Best Running Back in the AFCE?

[nyjunc]

I see no reason why Brown won't be right up there with Larry Johnson, Stephen Jackson, Shaun Alexander, and LT.

The guy has NEVER been a feature back and now you are saying he can be as good as LT, Alexander and others? Come on. Let the guy prove he can even hold up for an entire season before stepping up to be compared w/ those great backs.

Two season's ago, LJ was a part time player and a change of pace back. But when he was on the field he produced. He showed enough starting two seasons ago that you could see the type of back he was. His lack of playing time was due to how great Holmes was, not because LJ was not talented. It is the same situation with Brown. Having a second great RB on the team does not make Brown a worse player.

Priest holmes was a top back in the league, Ricky was a top back for ONE year and that was 3 years prior to the '05 season and he was coming off a year off. The situations were similar but different. Ricky does not compare to priest and b/c LJ was good as a part time back and Ronnie was doesn't mean Ronnie will be as good as LJ. I guess tatum Bell will be a top back? I guess you thought Blair Thomas was going to be great after his rookie year?

In this case especially it's hard to rpedict since Ronnie was never even a feature back in College. He has ability but alot more goes into it than just ability.

By the way Lamont Jordan as a Jet from '01-'04 averaged 4.9 YPC as Curtis' backup then in his 1st full year as a feature back averaged 3.8 YPC last year.

A little math for you..... 3.9 is closer to 3.5 than it is to 4.4.

3.9 is close to 4.0 which is where YPC becomes good, 3.9 is almost 4.0 whereas 3.5 is not close and once again Willis did it as a FEATURE back not as a part time player.

Two seasons ago, we could have had this same debate comparing LJ and McGahee. Your argument would have been that McGahee was better simply because he had more carries.

A year ago I would have said McGahee b/c he was coming off a big '04 and LJ was yet to start. I would have said(like I am saying now) that LJ COULD be better but he hasn't proven it YET. I am not saying Willis will be better but until Ronnie proves it I have to go w/ Willis.

 

[FinfanInBuffalo]

A year ago I would have said McGahee b/c he was coming off a big '04 and LJ was yet to start. I would have said(like I am saying now) that LJ COULD be better but he hasn't proven it YET. I am not saying Willis will be better but until Ronnie proves it I have to go w/ Willis.

and you would have been WRONG. Just like now....

 

[nyjunc]

and you would have been WRONG. Just like now....

At the time I would have been right, anyone who would have taken LJ over McGahee a year ago at thia time was just clueless. Mcgahee was coming off a breakout year and LJ was not even starting. If priest doesn't get hurt LJ is still just a backup.

 

[FinfanInBuffalo]

At the time I would have been right, anyone who would have taken LJ over McGahee a year ago at thia time was just clueless. Mcgahee was coming off a breakout year and LJ was not even starting. If priest doesn't get hurt LJ is still just a backup.

Maybe the issue is that you and I are treating the question differently. I am not saying that Brown has accomplished more than McGahee so far in their careers. I am saying (IMO) that Brown is the more talented RB.

LJ did not become more talented last season, he merely got the opportunity to show it. If LJ is more talented than McGahee right now, he was also more talented than McGahee in 2004.

 

[nyjunc]

Maybe the issue is that you and I are treating the question differently. I am not saying that Brown has accomplished more than McGahee so far in their careers. I am saying (IMO) that Brown is the more talented RB.

LJ did not become more talented last season, he merely got the opportunity to show it. If LJ is more talented than McGahee right now, he was also more talented than McGahee in 2004.

