrong they just post personal attacks. That should tell you something. As far as Sanders. He was not overrated. He's one of the greatest RBs to ever play this game. I do think talk of his supporting cast and OL not being good is overblown(many people who feel he was better than Emmitt will point to the OLs) but he was a GREAT RB. he didn't have the best supporting cast but it wasn't a bad one. He only played in 6 postseason games and he was over 4 YPC in 4 of them. The D's played those games to stop Barry, it's hard to run in those situations yet he had a 4YPC in 4 of his 6 postseason games. In 10 seasons: His career YPC was 5.0 He led the NFL in rushing 4 times(top 5 every year of his career, was only top 5 in attempts 5 years) His lowest rushing season was 1115 yds(4.6 YPC) He had double digit rush TDs 6 times 6 time 1st team all pro RB is not like QB, QBs are judged more on W's and L's. Barry was not overrated, I would say he's #2 or at worst #3 all time.
Who did Barry have starting at QB during those days? Rodney Peete, Scott Mitchell and Charlie Batch.... Sanders ranks 3rd all time in rushing despite only playing 10 years. Hard to see how the 3rd all time leading rusher who retired in his prime was...overrated. Especially when he single handedly carried a few of those Lion teams to the playoffs.
Barry Sanders is the best runningback I've ever seen and one of my all-tme favorite NFL players. Sander's vision, quickness (not fast) and cutting ability was second to none.
Your friend is a dope! If Sanders had played for a decent team, nobody would ever break any of his records. Emmitt Smith was a great RB, but Sanders would have run for 2000 a year behind the 1990's Cowboys line! Sorry junc, but I really believe that.
That's an easy game, it's impossible to disprove opinion. If I said that I thought OJ was innocent then it would be impossible to prove me wrong, but it wouldn't make me right.
The fact that you believe you have never been proven wrong before shows just how serious we can take your opinion of yourself. If I wanted to plug my ears and scream that I was right all the time I could also believe I was never proven wrong before. Thankfully, I don't hold my belief's in such high regard.
In my opinion Barry Sanders is the 3rd best RB in the history of the NFL behind Brown and Payton. Sanders was the Lions offense. He played RB in the run and shoot when they had no TE or FB to block for him. He suffered by playing for QBs who were below average. His OL's were actually pretty good however with players like Lomas Brown, Kevin Glover, Erik Andolsek, Mike Compton, Doug Widell, Ray Roberts and Jeff Hartings
