Joseph Addai is "More Explosive" than Edgerrin James?

[Keegs]

Ok i have read this in many places since the NFL Draft. People (mostly Colts fans) say that Joseph Addai is more explosive than Edgerrin James as a running back. They say that they lost a good back in James but Addai is young and "explosive", more so than James, and will fit the team fine.

Can someone please give me a precise definition of the word "explosive" when applying it to NFL Running Backs??

How is Addai more Explosive than James??



I've been wondering what the hell this means for a long time, any help would be appreciated. My guess is that the word is made up garbage that is thrown around like b.s. when people can't think of anything else to say about a running back.

 

[BelichickFan]

I highly doubt the Colts fans will find anything about Addai to be better than James - other than being younger, I guess. I think they're just saying that to feel better about the loss they've been hit with.

 

[QuiGon]

I've been wondering what the hell this means for a long time, any help would be appreciated. My guess is that the word is made up garbage that is thrown around like b.s. when people can't think of anything else to say about a running back.

It seems to me that "denial" is not just a river in Eqypt. It is something the Colts fans are wallowing chest deep in.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Ok i have read this in many places since the NFL Draft. People (mostly Colts fans) say that Joseph Addai is more explosive than Edgerrin James as a running back. They say that they lost a good back in James but Addai is young and "explosive", more so than James, and will fit the team fine.

Can someone please give me a precise definition of the word "explosive" when applying it to NFL Running Backs??

How is Addai more Explosive than James??



I've been wondering what the hell this means for a long time, any help would be appreciated. My guess is that the word is made up garbage that is thrown around like b.s. when people can't think of anything else to say about a running back.

When I think of explosive running backs, I think of guys who get through the hole immediately, without hesitation, they explode through the hole. Reggie Bush & Laurence Maroney from this draft come to mind, and guys like Tatum Bell and Clinton Portis come to mind from other drafts. Besides exploding through the hole, getting down field fast is another thought that comes to mind for exlosion from a RB. I think James is pretty explosive, haven't seen enough of Addai to say he is explosive also.

 

[QuiGon]

Can someone please give me a precise definition of the word "explosive" when applying it to NFL Running Backs??

Tough to pin down a specific definition to a word that probably means different things to different people. To me, "explosive" means an ability to quickly accelerate from stop, perhaps to "explode" through a hole in the line and be 10 yards into the defensive backfield before anyone can react. A power back like Bettis would not be considered "explosive".

How is Addai more Explosive than James??

I have not seen him run, so I can't answer that.

 

[CrazyDave]

I think it means that he should be kept away from any open flame.

 

[Welker83]

Explosive: Addai
Consistent: Edgerin


It all has to do with what you want with a back... Edge was very consistent. Give him the ball and you'll get 3-5 yards guaranteed, but his longest run of last year was 25.... Now addai with his Sub 40 time has the ability to take it to the house everytime he touches the ball, but if you really need a yard or 2 he really can't be trusted to deliver.


But there is a small counter argument... Last year teams were faced with a question when facing the colts. Do you let Edge or peyton beat you? subsequently most defenses sat in a prevent style defense a majority of the time...now as a prevent you sacrafice the first 3-5 yards so as to not allow any big plays. The problem was however that the tackling was so bad that edgerrin was able to keep beating them short so instead of a quick sprint to 6 it was more of a long march. So most people would assume that edge was a product of a defense keying off on the QB... BUT edges yards after contact is scary so he IS a good back...


Anyways here is the real thing:

Addai is a threat to take it to the house everytime he touches, but he also has an equal chance of doing nothing...

Edge has a great chance of getting 3-5, but a very bad chance of getting 20+.

So who has a better chance? Edge scoring off 6 consequitive good rushes to score, or joseph flip-flopping zero gains and long runs to score..

 

[JoeSixPat]

How is Addai more Explosive than James??

Maybe in the same way Santurdio Holmes is more explosive than Chad Jackson?

 

[BelichickFan]

Maybe by explosive they're thinking of the opposing DL exploding into Peyton's face after Addai misses a block.

 

[CrazyDave]

Maybe in the same way Santurdio Holmes is more explosive than Chad Jackson?

Dude, you're killin me! lmao

 

[letekro]

Ever since his injury Edge has been a very good, powerful, elusive back. One thing he has not been is explosive. He gets most of his yards after contact; he's not the type to break through the line and go for 60 or 70.

Calling Addai "explosive" is putting some spin on the matter for sure, but he probably does have better big play ability.

