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Time to Go

Sometimes NFL players just don’t know when to call it quits. If only they’d think to ask me.

So here’s a list of a few formerly elite RBs in need of a trip to the glue factory, and a couple more I think will be in a similar position within the next three years. Jerome Bettis

Bettis just doesn’t have the legs to be a starting back anymore, and isn’t even much of a “change of pace” guy.  He’ll never see 1,000 yds again and his yards per carry has suffered a massive decline over the past 3 seasons – down to a pathetic 3.3 yds in `03.

He’s missed his opportunity to “leave a year too early, rather than a year too late”. It’s already a couple years too late.

Sorry, Bus, but it’s time to hang up your cleats.

Marshall Faulk:

He was never an especially good RB. Not a single time in his entire career has he reached even 1,400 yds. His rushing production the past couple years has barely been worthy of a backup.  He hasn’t played a full season in four years and can’t stay healthy for more than a few weeks at a time. This isn’t the kind of problem that’ll just clear up at this point in his career (and life).

This used to be covered over and overlooked because of his soft hands.  But his per catch average in `03 was the worst of his career and his receiving numbers have been in steady decline for five years.

It’s time to either cut his pay drastically and use him situationally, or give him the boot. He’s not only seen the end of his best years, but likely of his good years.

Corey Dillon

Dillon was never more than sporadically great. He’s never reached the 1,500 yd mark rushing. He’s always fumbled too much. The beating he’s taken playing behind the Bungles’ O line has cut short his productive years.

By Patriots standards he may still have enough left in him to be part of a starting tandem. But all that only means that he no longer has what it takes to be a feature back.

This is Corey’s prime time to get out. This season will be his “year too long”.

Emmitt Smith:

Last year Emmit’s per carry average was a monster 2.8 yds.  He was an embarrassment to himself, his team and the league.

He should have been forced out of football in 2001. He would have at least been able to pretend he’d left while he still had something to offer. He only held on so he could year by year slither closer to Payton’s Rushing record and Jerry Jones is a classless wanker who so coveted that record for his Cowpatties that he didn’t have the guts or integrity to cut Emmitt loose.

Emmitt spent the `02 season crying that he was “a diamond among garbage”. Turns out `03 proved that it was him stinking up the joint. It’s too late for him to go gracefully or with any degree of class, but he can still haul his smelly butt to the trash heap and stop pretending that he has anything worthwhile left in him.

Eddie George:

Hasn’t been worth a spoonful of poop for the past few years, but keeps hoping against hope that his massive slide in production is a fluke, or the result of things he can’t control (like Fisher’s refusal to sign a FB of ANY quality to help out with the blocking). Unfortunately this isn’t the case. George is hardworking and likable, but he needs to see that it’s time to step aside.

If he leaves before the `04 season, he can still leave with a shred of dignity. He might still make a good change of pace RB, he still does a nice job as a safety valve in the passing game. But he does not belong in any team’s starting line up.

Coming up on their “year too soon”

Edgerrin James

He’s NOT the same excellent all around back he was before the knee injury. He’s still good, but he’ll never be great. His production will continue to decline over the next few seasons. Will he know when to say good bye?

Priest Holmes

His yardage has never put him on the elite level. His soft hands and goal line toughness did that for him. Last year he out Faulked Marshall Faulk

But he’s hit the 30 yr old marker and even if he was younger, to expect a repeat of his `03 TD performance would be a mistake. He’s got this year and maybe next, then he needs to think about saying good bye.

Clinton Portis

Portis is a great all around back and young. He’s got physical ability that is unmatched except by Tomlinson.

But he’s not very durable and Joe Gibbs refuses to use a FB to help out with the blocking. Clinton’s body will begin telling him to get screwed after carrying the full load for the `Skins for a few seasons.

13 replies on “Time to Go”

Agree and disagree Good job extending the article. However i have to blatantly disagree with you on a few backs. Portis is a young, stromg, explosive back that will continue to run fot 10 more years. He has enough durability to withstand blows form defenses, he reminds me of Ricky Williams. Amother back i disagree with is Preist Holmes. Though he may not be that young anymore he still has st least 5 good years in him. He is extremely durable, as he has proved with all his TD’s. he will continue to put up stellar numbers for years to come. Corey Dillion may not be as explosive and quick as he used to be but he can stil contribute. His best years may be behind him but he is still consistent enought to rely on. Overall a job well done, even if i tend to disagree with your choices.

Portis, Holmes and Dillon Thanks, A.

While Portis may well have more than three years in the league – in fact he probably does  – , I doubt he’ll have more than three or perhaps 4 that can be considered above average. He couldn’t even stay healthy in Denver, playing behind an excellent O line AND a FB. Gibbs system is going to pound him like he’s never been pounded before. He will not hold up. He may have six years left in the league, but he’ll be in decline for at least three of those. If he stays beyond that he’ll be a wasted roster spot on whatever team keeps him.

Clinton could have been the next 2000 yd back if he’d stayed in Denver. With the `Skins, he’ll be lucky to top 1600.

Five years for Holmes at a high level? That’s just crazy talk. His TDs don’t prove he’s durable, they only prove that he was effective at the goal line. I like Holmes. I’m not trying to bad mouth him. I just don’t see him being productive as a starter for more than two to three years.

