Top 10 NFL RB Situations

TallySaint · 07-12-2006, 09:27 AM

Vic Carucci's Tuesday Huddle

Vic Carucci
National Editor, NFL.com

(July 11, 2006) -- In searching for the team with the best running back situation in the NFL, one might choose to look no further than the Seattle Seahawks.

Not a bad choice.

Shaun Alexander pretty much carried the Seahawks to Super Bowl XL. Along the way, he won the league's rushing title and had an NFL-record 28 touchdowns.

The operative word here, though, is "situation." That expands the scope of the discussion beyond the featured running back to include contributions of reserves and the offensive line, and whether the coach is genuinely committed to moving the ball on the ground.

This is how I would rank the top 10 teams with the best running back situations in the league:

1. Kansas City: New coach Herman Edwards is going to bring a more power-oriented approach to the Chiefs offense, and that means Larry Johnson will have every opportunity to win the rushing title. Priest Holmes would be an impressive backup, provided his body allows him to play another season. If Holmes should retire, Dee Brown is a solid No. 2 who won't see much of the football.

2. Carolina: A healthy DeShaun Foster is a top-flight starter. If he can't give the Panthers a full season, first-round draft pick DeAngelo Williams figures to fill in nicely for short or even long stretches, or take the starting job himself. The Panthers are fully committed to pounding the ball to help ensure optimum performance from their dominant defense and to help set up big pass plays to Steve Smith.

3. Seattle: Alexander should have another excellent season, although running behind an offensive line that lost the best guard in the game (Steve Hutchinson), he probably won't be quite as dominant as he was in 2005.

4. Tampa Bay: With added strength and knowledge, Cadillac Williams should be an even more explosive force this season. Michael Pittman is an effective playmaker running and catching the ball, but he likely will see only spot duty given the Bucs' tendency to allow Williams to carry the bulk of their offense on his shoulders.

5. San Diego: LaDainian Tomlinson remains one of the foremost double threats in the league. He is lobbying for a larger role in the Chargers' passing game than he had last season. San Diego's coaches would figure to oblige, especially because it can only help build confidence in new starter Philip Rivers.

6. New York Giants: Tiki Barber gets better with age, and Tom Coughlin will continue to use a run-first approach to complement his defense and ease the pressure on Eli Manning. Keep an eye on backup Derrick Ward, who has shown that he could make an impact if given the chance.

7. Arizona: Edgerrin James is an extraordinary talent, but it remains to be seen whether the Cardinals' offensive line can develop the same tremendous synchronization and chemistry that the Colts' line had with him in running stretch plays to perfection.

8. Atlanta: I know this seems a little low for the No. 1 rushing team in the NFL the last couple years, but so much of the Falcons' production on the ground depends on the scrambling of Michael Vick. That said, Warrick Dunn and T.J. Duckett make for as solid a combination as any in the league.

9. Miami: Ronnie Brown has the perfect blend of power and speed, and Ricky Williams' suspension means that he will carry a greater share of the load. Brown should be up to the challenge, although the Dolphins are still looking to fortify their depth at the position.

10. St. Louis: New coach Scott Linehan is replacing Mike Martz's bombs-away offense with a run-oriented philosophy that will take full advantage of the size, speed and power of Steven Jackson. Marshall Faulk is likely to retire because of a persistent knee problem, so Jackson won't be sharing the ball too much.

Best of the rest: Washington, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Denver, Cincinnati, New Orleans.

www.nfl.com

mjf150 · 07-12-2006, 09:40 AM

It's great to be mentioned, except when the other 3 teams in your division rank ahead of you, two of which are in the top 4.

FrenzyFan · 07-12-2006, 01:47 PM

I'm not sure if N.O. is among the top ten, and I won't be until I see how Deuce has recovered. However, with Deuce, and/or Karney and/or Bush in the backfield, and with Bennett backing them up - it would seem to me that we have star-level performers with quality backups.

That being the case, how does St. Louis make the top 10 and not us?