 

[Pats726]

I agree..Colts fans go down the Nile..to denial..with this one..to think he will automatically replace James is asking a lot..may happen in a few years time, but this year...NOT likely.

 

[Keegs]

thanks i appreciate the answers. Id quote them but there were a few good ones.

I've always thought of Edge as an excellent Running back and wish he was on the pats. I would much rather have him, than and explosive back that has an equal chance of a huge play or nothing. I guess i prefer consistency.
Addai should be compared to nobody right now, except Maroney, Williams, or White, Bush, Drew, etc.

does anyone else feel that Edgerrin James just did not "fit" with the Colts??? It's hard to explain, i'm not sure exactly how to put it into words but i always had the feeling watching their games and his body language that he just does not fit on that team and looks like he belongs somewhere else

 

[drpatriot]

So who has a better chance? Edge scoring off 6 consequitive good rushes to score, or joseph flip-flopping zero gains and long runs to score..

I don't know where people are getting this idea that Joseph Addai is a big play threat. His longest run last year was merely 30 yards. He had a "big play" (15+ yards) in 6 out of 13 games, and had a rushing long of less than 10 yards in 5 games against gems such as North Texas and Appalachian State - not exactly what I call a big-play threat.

In comparison, Edgerrin James had big plays in 9 out of 16 of the games in which he played. He had a rushing long of less than ten yards once in this time span.

Conclusion: Edgerrin James is more explosive than Addai.

In addition, Edgerrin seems to be more consistent. He had a subpar performance (more that one yard below the year's average) 3 times in 16 games. Addai had a subpar performance 5 times in 13 games, showing more variance in his stats and, therefore, less consistency.

Conclusion: Edgerrin James is also more consistent than Addai.

Edge is just better, in both

Other notables about Addai (with comparisons to Maroney, to make us feel better ):
-Addai had a 4.9 YPC average, ranking 96th in the NCAA. (Maroney had a 5.2 and was 67th)
-Addai only had 911 yards rushing, ranking 54th. (Maroney had 1464 and was 6th)
-Addai ranked below 150th with his rushing long of 30 (Maroney ranked 1st with a rushing long of 93)
-When facing the best run defense in college football last year (Ohio St.), Maroney had a 5.1 ypc average. When facing the 5th best run defense in college football last year (Florida), Addai had a 4.9 ypc average.
-While Addai only had 6 games with a rushing long of 15+ yards, Maroney had 9, and no games had a rush long of less than 5 yards (Addai had 3). Maroney also had 5 games where his rushing long was over 30 yards, Addai's season rushing long. Talk about a big play threat!

 

[belichickaholic]

I think a player who is described as explosive is someone who can hit full speed by his second or third step. Kind of like Bobby Orr. If that helps.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Exposive in thsi cosntext is a back who can run fast.

Edge was a "franchise back". he could score anytime, grind the cossistent 4+ yards and get a couple or 4+ when little is there.

Addai has never been considered to be a "franchise back". But he can run fast in a straight line. If he can get into the seconday cleanly, he can take it a long way. Tthe only problem is he hs never demonstrated that ability to get into the secondary cleanly or to run far when he did.

Its the difference between Corey in his prime and Patrick Pass. Pass is probably faster, but you could never build an Offense around his running, but teams do and did around Corey...

 

[Welker83]

Great points...

Addai is called explosive cause of his 40 time... but he is also injury prone....and his lack of big plays in college says that he's "Potentially explosive"

I was wathing tape of him today and kept laughing! He kept trying to run through guys but bounced off into the grass almost every time. He needs to learn that he's a speed back not a power guy before a LB has to teach him the hard way...

 

[spacecrime]

Is it September yet?

I simply cannot wait to see who does well and who doesn't, who are the surprise duds and who are the absolute studs.

How much longer?????????????????

 

[pats1]

Is it September yet?

I simply cannot wait to see who does well and who doesn't, who are the surprise duds and who are the absolute studs.

How much longer?????????????????

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(Well, camp is always a good start.)
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[maverick4]

Based on those college production stats (thanks for pulling them up), I'm going go ahead and call Addai a bust already. He will be a bust because he is nowhere as good as Edge or Maroney, and expectations for him are already so high over there.

Who cares how fast someone's 40 time is? Addai runs fast with no one around him in shorts, and never had a big play past 30 yards. The important stat is how many big runs a RB pulled off DURING GAMES. Jerry Rice ran a 4.60 but he was a complete stud in actual football games.

Vinatieri may set a top 10 all-time points record this year, with the amount of times the Colts drive past the 30 and have to settle for a field goal.