Dillon may have something to contribute, but not as a feature back. If NE remains with a two back system then Dillon may be a worthwhile pickup. If they try using him as a feature back, they made a big mistake.

Holmes an elite back Clinton Portis will definitley have more than 3 good years left in him. Gibbs wont just pound away at him and let him suffer, he’ll make adjustments. Portis will be one of the elites in a few years, too much talent to not be great. Holmes may not put up the TD’s he previously did but he will come close. ANd yes, durability can be shown at the goal line. A lot of grinding and pushing is done down in the trenches and only the strong and durable survive. Quickness can only go so far. You need to be physically fit and durable to score TD’s from the RB. Dillion has some consisitent years left in him. No longer an elite back but one that can still contribute and help a team for at least 5 years. All three of these RB’s have a good future in this league, none need to worry for a while.

RBs Did you watch John Riggins’ Career? Gibbs pounded that man into the ground. What has changed that will save Portis from the same fate? Or what adjustments will Gibbs make that will extend Portis career? What will make Portis less injury prone in a system that gives him less protection?

As for Holmes, even if he “only” put up 15 TDs this year, he’d still have to be considered a success. But his durability is already failing, regardless of what toughness he showed at the goal line last year. Despite playing 8 games against teams with defenses ranked 23rd or worse, despite playing in two games more than he played in the `02 season, he still ran for 200 fewer yds in `03 and .8 yds from his per carry average. His yds per catch has also dropped for three years straight.

As for Dillon, what do you consider consistent? Two to three years producing in the 600 – 800 yd range? He might have that left in him. But if that’s what you’re thinking, we already agree on what point he’s at in his career, we’re only disagreeing on where that places him among other active backs. If you think he has more than that in him, please, show me what’s leading you to that conclusion.

Portis is no John Riggins!!! Gibbs will not let the superior talent and potential of a superstar that could help hist team slip away because his system doesn’t “fit” with Portis. Gibbs is smarter than to push portis too hard and not give him the needed protection. Maybe i am too young to remember but last time i checked John Riggins was no Clinton Portis. i guess we will see, if portis is truley an elite back in this league he will be able to overcome this and perform at a high level.

Your thrtwoing all these stats at me that i dont care about. Every running back deals with 8 teams with bad defenses so that makes no difference. The pure fact is that if Holmes is committed and he gives his all, he has enough skill to contibue to be an elite back in this league.

The level of consistency that we can expect from dillian has dropped but is still up there. dillian still has the skills to be a 1200-1300 yd back if protected properly. Not explosive or dominant but still a good back.

I hate all the stats, anyone can have a turn around year, stats are worthless. All of these backs have the proper skill, workmanship, and dedication to succeed in their own respects in the NFL.

RBs You haven’t told me what it is that will change to keep Portis healthy and extend his career. Your belief is in intangibles.

True, Portis is more gifted than Riggins, but that only says that Portis should do better than Riggins 1200 – 1300 yds in his good years. It doesn’t say anything about whether Gibbs will change his system to keep Portis upright.

Dillon was only producing 1200 – 1300 yds per season in his prime. What indicates that he will return to those numbers?

Stats are far from worthless. They can effectively be used to both compare and to pick up patterns. In this case they show an overall pattern of decline.

Yeah, lots of teams faced a handful or more of poor defenses. It’s like saying that Eddie George is declining because teams stack the box against him. And they don’t against Portis or Tomlinson? Holmes could not take advantage of weakness when it was in front of him. He failed to break 100 yds almost every time he faced one of those bottom feeding defenses.

Stats are not the end all, but they do aid in the making of educated guesses (which is all any of us are really doing). But if you take them away, all you’re left with is “gut feelings”. Alone, they aren’t nearly enough and they certainly are not the “end all”, either.

Stats Statistics also allow you to show at least some of WHY you believe something to be so. Otherwise you have nothing but an unsupported opinion.

I don’t have a problem with you or anyone thinking I’m wrong. But you need to show me WHY I’m wrong. If I don’t see what you back up your opinion with, I can’t take it seriously — just as I would not expect you to take my opinion seriously without my first showing  you how I came to hold it. Since this IS sports, you may not take me seriously anyway. You may think my reasoning is flawed or even stupid. But you at least have the opportunity to make an informed judgement about what I’m saying.

stats continued the pure fact is that all of thses RB’s have put up astounding numbetrs in their careers were not talking about dropouts. Its the potential to perform and how they have perviously perfomed in the past that is the basis behind my argument. Not a trend of numbers suggesting their downfall

perspectives we both have two completley different outlooks on sports. You look at the mre physical evidence while i look at the intangibles and what could become. I respect your opinion i had a good time debating this subject

Don’t agree with all but….. I just can’t agree with the Faulk and George comments but good points and good story none the less.

Faulke and George are done Why do you think faulk and George still have life left? They are both aging and have lost an incredibe amount of quickness and dominance. Both are no longer good backs in this league and should retire.

RBs Mike, thank you.

Alex, you’re starting to sound like me. Better be careful.

Genius Well, if you mean im sounding like a genius thats because i am one, you im not so sure about!
            (jk lol)

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