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

RayClay · Jun 25, 2012

Joker said:
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.

Nance was a first round pick?????

Joker · Jun 25, 2012

RayClay said:
Nance was a first round pick?????

yeah, that's a misprint...Nance was a 19th round pick of the Pats in '65...quite a difference ,eh Ray? The Bears also drafted him in the 4th round of the NFLdraft

RayClay · Jun 26, 2012

Joker said:
yeah, that's a misprint...Nance was a 19th round pick of the Past in '65...quite a difference ,eh Ray? The Bears also drafted him in the 4th round of the NFLdraft

Somebody did a wacky WIKI. It's too late now too, that error has been reprinted at a ton of information sites, so Big Jim will now be a first and second round choice in perpetuity.

crew1954 · Jun 26, 2012

If Faulk is included because he did so many things, what about this guy:

Mack Herron.

Interesting paragraph in his Wiki writeup:

"Herron, now 62, is a devout Muslim who does not drink or smoke, but has been arrested some 20 times and served jail time, mainly on drug convictions, according to Chicago Police."

Would anyone be called a devout Christian with 20+ arrests? He doesn't drink or smoke, just shoots heroin?

crew1954 · Jun 26, 2012

In the article Tanier is afraid to put someone's name on the internet.

It appears he is referring to a Patriot, if so who would that be?

Edit: Maybe Carl Garrett? Has to be the only reason he isn't getting any love here.

Steve102 · Jun 26, 2012

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

IMO, the rings argument is a great tie breaker, especially when comparing all-time great QB's. To use it when comparing a relatively thin field of championship feature backs doesn't make sense to me. Your statement is accurate, based on this logic. Smith, JR Redmond, Pass, and Centers, just because of rings? Nope.

IMO, you could make an argument for either Nance or Cunningham at #1. Nance had very comparable #'s, in less games. Tony Collins should be on the list. Martin is arguably the best back to ever where the Patriot colors, but his defection to NY certainly clouds his placement on a list. Faulk belongs on the list, as does Dillon.

PatsBoy12 · Jul 1, 2012

No Dillon?

Miktik · Jul 2, 2012

Where's Steve Grogan?-2176 yards (4.9 per carry) and 35 touchdowns.

RoughingthePasser · Jul 2, 2012

Mack Herron said:
Tony Collins should be on that list.

Tony Collins was the shiznit!

brdmaverick · Jul 2, 2012

A list like this becomes difficult because one must try to weight the difference between longevity and productivity. When a player has both it's a slam dunk, but most often you have one or the other.

Should Kevin Faulk really be listed as a better Pat's running back than Corey Dillon (or Curtis Martin)?

Should Troy Brown really be listed as a better Pat's wide receiver or Randy Moss?

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

RayClay

Hall of Fame Poster

Joker

PatsFans.com Supporter

RayClay

Hall of Fame Poster

crew1954

Third String But Playing on Special Teams

crew1954

Third String But Playing on Special Teams

Steve102

Any Man Who Must Say I Am The King Is No True King

PatsBoy12

Pro Bowl Player

Miktik

Rookie

RoughingthePasser

Rotational Player and Threatening Starter's Job

brdmaverick

PatsFans.com Supporter

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