Part: 2 of 15 Eagles Starters vs the NFL Elite

by number5 on Jul 16, 2009 2:30 PM EDT

Today we look at the best Running Backs in the NFL.

In only 8 season he has rushed for over 9,000 yds. He's on this list because until recently has has been healthy. He burned our Eagles in the first game with 145 yards. And he will continue to be a star running back. With an improved (by getting younger) offensive line, he's gonna have a shot at contending for the most yards in 09.

4.LT

He's was the AP before AP. If you needed a yard he got you five. But he as seriously fallen because of toe (I think) injury. He has had over 11,000 yards in 9 seasons. But this is a crucial year for him, showing that San Diego still needs a number 21 behind Jason Rivers.

3. Michael Turner the Burner

The Falcons made one of the best FA pick ups last year. This guy is a beast. He had the second most yards last year (behind AP). But he has to show he's not a one year wonder. This guy will continue to lead the NFC south in rushing and be a critical factor in the Falcons playoff hopes.

2. Brian Westbrook

Our guy is easily number 2. In 08' he got almost 1,000 yards in only 14 games. His career yards are over 5,000 and has played a full season, which is impressive and bad. But also has over 3,000 yards receiving in that time. For now he is the most important receiver for the Eagles. Although he's number 2, he's actually close second, b/c he's so versatile.

1. Adrian Peterson

Most rushing yards in a game as a rookie. Led the NFL in rushing yards in the second year. He really is "the cashier". The vikings are screwed w/out him

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But this is a crucial year for him, showing that San Diego still needs a number 21 behind Jason Rivers.

Im guessing that you mean Philip Rivers >_<

"I Think I'm Pretty Nasty" - Jason Peters

by eaglesbabyy on Jul 16, 2009 2:58 PM EDT reply actions

i don't know, dude...

i love bwest, but putting him at #2 is kinda pushing it. plus, l.t. is no longer a top 5 back and deangelo williams should have been on this list. if you want my honest opinion…

1. peterson
2. turner
3. williams
4. portis
5. westbrook

by awd777 on Jul 16, 2009 3:31 PM EDT reply actions

LT is not a top five back?

He had his worst season of 1100 yards last season battling injuries. Yes he must be done…

by Team Serbia on Jul 16, 2009 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions

i didn't stutter...

let’s face it. he’s not the player he once was. he’s 30, his numbers dropped (injuries or not), and i guess he took a pay cut for kicks. you’re telling me you’d rather have l.t. over turner, peterson, or williams. please. is still he still a good back? sure. is he going to give you 1800 rushing yards or 28 tds again? i wouldn’t count on it.

by awd777 on Jul 16, 2009 3:43 PM EDT up reply actions

If it injuries, he may still belong. If it’s age and decline then no.

He’s not going to put up those vintage LT numbers, but neither is anyone else on the list.

by FredEx on Jul 16, 2009 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions

not even ap?

by awd777 on Jul 16, 2009 4:59 PM EDT up reply actions

He has the best shot.

Instead of admitting I may have overstated my case, I’ll say no, he’ll fall 40 yards short again.

by FredEx on Jul 16, 2009 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions

hahahhaha

get the fuck out of here! steven jackson! maybe frank gore! brandon jacobs! by far and so is LT! come on .. they are all better than westbrook .. turner is not top 5 .. look at his games .. he trashes weak Ds like detroit and NO .. and then does nothing against the baltimore and pitts .. so im not impressed .. portis is better by far .. so is AP .. b west is not even top 7 .. what a joke .. over rating eagles fan .. he can not run between the tackles!!! he is only a weapon because of his pass catchin ability .. this post is a joke

by jack is better than asante on Jul 16, 2009 4:01 PM EDT reply actions

Overrating Eagle fans?

Coming from a guy saying a nobody is better than one of the best corners in the league.

by Igglesfan13 on Jul 16, 2009 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions

This is about the best RBs, not the best pure runners. I think pass catching and blocking are factored in the equation to see if you are top RB or not. I

I agree Westbrook is not an elite option if you take out his pass catching, but pass catching is part of a RB’s skill set, so it matters.

I have similar thoughts on Turner. He did a majority of his damage against weak teams. He has to prove himself this season if he’s to be considered a top 5 back.

Steven Jackson got hosed. He belongs. I don’t think Gore or Jacobs do. I’d take off Turner for Jackson.

by FredEx on Jul 16, 2009 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Also

LT did most of his “damage” on weaker teams as well. His only 100+ rushing yard games were against the Raiders and Saints. And at least Turner beat bad teams, LT had some of his season lows against…..the Chiefs, Broncos and his season low against the Falcons. Not exactly top 5 rushing defenses…

by Igglesfan13 on Jul 16, 2009 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions

why.. do you always.. put two dots.. after every statement.. that you make..

http://www.libertyballers.com/

by Remis on Jul 16, 2009 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions

http://www.libertyballers.com/

by Remis on Jul 16, 2009 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions

the return

of JIBTA

R.I.P, Air McNair

by number5 on Jul 16, 2009 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions

ummmmmmmmm.......