DJLengai · 07-12-2006, 02:39 PM

Vic is contradicting himself. He said he's evaluating RB situations, not RB's like Alexander who has no real solid people behind him, and then he ranks them higher than us. The Saints have Deuce, Bennett, and Bush which is an excellent RB situation to have.

KC: Has one RB and one who may not play yet is ranked #1 as a RB situation

Seattle: #3 with one back? How does that situation fare better than ours if Alexander and Deuce got hurt? We'd still have 2 big time backs and they's be SOL.

TB: #4 with Pittman? Pittman is about as good as Stecker. Saints have a better situation than them too.

SD: #5 with one running back???????

AZ: #7 with one solid, but aging back?????

Miami: #9 "Ronnie Brown has the perfect blend of power and speed, and Ricky Williams' suspension means that he will carry a greater share of the load. Brown should be up to the challenge, although the Dolphins are still looking to fortify their depth at the position." That is another one back team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SL: #10 "Steven Jackson. Marshall Faulk is likely to retire because of a persistent knee problem, so Jackson won't be sharing the ball too much." Yet another one back team!!!!!!!

How in the heck did we wind up as the LAST honorable mention behind Washington and the others. Man, we get no respect.

If he had stuck to who has the best back his list would make at least a little sense, but this list is RETARTED. We are the number 1 RB "situation" with 3 1st round solid backs that have different styles. Vic is a dufous.

Iron-Head · 07-12-2006, 02:50 PM

I'll bet any money that this time next year the saints will be top 5 on that list. plus, not that i'm a broncos fan but denver is pretty much in the top 5 in rushing every yeat and they got no love? This guy's whole article is suspect

papz · 07-12-2006, 02:58 PM

DJ...

Alexander has a solid backup in Morris would could start for a lot of teams in this league.

Pittman is better than Stecker.

Some of the other teams you've mentioned I can see you're point... but since you're factoring age, you've got to factor in Deuce's injury problems and the fact Bush is a rookie. Deuce hasn't really contributed that much at all over the past couple of seasons.

TallySaint · 07-12-2006, 02:59 PM

Vic is contradicting himself. He said he's evaluating RB situations, not RB's like Alexander who has no real solid people behind him, and then he ranks them higher than us.

The operative word here, though, is "situation." That expands the scope of the discussion beyond the featured running back to include contributions of reserves and the offensive line, and whether the coach is genuinely committed to moving the ball on the ground.

DJLengai · 07-12-2006, 06:16 PM

Alexander has a solid backup in Morris would could start for a lot of teams in this league

I hear ya, but 3 backs are still better than 2 so we should still be ahead of Seattle. Plus, Vic states in the article that losing Hutchinson is going to hurt.

Pittman and Stecker...you say tomato I say tomatoe...neither one is a good starter.

The operative word here, though, is "situation." That expands the scope of the discussion beyond the featured running back to include contributions of reserves and the offensive line, and whether the coach is genuinely committed to moving the ball on the ground

Our O-Line is a concern in pass protection. They are capable of run blocking. Especially since we have Campbell at TE to help out the strong side.

And, several of these teams use the RB as a receiver like Tomlinson and Brown. How Ronnie Brown gets rated by himself over our backfield is redicerous. I know we will have a more pass oriented team this year, but we will still be running the ball a lot, especially if we have the lead late in the game.

I know Deuce won't be 100%. I'm sure there are a lot of teams that would salivate over having our backfield. Denny Green would drop Edge like a stolen tv if he could land our backfield.

jrmllb · 07-12-2006, 06:54 PM

The article is crap...I think he was mailing that one in

BoudinSandwich · 07-12-2006, 07:59 PM

Granted, it's his opinion, I don't agree with it.

