FO's Tanier on Pats all-time top five RBs

[PatsWickedPissah]

Nance is my #1. Never forgave Sam for deliberately stepping out of bounds to avoid contact in that execrable Oakland Raiders roughing the passer travesty. Cost us the AFC Championship and likely our 1st SB.

 

[Ring 6]

Nance is my #1. Never forgave Sam for deliberately stepping out of bounds to avoid contact in that execrable Oakland Raiders roughing the passer travesty. Cost us the AFC Championship and likely our 1st SB.

And we would have won that SB, because Pitt played the AFCC without Harris and Bleier and Minnesota couldn't stop the run to save their lives, and we had the best running game in the NFL.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I must say I am personally offended that I have not yet been named.
Tatupu? Calhoun? What about me?

You are better than Mosi, Don and Me.

You are not better than....

Sam
Nance
Curtis
Dillon
5a Faulk
5b Collins

 

[Why?PJ]

Sorry, but Antoine Smith would be my #1, Dillon 2, and then the rest. Rings are what matter, and we wouldn't have won any without those two. And for most of his career everyone that loved the Pats squinted in horror when Faulk was given the ball.

 

[Deus Irae]

Sorry, but Antoine Smith would be my #1, Dillon 2, and then the rest. Rings are what matter, and we wouldn't have won any without those two. And for most of his career everyone that loved the Pats squinted in horror when Faulk was given the ball.

Using that level of "logic", Cedric Cobbs was a better Patriots running back than Curtis Martin or Sam Cunningham.

 

[livinginthe past]

Sorry, but Antoine Smith would be my #1, Dillon 2, and then the rest. Rings are what matter, and we wouldn't have won any without those two. And for most of his career everyone that loved the Pats squinted in horror when Faulk was given the ball.

Certainly a simplistic approach to the matter.

 

[BlueThunder]

Read the thread title and said to self..Who the heck is this Pats RB named Tanier? Been following the team since 62 and never saw him carry the rock once !!

 

[primetime]

He doesn't even have his simple facts right. He says Sam Cunningham is Randall's uncle when in reality he is his older brother.

 

[LuthierJr]

Heavy Bias to follow since Mosi is/was my uncle (RIP)

He was the guy you root for. As a pure running back.. no way is he top 5. Special teams? Easily. Problem there is no position for special teams. You still get listed as another position.

So if you want to ignore special teams no way does Mosi make it. If you factor that in then he does. It's all perception and value placed on ST's.

Mosi's Mooses!!

 

[Ring 6]

You are better than Mosi, Don and Me.

You are not better than....

Sam
Nance
Curtis
Dillon
5a Faulk
5b Collins

You had all the tools, and should have been a stud. Always meant to ask you WTF?

 

[Ring 6]

Using that level of "logic", Cedric Cobbs was a better Patriots running back than Curtis Martin or Sam Cunningham.

If you extend the logic to the role they played in winning the SB that narrows it down to those 2, and makes the argument interesting. Not one I agree with, but interesting nonetheless.

 

[Deus Irae]

If you extend the logic to the role they played in winning the SB that narrows it down to those 2, and makes the argument interesting. Not one I agree with, but interesting nonetheless.

Using the "Rings are what matter" argument, you get 3rd and 4th string scrub backs rated above guys like Martin and Cunningham. Even if you extend it to a role they played in the Super Bowl, you still end up with Russell and Smith above those two.

I don't find that interesting, at all. I find that to be a fatal flaw in such a 'logic' argument. Different strokes, I guess. If I'm misunderstanding your angle because I'm still reading it through the "rings are what matter" looking glass, my apologies.

 

[Ring 6]

Using the "Rings are what matter" argument, you get 3rd and 4th string scrub backs rated above guys like Martin and Cunningham. Even if you extend it to a role they played in the Super Bowl, you still end up with Russell and Smith above those two.

I don't find that interesting, at all. I find that to be a fatal flaw in such a 'logic' argument. Different strokes, I guess. If I'm misunderstanding your angle because I'm still reading it through the "rings are what matter" looking glass, my apologies.

EDIT: RE: The Russell (I assume you meant Dillon?) and Smith comment. I don't mean the SB is a finite line drawn, but part of the consideration.

Yeah, I think you are misunderstanding.

I disagree with the poster that whoever has the rings is the best.

I'm saying rather than having a ring, if the criteria includes being responsible for the ring to a large degree, then it makes it interesting.
A player who had a somewhat lesser career but was a key contributor to a Championship makes an interesting comparison to a player who was not a Championship contributor.
For example, Corey Dillon in 2004 was instrumental in the team winning the SB. That makes it the best year by a Patriot RB ever, even if another RB put up better numbers while not winning. (I recognize Dillon's season was probably the best even without the title, but hopefully that clarifies my point).

 

[Deus Irae]

EDIT: RE: The Russell (I assume you meant Dillon?) and Smith comment. I don't mean the SB is a finite line drawn, but part of the consideration.

I actually meant Redmond. I don't know how the heck I flipped him and Russell.

Yeah, I think you are misunderstanding.

I disagree with the poster that whoever has the rings is the best.