1. Peterson
Because its AP

2. DeAngelo Williams
Its his third year and he has gained over 1500 yds and 15 tds and under 300 attempts.

3. Clinton Portis
Seriously risking burnout but he has all the intangibles of a great back.

4. Michael Turner
He is LT’s protege and he has learned well, has power and breakaway speed. He even shined filling in for LT.

5. LT/ B. West
I gotta make this one a tie bc both of these guys have something to prove this year. Both are multi-purpose weapons that could easily move into the one and two spots at any point in the season at the same time LT looks to suffering from burnout and B. West jus needs to prove toughness.

Young guys like steve slaton and chris johnson will soon take over these spots but I’m basing these purely off last years performance of these players.

by birdsflyinhigh2590 on Jul 16, 2009 4:21 PM EDT reply actions

yes

chris johnson and matt forte .. both better than westbrook .. westbrook is top 10 .. not top 5 .. hes good at catchin the ball .. is he a threat ? yes .. would i take 6 or 7 guys over him .. yes .. plus he always gets hurt .. that has to lower his value .. would u rather have a guy like portis who is not injury prone .. or westbrook? not even close

by jack is better than asante on Jul 16, 2009 7:21 PM EDT reply actions

Wait, wait...

Seriously? Two sophomore running backs…better than one of the most versatile running backs in history? Let’s not underrate Westbrook either. Having the most yards from the scrimmage line out of every running back in the NFL for consecutive years, Philadelphia’s main receiving target, and a few pro bowl selections (as a third round pick, let’s not forget the value)… and two rookie outings are going to beat that? How can you compare that? It’s impossible. Start comparing them after five or six years in the NFL for these two. However, making arguments for Turner and LT to be higher are valid.

He’s been injured for the majority of the years he’s been tops in stats too. The injury argument is starting to get old.

Portis? Is the whole “Ow, mommy, my knee hurts and has been hurting my whole career” thing just blanked out of your mind or something? People are skeptical of Portis because of how fragile he is.

"Each guy in here has to look in the mirror and ask themselves: " - Brian Dawkins

by TheRealMcCoy on Jul 16, 2009 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

o bs

shut the hell up dude .. portis is not fragile .. he is durable .. he never misses games .. he got hurt one season .. westbrook is hurt every year .. so you are getting a guy for 12-14 games max .. so yea hes not that great .. he lost that cincy game by himself because he couldnt run over a bad D .. if we had a great back .. ala AP .. he runs for 150 and two tds .. we win .. AP is not on westys level ..you talk about tiers for rbs .. well AP LT (who i hate) jackson and portis are on their on tier .. jacobs is right there too .. williams was considered a bust until this year and thats why they drafted stewart .. competition made him realize that he better perform or lose his job .. now i like williams and liked him in college .. but he is not top 5 .. and i talk a lot about westy .. but hes better than williams .. and hes still top 10 .. so im not knocking him .. but if you can have westy or jackson or portis .. its not even a decesion .. its like mcnabb vs manning .. manning easy .. doesnt mean mcnabbs not good .. so westy is ranked from 7-10 .. some where in there .. thats where he belongs

by jack is better than asante on Jul 16, 2009 8:30 PM EDT up reply actions

r u really

a Eagles fan? I think your “pulling my leg” :)

R.I.P, Air McNair

by number5 on Jul 16, 2009 8:45 PM EDT up reply actions

you talk about tiers for rbs .. well AP LT (who i hate) jackson and portis are on their on tier .. jacobs is right there too

Jacobs is not right there.

by FredEx on Jul 16, 2009 8:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

Jacobs is lucky to be in the top 15. No where even close to top tier.

On a side note, I always feel that when elite RBs are mentioned, Frank Gore always seems to be left of everyones list. Gore has had no support but has still somehow managed to rush for more than 1,000 yards in the 3 of his 4 years as a pro (rookie year being the only exception).

by Iggles Fan 4 Life on Jul 16, 2009 10:33 PM EDT up reply actions

gore

i said gore too .. westy is good .. but hes over rated by eagles fans

by jack is better than asante on Jul 17, 2009 1:50 AM EDT up reply actions

wow

williams was considered a bust until this year and thats why they drafted stewart"

Stewart wasn’t drafted because of that, he was drafted because that’s John Fox’s gameplan. He keeps two starter caliber backs on the team. Look at the running backs in his tenure: Stephen Davis/Deshaun Foster, Deshaun Foster/DeAngelo Williams, DeAngelo Williams/Jon Stewart. That is his game everytime he is left with one starter caliber player he drafts another one early. All of these players where 1st or early 2nd round picks while Davis wasn’t drafted by the Panthers but was an already proven back. The only back that looks to be a bust is Deshaun Foster and he was the only second rounder out of himself, Williams and Stewart.

