Marshall Faulk's Top 5 RB's...No Portis?!

I think there could be 20 guys you could create some argument for, given some would be a stretch but it's tough to say what makes a good RB and it's definitely tough to judge guys because it's so much based on the o-line. I think AP is able to do so much of what he does in open space because his o-line is very good at run blocking. No doubt he's real good, but put him behind the Lions o-line and he's not putting up the best stats in the NFL.

Adrian Peterson
Michael Turner
DeAngelo Williams
Clinton Portis
Steven Jackson
Brandon Jacobs
Thomas Jones
Chris Johnson
Steve Slaton
Matt Forte
Frank Gore
Willie Parker
Larry Johnson
Ladanian Tomlinson
Brian Westbrook
Marion Barber
Ronnie Brown
Maurice Jones-Drew
Jonathan Stewart
Derrick Ward

18th? You have Jones-Drew ranked 18th? Seriously? I think this post belongs on the epic fail thread. This is a guy that has 34 rushing tds, 38 rush/rec tds, and 40 total tds in 3 seasons as a PART TIMER (he's only started 4 games in his career). Portis over that same span has only 28 total tds despite having 794 carries to Jones-Drew's 530. Jones Drew also averages 4.8 yards per carry. In the last 3 years, only Westbrook, Bush, Jackson, Tomlinson and Gore have more receptions that Jones-Drew and only Bush and Jones Drew were not starters.
Now that Jones-Drew is a starter, he is CERTAINLY worthy of a top 10 at the least, I have him top 5.
FYI, sporting news fantasy football mag has Portis ranked 8th, and Jones-Drew ranked 6th. NFL.com fantasy football magazine has Portis ranked 12th and Jones-Drew ranked 4th.

My top 5:
1- Peterson
2- Turner
3- Jones-Drew
4- Jackson*
5- Forte

Jackson is my only hesitation due to his injuries. He started only 11 games last year (although still managed to get 1042 yards and 8 total tds) and 12 games back in 2007 (although had 1002 yards and 7 total tds)
If healthy, his numbers would be pretty darn good...assuming he played a full season both of the last two years, he would have had these numbers:
2008- 1392 yds, 11tds, 51 receptions, 505 rec yds (1897 total yards)
2007- 1344 yds, 9 tds, 53 receptions, 361 rec yds (1705 total yards)
Keep in mind the numbers would be higher if he didn't get injured and miss time in games in both 08 and 07.

Lots of people like to talk about his "breakaway" ability from his time in Denver. If we measure that by 40+ runs (which is the easiest way since the NFL keeps that stat) those runs have tracked as follows:

2002 - 3
2003 - 6
2004 - 1
2005 - 2
2006 - 0
2007 - 0
2008 - 0

He also averaged 5.5 yds/carry both years in Denver and has never done better than 4.3 in Washington. That probably says more about the talent and system in D.C. than it does about Portis.

His 20+ runs also declined in Washington, though they spiked again last season.

2002 - 11
2003 - 13
2004 - 5
2005 - 6
2006 - 3
2007 - 3
2008 - 13

Maybe the fact that he was able to break the 20 yard runs last year, but not able to turn any of those into 40+ carries does suggest that he is no longer the same back that he was early in his career.

I wonder how much of that is due to Denver's zone blocking and cut blocking vs. the Skins (Gibbs) man-to-man blocking. Last yr they used some zone blocking.

I wonder how much of that is due to Denver's zone blocking and cut blocking vs. the Skins (Gibbs) man-to-man blocking. Last yr they used some zone blocking.

I think a lot (all?) of it has to do with different schemes. That he was able to match his career high (from Denver) in 20+ runs might also support that. But that he was not able to turn any 20+ runs into 40+ runs might also suggest that the years of grinding (and vicious pass pro) has taken some toll. I really don't say any of that as a knock on Portis, I was just trying to answer the "was Portis ever a break away runner" question.

We were statistically the 4th best defense, do you think we had the 4th best defense last year? Yeah saying not even close was harsh, but if you could pick from any team right now who you want to start at running back, would portis be in yalls top 5?

Along with being 4th in rushing yards, he was 4th in total yards (1,705), and 4th in 100 yard games (6). I don't think it's that unrealstic to call him a top 5 back.

I wonder how much of that is due to Denver's zone blocking and cut blocking vs. the Skins (Gibbs) man-to-man blocking. Last yr they used some zone blocking.

This is a good question but to me it is somewhat irrelevant. When you are already 20 yards beyond the line of scrimmage, the blocking scheme from that point on really doesn't matter.

Put differently: CP had several runs last year where he had just one last defender to beat and then CP was takin' it to the house. In these situations it was a one-on-one: could CP make that last guy miss or not? Sadly, the answer again and again was "not," i.e., CP did not make that last man miss. Hence no runs over 40 yards.

My own subjective memory of his first couple of years in Denver was that he did, in fact, make that last man miss. Hence the 40+ yard runs reflected in the numbers posted above.

Gibbs used some zone blocking in his offense, and under Saunders they used even more. I'm not sure the scheme matters as much as the performance. Through the first 8 games or so last year the OL was run blocking really well. Down the stretch things fell apart, I can't count the number of times CP was getting hit in the backfield. Block well and he will run well.

Lots of people like to talk about his "breakaway" ability from his time in Denver. If we measure that by 40+ runs (which is the easiest way since the NFL keeps that stat) those runs have tracked as follows:

2002 - 3
2003 - 6
2004 - 1
2005 - 2
2006 - 0
2007 - 0
2008 - 0

He also averaged 5.5 yds/carry both years in Denver and has never done better than 4.3 in Washington. That probably says more about the talent and system in D.C. than it does about Portis.

His 20+ runs also declined in Washington, though they spiked again last season.

2002 - 11
2003 - 13
2004 - 5
2005 - 6
2006 - 3
2007 - 3
2008 - 13

Maybe the fact that he was able to break the 20 yard runs last year, but not able to turn any of those into 40+ carries does suggest that he is no longer the same back that he was early in his career.

But only 2 players had more carries of 20 or more yards last year; and only 5, I think, had more carries of 10 or more yards. Plus, in my opinion, there isn't a better blocking back in the league.

My top five would be:

Adrian Peterson
Steven Jackson
Clinton Portis
Brian Westbrook
Marcus Mason

But only 2 players had more carries of 20 or more yards last year; and only 5, I think, had more carries of 10 or more yards. Plus, in my opinion, there isn't a better blocking back in the league.

My top five would be:

Adrian Peterson
Steven Jackson
Clinton Portis
Brian Westbrook
Marcus Mason

What, no Nemo?

But only 2 players had more carries of 20 or more yards last year; and only 5, I think, had more carries of 10 or more yards. Plus, in my opinion, there isn't a better blocking back in the league.

My top five would be:

Adrian Peterson
Steven Jackson
Clinton Portis
Brian Westbrook
Marcus Mason

How can you put AP and Jackson above Mason? Get real dude!

Gibbs used some zone blocking in his offense, and under Saunders they used even more. I'm not sure the scheme matters as much as the performance. Through the first 8 games or so last year the OL was run blocking really well. Down the stretch things fell apart, I can't count the number of times CP was getting hit in the backfield. Block well and he will run well.

People forget that in Denver, CP benefited from one of the dirtiest o lines in the league. Alex Gibbs always coaches his guys to cut block and it's pretty hard to stop the run when you're watching out for your knees the whole game.