SpartanIX

This morning on cnnsi.com Duane Cross ranked the best running backs in the league. Deuce came in at number 6 behind LaDainian Tomlinson, Priest Holmes, Ahman Green, Shaun Alexander, and Jamal Lewis. Now as a Saints fan I am a little pissed about this order but as an all around football fan I think my list can be unbiased. I think LT is deserving of the number one spot and Priest at number two. However, Deuce should be at number three ahead of Ahman "fumbles" Green, Shaun "a four year old can knock me down" Alexander, and Jamal "my quarterback and receivers suck so I have to carry the ball 700 times" Lewis. Deuce has the size, speed, hands, and blocking abilities that overall outweigh the competition. Oh yeah for anyone that says the Saints made a mistake by sending Ricky to Miami, his rank is number 9.

St.Shrume

I agree with you. Deuce is an awesome all around back. I agree 3rd best is about right. I don\'t think that\'s Saint\'s bias. I can see how people may want to put Jamal Lewis in fromt of him due to his season last year, but Sh. Alexander and Ahman Green.....I just don\'t see it. I even think I\'d take Fred Taylor over Ahman Green in Fantasy League.

But do not get pissed, my man, if the Deuce gets loose this year (if he stays healthy) then email Duane Cross this article he wrote, at the end of the season, and remind him about it.

PHARMDHU

Don\'t worrry. At the end of the season when Deuce holds up the SuperBowl MVP trophy, will anyone care what some writer ranked him.

WhoDat

It all depends on how you look at it.

If it\'s potential for the future, give me:
LaDainian
Deuce
Clinton Portis
Jamal Lewis


If it\'s right now today, then that list isn\'t so far off. It\'s off, but it\'s hard to argue.

If it\'s over the last couple of seasons...
Well then where is Stephen Davis on that list? Hell Travis Henry is deserving depending on the time frame.

Finally, if it is career stats then where the hell is Faulk?

That\'s a fun exercise though, since it\'s off-season. Let\'s do this:

Rank your top ten RBs of the future.

1. LaDainian Tomlinson
2. Deuce McAllister
3. Clinton Portis
4. Jamal Lewis
5. Priest Holmes (as long as he can hang around)
6. Ahman Green
7. Ricky Williams
8. Stephen Davis
---- Now for the shockers ----
9. Rudi Johnson
10. Moe Williams

\"Excuses, excuses, excuses. That’s all anyone ever makes for the New Orleans Saints’ organization.\" - Eric Narcisse


\"Being a Saints fan is almost like being addicted to crack,\" he said.[i]\"You know you should stop, but you just can\'t.\"

Danno

If its just for the 1st 12 games of the season Deuce is top 2 or 3.
If you count all 16 games I\'d have to put him about 6th or 7th.

WhoDat

What are you talking about? He was 4th in the league in yards last season, and as we all know from the Brooks debate - yards is one of the only two stats that matters. Hehehe.

WhoDat

You know Danno, I just checked on a few things, and your \"Deuce fades down the stretch theory\" seems like a load of \"ish\" to me.

Consider.

2002 - the TEAM tanked and Deuce was injured (high ankle sprain). Now, if you want to talk about Deuce over that stretch let\'s not forget that we were one dimentional b/c Brooks has successive games with a QB rating under 30 and our defense was about as bad as it gets.


2003 - OK, no tank job and no injury. His production WAS down over the last 4 games. Why is that? Danno says it\'s b/c he doesn\'t work out in the off-season and fades.

Sure. Maybe it was b/c in the last four games of last season we faced three of the best defenses in the NFL. Dallas (1st), Jacksonville (6th), and Tampa (5th) are solid on defense and against the run - Dallas was 2nd in the league and Jacksonville was 3rd in the league against the run.

Further, Deuces carries dropped. The guy averaged under 20 carries a game over the last quarter of the season - you think he did that by choice? Might it have something to do with playcalling? Further, in the one game that wasn\'t against an elite defense (the Giants), Deuce carried on 15 times for 80 yards - an average of 5.3 yards per carry. If you call 5.3 yards per carry fading give me a fade job every game!

I think your logic is off Danno - what say you?

\"Excuses, excuses, excuses. That’s all anyone ever makes for the New Orleans Saints’ organization.\" - Eric Narcisse


\"Being a Saints fan is almost like being addicted to crack,\" he said.[i]\"You know you should stop, but you just can\'t.\"

Danno

I see you took the bait.

Injuries are no excuse. Was it perhaps just bad luck?

Look at our win-loss dude! Its a team game and we (he) faded.
The proof is in our record. 8-8 sucks, and always will suck.
Until he shows me something in December, he\'s just a good back.

Every team is good. Should we just count his games against only weak defenses when evaluating his greatness?

A true leader would have demanded the ball.

His numbers against the Giants were good only because they were concentrating on stopping the pass. If they concentrated on deuce it may have been a different story.



Man, this is easy!

WhoDat

Joke all you want my friend - you\'ve been saying this for a while now Deuce Hater!!!

Hey here\'s an idea - Top 5 Results, Not Top 5 Money. As compared to the opposite.

There\'s nothing Deuce can do when the linemen don\'t block. Obviously that\'s what happen. His linemen didn\'t block for them. I mean, it could never be Deuce\'s fault. He\'s perfect.

It\'s not Deuce\'s fault Carney can\'t make an extra point, but you Deuce Haters want to blame EVERYTHING on him. The Saints wouldn\'t have won a single game in the last two years if it weren\'t for Deuce!

Say what you will Danno, but you\'ve had a grudge against Deuce ever since he got here. You simply don\'t like the guy personally and nothing he does will ever be good enough for you!

LMAO.

\"Excuses, excuses, excuses. That’s all anyone ever makes for the New Orleans Saints’ organization.\" - Eric Narcisse


\"Being a Saints fan is almost like being addicted to crack,\" he said.[i]\"You know you should stop, but you just can\'t.\"

WhoDat

Dang it! I forgot to put in anything about \"the WHOLE picture\".

Nuff said.