Also like I told the Giant fans yes Jacobs is a monster but he is a one trick pony. He also has injury issues because of his running style because he takes as much punishment as he dishes out. Yes Westbrook is injury prone but even with his 12-14 games he is still a league leader and a feared weapon of our offense. Portis does have injuries but none are as severe as Westbrook’s, and Westbrook sometimes cannot help that he is hurt. Gore is good too but damn he only has one full 16 game season and is also abit injury prone and has never had a year with more than 10 TOTAL tds. He also has a small case of fumblitis and is not yet in the upper tier of the other backs. I will admit his stats would be ALOT better if he were with a better team but so would alotta players.

by birdsflyinhigh2590 on Jul 18, 2009 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions

how does this fuckin blockquote work?

by birdsflyinhigh2590 on Jul 18, 2009 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions

I’ve said this before, to most people being a RB encompasses all the skills. This was not stated as being the best pure runner. Pass catching still matters.

Additionally, Jacobs always get hurt and you think he’s top 2.

by FredEx on Jul 16, 2009 7:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Blocking skills

Westy is also one of the best pass blocking RBs in the game.

by Igglesfan13 on Jul 17, 2009 3:19 AM EDT up reply actions

I don't know that LT is #4

Id put Portis ahead of him, simply because Portis is not showing signs of breaking down while LT is.

I can’t believe you wouldn’t put Stephen Jackson in the top 5, and Michael Turner, a guy who’s only been a starter for one season, as the #3 overall. Id actually Stephen Jackson is the #2 overall RB. Its arguable, but the guy is just the total package.

Id go

AP
Stephen Jackson
Portis
Westbrook
#5)???

is tough, cuz while my heart might even say Jacobs as a pure runner, but guys like Deangelo Williams and Turner were more productive overall.

There’s just no clear cut 5th best RB in the game, but Its between Turner and Williams.

by FreeBradshaw on Jul 18, 2009 2:19 PM EDT reply actions

And Tomlinson

is behind Turner and Williams, but ahead of Jacobs.

….

1) AP
2)Jackson
3) Portis
4)Westbrook
5, 5a) Turner/Williams
7 LT
8 Jacobs
9 Forte

Jacobs is that high regardless of his pass catching ability simply because with the rock he’s as good a weapon as any on this list. Not necessarily take it to the house weapon, but just wear the defense out (and thus, wear himself out…) type of weapon.
He’s one of the best goal line backs too, so that counts for something.

by FreeBradshaw on Jul 18, 2009 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Jackson is good

But like Gore he only has one full season under his belt while he is an all around threat he wasnt as productive as the backs listed above. He has a goldmine of talent but his team kinda holds him back. But with the two new Jasons on the team he is gonna be a guy to lookout for.

by birdsflyinhigh2590 on Jul 18, 2009 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions

hahah

jackson is on par with ap .. hes the only one whos close .. portis is third .. followed by LT and Jacobs .. williams is not going to have a goos season . and was a BUST until this year .. they were worried about him ever becoming a starter ..thats why they spent a first on stewart .. ask any carolina fan .. williams will have a let down year .. and gore is better than westy as well .. westy is too small .. cant run between the tackles .. he is only a great reciever .. and good with screens and such .. as a rb hes not near top 10 .. but his pass catching pushes him to about 7 or 8 best rb

by jack is better than asante on Jul 18, 2009 10:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Okay

Did they think Stephen Davis was a bust wen they drafted Deshaun Foster early? That next year Davis and Foster both went down and Nick Goings ended up having a okay year so they released an aging Davis in favor of a Foster/Goings attack. Obviously that didnt work but in Foster’s first full season as a starter he still picked up 879 yds and showed flashes of being a good starter. But they do not run with just one back so they drafted DeAngelo and he didnt look great his first year but he still put up 501 yds on 121 attempts. The next year Deshaun put up another medicore season while DeAngelo nearly matched Foster’s yardage with about 100 less attempts and Williams was still top ten in ypa last year. While i will admit he didnt look a complete stud his first two years but how many players do? I put money on it wen DeAngelo is gone if Fox is still the coach they will again aquire another starter caliber running back. That is his game and the only reason he may not be as productive is bc Stewart will be healthy and get more carries. I see both of them topping 1000 yds barring injuries.

Gore is nowhere near the scoring production numbers of Westbrook. He fumbles to often and is ineffective around the goalline. He is a good back but i cannot say he is great until works out a few kinks. He does have the talent maybe its the team. Jackson on par with AP? AP’s rushing total is about a couple hundred more then Jackson’s yards from scrimmage and his rushing tds are more the Jacksons total tds. Jackson is almost great but like gore i think his team holds him back. Definately top ten not top five. Oh yea I see B. West on alotta the most underrated list and its because of ppl like you.

by birdsflyinhigh2590 on Jul 19, 2009 7:16 PM EDT up reply actions