I think the original question was who is the best RB in the AFC East? not who is the most talented. I'm not sure Ronnie is more talented than Willis but that's not a knock on Ronnie. I think both backs are immensely talented and I wouldn't mind either one. I don't think it will be a suprise if either one turns out to be the best in the div this year. I wish we didn't have to face them, where's JJ Johnson when you need him?:D

 

[FinfanInBuffalo]

I think the original question was who is the best RB in the AFC East? not who is the most talented. I'm not sure Ronnie is more talented than Willis but that's not a knock on Ronnie. I think both backs are immensely talented and I wouldn't mind either one. I don't think it will be a suprise if either one turns out to be the best in the div this year. I wish we didn't have to face them, where's JJ Johnson when you need him?:D

I know the original question, we were just interpreting it differently. There is no measure for determining the "best" RB. How one ranks players at a position is purely subjective. Then the rankings themselves are often subjective. Finally, it is impossible to separate the perfomance of a player from his surrounding cast.

You are not ranking based solely accomplishments either, otherwise you'd have to rank them: Martin, Dillon, McGahee, Brown.

 

[nyjunc]

I know the original question, we were just interpreting it differently. There is no measure for determining the "best" RB. How one ranks players at a position is purely subjective. Then the rankings themselves are often subjective. Finally, it is impossible to separate the perfomance of a player from his surrounding cast.

You are not ranking based solely accomplishments either, otherwise you'd have to rank them: Martin, Dillon, McGahee, Brown.

I take out Curtis and Dillon b/c of age/injuries but I wouldn't be shocked if one or both had a 1,200 yd season. I don't expect it but I wouldn't be shocked.

 

[gobuffalo2007]

I think Willis....sure I am bias and all, but you will all soon see how terrible Mularkey is....right now he is saying he wants a "smashmouth" football team but it will be nothing like it....Somehow Mularkey will find a way to screw your offense. Look for handoffs on 3rd down and pass plays all the other times....oh and if you guys start losing he will call out Ronnie and say it is his fault.

 

[DolfanGermany]

Brown's gonna rack up solid numbers and he's gonna be the best RB in the AFCE. PERIOD!

 

[STANK-STASH]

Ronnie Brown hands down.

 

[baalworship]

The only reason why this is even a debate is the fact that our offensive line was TERRIBLE last year. McGahee was getting hit in the backfield on almost every carry. If he gets even average blocking he dominates. Sometimes you have to actually watch the games.

 

[FinfanInBuffalo]

The only reason why this is even a debate is the fact that our offensive line was TERRIBLE last year. McGahee was getting hit in the backfield on almost every carry. If he gets even average blocking he dominates. Sometimes you have to actually watch the games.

Which would explain why his own coaches were criticizing his play and many Bills fans were disappointed in him.

The Bills line was not as bad at run blocking as they were in pass blocking. McGahee was tentative and played without any explosion last season. Lets not forget that even in his "great" season he average only 4 ypc.

 

[Colorado Dolfan]

The only reason why this is even a debate is the fact that our offensive line was TERRIBLE last year. McGahee was getting hit in the backfield on almost every carry. If he gets even average blocking he dominates. Sometimes you have to actually watch the games.

In 2004 with arguably the worst OL in the league, Sammy Morris racked up 4.0 yards per carry.

I'm not trying to say Morris is anywhere on par with McGahee, but come on! If Morris can get a 4.0 average, why couldn't McGahee?:confused:

 

[baalworship]

In 2004 with arguably the worst OL in the league, Sammy Morris racked up 4.0 yards per carry.

I'm not trying to say Morris is anywhere on par with McGahee, but come on! If Morris can get a 4.0 average, why couldn't McGahee?:confused:

As I said, sometimes you just have to watch the games. Thank god that the games are starting again so we can actually talk about football games rather than trading flawed stats.

 

[FinfanInBuffalo]

As I said, sometimes you just have to watch the games. Thank god that the games are starting again so we can actually talk about football games rather than trading flawed stats.

Well, I live in the Buffalo area and get to watch the games. What I saw is a back that had no explosiveness and was tentative. That is not a good combination. My observations are backed up by the numbers (3.8 YPC, longest run of the year was 27 yards), and comments by his own coach during the season.

Head coach Mike Mularkey went out of his way to criticize RB Willis McGahee for the way he danced around and was tentative at the line of scrimmage on several carries in a Week Two loss to Tampa Bay.