07-12-2006, 09:27 AM	#1
TallySaint 1000 Posts + Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Tallahassee Posts: 1,367	Top 10 NFL RB Situations Vic Carucci's Tuesday Huddle Vic Carucci National Editor, NFL.com (July 11, 2006) -- In searching for the team with the best running back situation in the NFL, one might choose to look no further than the Seattle Seahawks. Not a bad choice. Shaun Alexander pretty much carried the Seahawks to Super Bowl XL. Along the way, he won the league's rushing title and had an NFL-record 28 touchdowns. The operative word here, though, is "situation." That expands the scope of the discussion beyond the featured running back to include contributions of reserves and the offensive line, and whether the coach is genuinely committed to moving the ball on the ground. This is how I would rank the top 10 teams with the best running back situations in the league: 1. Kansas City: New coach Herman Edwards is going to bring a more power-oriented approach to the Chiefs offense, and that means Larry Johnson will have every opportunity to win the rushing title. Priest Holmes would be an impressive backup, provided his body allows him to play another season. If Holmes should retire, Dee Brown is a solid No. 2 who won't see much of the football. 2. Carolina: A healthy DeShaun Foster is a top-flight starter. If he can't give the Panthers a full season, first-round draft pick DeAngelo Williams figures to fill in nicely for short or even long stretches, or take the starting job himself. The Panthers are fully committed to pounding the ball to help ensure optimum performance from their dominant defense and to help set up big pass plays to Steve Smith. 3. Seattle: Alexander should have another excellent season, although running behind an offensive line that lost the best guard in the game (Steve Hutchinson), he probably won't be quite as dominant as he was in 2005. 4. Tampa Bay: With added strength and knowledge, Cadillac Williams should be an even more explosive force this season. Michael Pittman is an effective playmaker running and catching the ball, but he likely will see only spot duty given the Bucs' tendency to allow Williams to carry the bulk of their offense on his shoulders. 5. San Diego: LaDainian Tomlinson remains one of the foremost double threats in the league. He is lobbying for a larger role in the Chargers' passing game than he had last season. San Diego's coaches would figure to oblige, especially because it can only help build confidence in new starter Philip Rivers. 6. New York Giants: Tiki Barber gets better with age, and Tom Coughlin will continue to use a run-first approach to complement his defense and ease the pressure on Eli Manning. Keep an eye on backup Derrick Ward, who has shown that he could make an impact if given the chance. 7. Arizona: Edgerrin James is an extraordinary talent, but it remains to be seen whether the Cardinals' offensive line can develop the same tremendous synchronization and chemistry that the Colts' line had with him in running stretch plays to perfection. 8. Atlanta: I know this seems a little low for the No. 1 rushing team in the NFL the last couple years, but so much of the Falcons' production on the ground depends on the scrambling of Michael Vick. That said, Warrick Dunn and T.J. Duckett make for as solid a combination as any in the league. 9. Miami: Ronnie Brown has the perfect blend of power and speed, and Ricky Williams' suspension means that he will carry a greater share of the load. Brown should be up to the challenge, although the Dolphins are still looking to fortify their depth at the position. 10. St. Louis: New coach Scott Linehan is replacing Mike Martz's bombs-away offense with a run-oriented philosophy that will take full advantage of the size, speed and power of Steven Jackson. Marshall Faulk is likely to retire because of a persistent knee problem, so Jackson won't be sharing the ball too much. Best of the rest: Washington, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Denver, Cincinnati, New Orleans. www.nfl.com
	My Guardian Angel wears a hard hat.

07-12-2006, 09:40 AM	#2
mjf150 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 752	RE: Top 10 NFL RB Situations It's great to be mentioned, except when the other 3 teams in your division rank ahead of you, two of which are in the top 4.
mjf150 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 752

