Unit Analysis: Running Backs

[Redskins8588]

July b15 issue of Sporting News...

NFC:
Falcons - A
Seahawks - A-

Cowboys - Julius Jones showed star potential last season. Anthony Thomas is a quality backup. Grade - B+

Lions - B+
Packers - B+
Saints - B+

Giants - Tiki Barber keeps getting better with age, but the backup situation is muddled. Grade - B+

Panthers - B
Bears - B
Vikings - B

Eagles - The three-headed attack is back, with playmaker Brian Westbrook as the headliner. Grade - B

Rams - B
Buccaneers - B

Redskins - Clinton Portis can be a big play threat. Ladell Betts is a solid backup. Grade - B

49ers - C
Cardinals - C-


AFC:
Ravens - A
Colts - A
Chiefs - A
Chargers - A
Patriots - A-
Jets - A-
Bills - B+
Broncos - B+
Bengals - B
Dolphins - B
Raiders - B
Steelers - B
Texans - B-
Jaguars - B-
Titans - B-
Browns - C+

[Redskins8588]

My problem with this analysis is how do we get ranked a B when we have 2 good RB's and Dallas gets a B+ with a 2nd year RB that missed half of last season, also how do the Giants get a B+ when the analysis even says that there backup situation is "muddled" the Giants do not have a good back up, yet they are ranked a B+....

[JWsleep]

Nonesense.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Redskins8588

My problem with this analysis is how do we get ranked a B when we have 2 good RB's and Dallas gets a B+ with a 2nd year RB that missed half of last season, also how do the Giants get a B+ when the analysis even says that there backup situation is "muddled" the Giants do not have a good back up, yet they are ranked a B+....

I had the same thoughts. If they were basing it on last season the lack of TD's maybe the reason for a B-.This year will be a diffrent story.

[PSUskinsfan11]

We should at least have a B+. Portis is a top 5 RB, Betts could start for some teams, and the young guys ,White and Broughton (esp. Broughton), are going to be great short yardage backs with hands.

[jacobyfan]

No one is going to give us credit for jack until we start putting up points and winning games. Just the way it is.

[FRPLG]

I am not going to argue with the grades. All I will say though is that the criteria for the grades seems to change from team to team. It seems they came up with a grade and then figured out how to justify it. Basically that is the silliest thing I have seen in SN.
Someone explain how a team with a RB who "showed star potential"(Jones) and a "quality backup"(Thomas) gets a B+ and a team with a star RB(Portis) and a potential quality backup(Betts) gets a B. Not arguing that both grades are wrong but at least one is. 2+1=3 just like 1+2=3. Dumb idiots at SN...

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

I am not going to argue with the grades. All I will say though is that the criteria for the grades seems to change from team to team. It seems they came up with a grade and then figured out how to justify it. Basically that is the silliest thing I have seen in SN.
Someone explain how a team with a RB who "showed star potential"(Jones) and a "quality backup"(Thomas) gets a B+ and a team with a star RB(Portis) and a potential quality backup(Betts) gets a B. Not arguing that both grades are wrong but at least one is. 2+1=3 just like 1+2=3. Dumb idiots at SN...

No, with political correctness 2+1=2 as long as you tried to answer it.LOL

[BigSKINBauer]

forget it the season is coming and none of this will change our team, we know how we are and that is all we should care about. The media likes to pick on us, it is ok we will prove them wrong next year. Means nothing, the thing that makes me mad is that alot of the media agrees that we have now a solid line. And everyone knows CP is a good RB top 5 but didn't thrive due to our short passing game. This is a judge of the RB alone and in that sense we are a Definate A.
Julius jones rushed 2.3 yards per carry against us by the way

[Redskins_P]

Originally Posted by jacobyfan

No one is going to give us credit for jack until we start putting up points and winning games. Just the way it is.

Exactly.

[BrudLee]

Originally Posted by Redskins8588

July b15 issue of Sporting News...

NFC:
Falcons - A
Seahawks - A-

Cowboys - Julius Jones showed star potential last season. Anthony Thomas is a quality backup. Grade - B+

Lions - B+
Packers - B+
Saints - B+

Giants - Tiki Barber keeps getting better with age, but the backup situation is muddled. Grade - B+

Panthers - B
Bears - B
Vikings - B

Eagles - The three-headed attack is back, with playmaker Brian Westbrook as the headliner. Grade - B

Rams - B
Buccaneers - B

Redskins - Clinton Portis can be a big play threat. Ladell Betts is a solid backup. Grade - B

49ers - C
Cardinals - C-

The Falcons have a great running attack - take Mike Vick's 900+ yards away and their RB's are pedestrian. "A" is a little overreaching.

The Seahawks have Shawn Alexander... who has vowed to holdout the season without signing his tender offer. Maybe "A-" is a little premature.

The Cowboys have a very good combination of RB's, but as has been previously stated, the starter has 7 starts and less than 200 carries under his belt. The overall grade seems right, but I'd be careful preordering Jones's Canton bust.

