Barry Sanders, Walter Payton or Emmitt Smith? Discuss...?

Question

Which one would you want on your team, and why?

Let's have a heated debate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah mousey, I understand...

Think it says "I am going to write useless crap all over this post in a bid to draw attention to myself."

Guess what? IT WORKED!!!!!!!!! Congratulations, YOU DA MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some mothers really do 'ave 'em...

Yes evilgenius_48, I deliberately didn't add Jim Brown to the mix because I think that everyone here recognises his greatness whether they saw him play or not, and I just wanted people to think a little more about this.

Just thought that these three more more comparable, and judging by the number of responses so far, looks like people are really getting into this.

Wow.

Wish I could extend the answering period for even longer. People have really gotten into this. Thanks to everyone who answered.

However, I'm not leaving this to the vote, so I'm going to choose one now. Please don't be offended if I don't choose you.

Answer 1

Barry Sanders only played 9 seasons in the NFL and came within 1500 yards of the all time rushing record. If he played as long as Emmit Smith, he would have 24,000+yards. He also was the first real running back to put the term "run to daylight" into perspective. He was a gentleman on the field, never taunted, and never celebrated in the endzone, just handed or flipped the ball to the ref. He would somtimes break 4 or 5 tackles before he got past the line of scrimmage and would break even more after that. He also had great speed, and could outrun most everybody on the field. He also rushed for 1500 yards 4 seasons in a row. Did i mention he accomplised this all with the Detroit Lions? At the time, the O-Line was rated 23 in the NFL out of 30 teams at the time. That just proves how Barry Sanders had to use his running ability to rack up those yards. He also had the most rushing yards in the NFL every year exceept one.

Answer 2

Who Cares About Rings.. It's All About Production. And Well We All Know That Barry Would Be The king Had the lions Done the Right thing And Let him Go To Another Team. But No They Felt They Had To Screw Him After All The Years Of Loyalty He Gave Them. that's Why the Lions Cannot Win A Title Of Any Kind.

When He Retired he Was About 1,500 Yards Away From The title. Had He Had the Lines That Sweetness And Emmitt Had It Would Be A No Brainier.

the Others Hag Huge Yards As Well. But Barry Did It All On His Own. No Help What So Ever.

1. Barry
2. Walter
3. Emmitt.

Answer 3

Right away I would eliminate Emmitt Smith, he got to run behind enormous offensive lineman, and he really wasn't an outstanding player, he was just consistantly good. Not phenomenal. Walter Payton and Barry Sanders is close though. Walter Payton is the greatest all purpose back of all time. He was a great runner, great receiver, and outstanding blocker. He also had the most heart and soul, not to mention toughness out of almost all players to ever play in the NFL. Barry Sanders was not nearly as good a blocker as Payton, and he didn't have the heart, soul, and toughness of Walter. But what he did have was god like agility and quickness. What most people do not realize is that Walter Payton had a O-line, a successful offense, so he was not the only target for the defense. Barry was on a team that had no offensive line, and no passing attack, so other teams just had to focus on Barry. He still, with no blocking, in ten years, got like 15300 yards. He even got to 2000 yards in one year, one of five to do it. Just imagine what he would have been like had he been on a good team, or if he had played for longer. The record would be at like 23000 atleast. It is close, but I would pick Barry Sanders.

Answer 4

Sanders hands down. He was going to easily break all the records, but had so much respect for Payton that he retired just before he passed him. Sanders had an offensive line similar to the type of line the Browns have had the past 7 years...none!

Payton was a great back and is my second choice. I liked him better, but I know Sanders is a more gifted RB.

Smith would rank third. He played on a Dallas team that had one of the best offensive lines in the game for years. Basically he stuck around on the Cardinals just to break the record, but really isn't the best RB.

Answer 5

Each has their own unique set of abilities. I suppose a lot of it would depend on the supporting cast. Emmitt had a great O-line and other stars to take the heat of him. Barry had the ability to make moves like no other I've ever seen---real ankle breakers that would just jelly-leg a defender. If you were starting from scratch---Walter was your man (leaving out Jim Brown as you said). He did so much for so long with so little he was qualified to do anything with nothing---and he did. He could do it all---and with class. Something all three of these have in common.

Answer 6

Barry. He put up better numbers than both and he was pretty much a 1 man team. Emmitt had one of the best OL ever, a HOF QB and WR. He had good numbers too but he passed Barry because he played several more years. Payton I dunno because I was pretty young back then and had no idea what football was. From what Ive heard he was great all around player and Barry never got that chance.

If you are going to discuss different eras you should include Jim Brown and Gayle Sayers. Both of them were by far the best of their time.

Answer 7

All were fantastic runners. However, if I had to rank:

1) Payton - He was consistently superior on a sub-par team...save the mid-80s when the Bears became quite respectable.

2) Sanders - He was similar to Payton with the quality of team around him...but did not have the drive to stay with it.

3) Smith - He had a supporting cast that was second to none. If all three had the same team, I would suspect Emmitt to finish third.

Answer 8

All three have their points.

Sanders was a game breaking back that would have a highlight if not more at every game. His creativity was one of the greatest, but for all the positives, he also lead these three backs for the most tackles behind the line of scrimmage..or in other words the most tackles for a loss of yards.

Smith, was the most consistant and had the biggest heart of the players in his era. He was the consumate TEAM player who happened to rack up some serious stats of which nobody could come close to in his day. The only draw back is that I can't find one.

Payton...Not only was he a great RB, he was a great Football player. I believe it was his coach Mike Ditka that made a statement that you could line Payton up at any position on the field and he would be the most dominant player at that position. From Center, to RB, to QB, to WR, to DT to LB...it didn't matter Payton was the best all around football player to ever grace the gridiron.

So there you have it...when you list these three...my list goes like this:

1) Walter Payton
2) Emmitt Smith
3) Barry Sanders

Keep in mind that I am a DIE-Hard Cowboys fan, but I do recognize the greatness of Payton!!!

Answer 9

Payton with Barry right behind him, Everybody must remeber just how sick Payton really was. He could run you over, or go around you he was unreal. Barry might have been the 2nd best back in the history of the league. I am a bears fan and I liked barry enough to have a lion's jersey (sick). He would make the best tacklers in the game look stupid.

I was watching one highlight of barry running, when he broke into the open field 2 safetys were closing in on him. He hit a spin move between two guys that sent both of them flying as he ran his way into the endzone. UNREAL.

As for Emmit he is one of the most over rated backs in the history of the game. He broke the record because of his line and because teams kept giving a washed up running back opportunities to carry the ball. you guys need to remember emmits line had 3 -4 all pros on in through out the 90's. and he had unreal talent at the wide reciever and QB postions. Niether Walter nor Barry had that. And to make it worse Emmit was a straight line runner that couldn't break tackles and would make you miss. He just had dominate linemen that would get down field and block linebackers and safeties.

I wouldn't put Emmit in the top 10 running backs of all time. But I would put his line in the top 3 lines of all time.

Answer 10

Emmitt had the advantage of playing behind one of the best O lines in football and the same cannot be said for Sanders or Payton, for that matter. If I could pick one to start a team it would be Payton with Sanders being a very close second.