07-12-2006, 06:16 PM	#8
DJLengai 100th Post Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 168	Alexander has a solid backup in Morris would could start for a lot of teams in this league I hear ya, but 3 backs are still better than 2 so we should still be ahead of Seattle. Plus, Vic states in the article that losing Hutchinson is going to hurt. Pittman and Stecker...you say tomato I say tomatoe...neither one is a good starter. The operative word here, though, is "situation." That expands the scope of the discussion beyond the featured running back to include contributions of reserves and the offensive line, and whether the coach is genuinely committed to moving the ball on the ground Our O-Line is a concern in pass protection. They are capable of run blocking. Especially since we have Campbell at TE to help out the strong side. And, several of these teams use the RB as a receiver like Tomlinson and Brown. How Ronnie Brown gets rated by himself over our backfield is redicerous. I know we will have a more pass oriented team this year, but we will still be running the ball a lot, especially if we have the lead late in the game. I know Deuce won't be 100%. I'm sure there are a lot of teams that would salivate over having our backfield. Denny Green would drop Edge like a stolen tv if he could land our backfield.
DJLengai 100th Post Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 168

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07-12-2006, 01:47 PM	#3
FrenzyFan 100th Post Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 406	I'm not sure if N.O. is among the top ten, and I won't be until I see how Deuce has recovered. However, with Deuce, and/or Karney and/or Bush in the backfield, and with Bennett backing them up - it would seem to me that we have star-level performers with quality backups. That being the case, how does St. Louis make the top 10 and not us?
FrenzyFan 100th Post Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 406

07-12-2006, 02:39 PM	#4
DJLengai 100th Post Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 168	Vic is contradicting himself. He said he's evaluating RB situations, not RB's like Alexander who has no real solid people behind him, and then he ranks them higher than us. The Saints have Deuce, Bennett, and Bush which is an excellent RB situation to have. KC: Has one RB and one who may not play yet is ranked #1 as a RB situation Seattle: #3 with one back? How does that situation fare better than ours if Alexander and Deuce got hurt? We'd still have 2 big time backs and they's be SOL. TB: #4 with Pittman? Pittman is about as good as Stecker. Saints have a better situation than them too. SD: #5 with one running back??????? AZ: #7 with one solid, but aging back????? Miami: #9 "Ronnie Brown has the perfect blend of power and speed, and Ricky Williams' suspension means that he will carry a greater share of the load. Brown should be up to the challenge, although the Dolphins are still looking to fortify their depth at the position." That is another one back team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SL: #10 "Steven Jackson. Marshall Faulk is likely to retire because of a persistent knee problem, so Jackson won't be sharing the ball too much." Yet another one back team!!!!!!! How in the heck did we wind up as the LAST honorable mention behind Washington and the others. Man, we get no respect. If he had stuck to who has the best back his list would make at least a little sense, but this list is RETARTED. We are the number 1 RB "situation" with 3 1st round solid backs that have different styles. Vic is a dufous.
DJLengai 100th Post Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 168

07-12-2006, 02:50 PM	#5
Iron-Head Registered Join Date: May 2006 Location: Atlanta Posts: 58	I'll bet any money that this time next year the saints will be top 5 on that list. plus, not that i'm a broncos fan but denver is pretty much in the top 5 in rushing every yeat and they got no love? This guy's whole article is suspect

07-12-2006, 02:58 PM	#6
papz Problem? Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New Orleans Posts: 11,754	DJ... Alexander has a solid backup in Morris would could start for a lot of teams in this league. Pittman is better than Stecker. Some of the other teams you've mentioned I can see you're point... but since you're factoring age, you've got to factor in Deuce's injury problems and the fact Bush is a rookie. Deuce hasn't really contributed that much at all over the past couple of seasons.

07-12-2006, 02:59 PM	#7
TallySaint 1000 Posts + Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Tallahassee Posts: 1,367	Vic is contradicting himself. He said he's evaluating RB situations, not RB's like Alexander who has no real solid people behind him, and then he ranks them higher than us. The operative word here, though, is "situation." That expands the scope of the discussion beyond the featured running back to include contributions of reserves and the offensive line, and whether the coach is genuinely committed to moving the ball on the ground.

07-12-2006, 06:54 PM	#9
jrmllb 500th Post Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Alexandria, Louisiana Posts: 665	The article is crap...I think he was mailing that one in

07-12-2006, 07:59 PM	#10
BoudinSandwich OldiesDJ Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Scott, LA Posts: 951 Blog Entries: 12	Granted, it's his opinion, I don't agree with it.