I'm saying rather than having a ring, if the criteria includes being responsible for the ring to a large degree, then it makes it interesting.
A player who had a somewhat lesser career but was a key contributor to a Championship makes an interesting comparison to a player who was not a Championship contributor.
For example, Corey Dillon in 2004 was instrumental in the team winning the SB. That makes it the best year by a Patriot RB ever, even if another RB put up better numbers while not winning. (I recognize Dillon's season was probably the best even without the title, but hopefully that clarifies my point).

Got it. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[spacecrime]

Sorry, but Antoine Smith would be my #1, Dillon 2, and then the rest. Rings are what matter

By that logic Earthwind Moreland and Hank Poteat were better CBs for the Patriots than Mike Haynes and Ray Clayborn, since we got rings with the former and not the latter.

 

[Why?PJ]

By that logic Earthwind Moreland and Hank Poteat were better CBs for the Patriots than Mike Haynes and Ray Clayborn, since we got rings with the former and not the latter.

I disagree. It isn't just about having a ring, it is about how much the player contributed to it. As was stated above, both Smith and Dillon anchored the Pats so Brady could do what he does with the d having to respect the run. Unlike the Pats of the past few years.

Now maybe if I was 20 years older and I lived through those decades watching the Pats I might think differently. But frankly none of the Pats rb's ever impressed me. I mean look at the yardage totals, never very much. Rather pathetic.

I don't even know who those two players are or when they played. I grew up in the Attleboro area and actually came into very quite close contact with a bunch of Patriots players at that time, which was in the early 80's. But really before then I don't know many names at all. And honestly, it isn't like the Pats have year after year of NFL great players,.

 

[Ron Sellers]

I disagree. It isn't just about having a ring, it is about how much the player contributed to it. As was stated above, both Smith and Dillon anchored the Pats so Brady could do what he does with the d having to respect the run. Unlike the Pats of the past few years.

Now maybe if I was 20 years older and I lived through those decades watching the Pats I might think differently. But frankly none of the Pats rb's ever impressed me. I mean look at the yardage totals, never very much. Rather pathetic.

I don't even know who those two players are or when they played. I grew up in the Attleboro area and actually came into very quite close contact with a bunch of Patriots players at that time, which was in the early 80's. But really before then I don't know many names at all. And honestly, it isn't like the Pats have year after year of NFL great players,.

If you do not know (or care to find out) about guys who played before you became a fan then how do you form an opinion on them and reach the conclusion that they were not very good?

 

[Joker]

uh...er...these type of nonny nu nu "top five all time!!!!" exercises in mental masturbation are the staple of off season dog days...I like every RB listed ...for their contribution to the team and for their stellar performance...but..c'mon...anybody who writes a fluff piece like this and DOESN'T start off with Jim Nance is either 17 years old and an NFL football moron...there really is no question where you should start off a list like this...

Nance was a First-round draft choice of the Buffalo Bills in the 1965 AFL Draft, as well as a Second-round choice of the Chicago Bears in the 1965 NFL Draft. Nance signed with the Patriots. Though his rookie season was unimpressive, he led the AFL in rushing the next two seasons. He went on to become the only AFL player ever to rush for more than 1,400 yards in a season. At 6-1 and 260 pounds, Nance was a classic fullback who carried 299 times in 1966, for 17 touchdowns and 1,458 yards. That season, he rushed for 208 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders.

Nance was an American Football League All-Star in 1966, when he also received the league’s Most Valuable Player award, and an All-Star again in 1967 when he became the only AFL player to have consecutive seasons with over 1,000 yards, this time 1,216. He retired as the Patriots’ all-time leading rusher with 60 career touchdowns, a record he still holds.

299 carries in a season...that is NOT a misprint...in a 14 game season...He caught 133 passes for 870 yards and one touchdown as a Patriot also. "Bo" Nance...more than any other player, the reason why I am a Patriots fan today.

 

[Pape]

Nance has to be number 1. Hands down. Its 2-5 thats the problem. Cunningham was good, but he put the ball on the turf soooo many times Im not sure I can rank hi 2 overall.

For me the list would be

1. Jim Nance - Yards, TD's, Longevity
2. Corey Dillon - a 1600 yard season, 4.2 ypc average w/NE, 3 impactful years
3. Sam Cunningham - Longevity, Yards, TD's but a lot of fumbles
4. Tony Collins - Coulda been the best, but his demons ran away with him
5. Kevin Faulk - Years of coming thru in the tough spot puts him 5 on my list


also considered:
Curtis Martin - one of the best runners the Pats ever drafted, but due to his however many years on the Jets, I cannot put him on the list

Antowain Smith - Journeyman rb makes good. In 2001 Smith epitomized the Patriots. He was a no-name player basically, gave the Pats a 1000 yard season. He ground out the yards needed to keep defenses honest and was a big cog in getting the Pats their first ever title.

Craig James - what coulda been <sigh>

 

[RobertWeathers]

You had all the tools, and should have been a stud. Always meant to ask you WTF?

I thought after the '83 season I was going to be the RB but I got hurt a few more times and that was it. Just couldn't stay healthy.....