The Lions have another possible star in Kevin Jones, especially considering the trio of wideouts will keep defenses fron focusing on him. As with the Cowboys, I'm wary of grading solely on potential - and with only 14 career starts, that's what Jones has in abundance.

The Packers have a great 1-2 punch, but to say Ahman Green had an off-year last year would be understating things (720 fewer yards and 8 fewer TD's than in 2003). Presuming Najeh "Didn't I take a $#!+ in my girlfriend's closet?" Davenport is the backup, I'd take their 1-2 over any of the previous teams, however.

The Saints have Deuce McAllister, who is coming off of a mediocre year (1074 yards), and Antowain Smith, who has a career average of 3.8 yards a carry. They also have Jim Haslett coaching their team, which all but guarantees they'll be throwing late.

The Giants have Tiki Barber, who saved my fantasy team in the sixth round last year, so I'll be nice. Like a fine wine, he does get better with age. Also like a fine wine, he will eventually turn to vinegar and ruin everything he touches (There. I said it.). The backups currently listed on NFL.com have a grand total of 21 carries. No way they get ranked as high as a B.

Rating the Panthers RB combo could take some time, as injuries tend to make their 1-2 run about 6 deep. Stephen Davis will likely never carry the ball 150 times a season again. DeShaun Foster, in his three year career, has 172 carries. Nick Goings (a converted FB) was the closest thing to a workhorse in Carolina last year, and he had a 3.8 YPC for 821 yards. They get an incomplete, based on medical reasons.

The Bears get a B? When the starting RB hasn't had his first training camp, that's a sign the team has questions at the position. I think Thomas Jones is a great backup, but a rookie is a rookie, so don't evaluate the platoon based on how much Benson whooped up on A&M.

The Vikings had a great three headed attack, but since one of the heads is suspended for the season (not including the fake plastic head his frozen urine came out of), perhaps the other backs should be taken at their own value. and not as part of the whole. Bennett is brilliantly fast, and historically fragile. Williams is durable, but advancing in age (Happy Birthday, Mo! You'll be 30 in two weeks!). He's also never started more than 7 games in a season, so pray that Michael (Mr. Glass) Bennett can keep himself together.

The Eagles have scatback Brian Westbrook on the roster, who does his best work with about 10 carries a game. Buckhalter should return for some meaningful between-the-tackles runs, but he has missed 2 of his four seasons with suspensions or injuries, so perhaps we should put him on the roster in pencil. As for the third head of the "three-headed attack", it is expected he'll retire this year, as he's older than me.

The Rams have a young playmaker in Stephen Jackson, and a proven veteran backup in future HOF'er Marshall Faulk. Probably the best overall combo in the NFC.

The Buccaneers have the same problem as Chicago, only worse. They are starting a rookie (who split carries in college!), and backing him up with a guy who has never run for more than 1000 yards - and beat up his girlfriend, to boot. Remember when Jon Gruden was a genius? Me neither.

Here's my big problem with the Redskins assessment: Did Portis look bad last year? I would characterize him as having an off year, but it was like a Shaquille O'Neal off year - bad for him, but most guys in the league would kill for it. Here's the list of guys in the NFC who ran for more yards: Shawn Alexander and Tiki Barber. That means he outperformed a dozen other guys with meaningful carries, and he did it in fifteen games (fourteen if you count the game against Pittsburgh where he had 6 rushes). Given his talent, I could back him up and the team should get a "B". Betts, by the way, is measurably better than me.

The Cardinals and the 49ers are the only teams I'd definitely agree with - but you should be able to look at a turd and know that it stinks.

[manicd]

The Eagles have scatback Brian Westbrook on the roster, who does his best work with about 10 carries a game. Buckhalter should return for some meaningful between-the-tackles runs, but he has missed 2 of his four seasons with suspensions or injuries, so perhaps we should put him on the roster in pencil. As for the third head of the "three-headed attack", it is expected he'll retire this year, as he's older than me.


Who is this third back that is old and ready to retire?

[BrudLee]

Originally Posted by manicd

The Eagles have scatback Brian Westbrook on the roster, who does his best work with about 10 carries a game. Buckhalter should return for some meaningful between-the-tackles runs, but he has missed 2 of his four seasons with suspensions or injuries, so perhaps we should put him on the roster in pencil. As for the third head of the "three-headed attack", it is expected he'll retire this year, as he's older than me.


Who is this third back that is old and ready to retire?

Dorsey Levens. He was 35 in May, and though that is hardly old, in Running Back years, it's ancient.

[Monk-Fan]

How in the hell do Da Bears and Lions get graded with a B? That is saying that Portis is no better than the Bears rookie running back that has not even carried the ball in the NFL

[PSUskinsfan11]

Originally Posted by BrudLee

The Falcons have a great running attack
The Cardinals and the 49ers are the only teams I'd definitely agree with - but you should be able to look at a turd and know that it stinks.

I could see J.J. Arrington making a case for rookie of the year, he is very underated and Kevan Barlow is a good back he just needs some kind of passing game to open things up.