Ghosts of Barry Sanders?

[Easy E]

That kid for Denver sure made me think of Barry... will he run that well against a REAL run defense?

[Aces McGee]

Easy E

I thought the exact same thing watching him last night.

Obviously, it's too early to tell; he'll have to prove himself against a team actually interested in playing defense and he is in a system that seemingly has an assembly line of thousand-plus-yard rushers, but his running style -- his footwork, his elusiveness -- is very similar.

-McGee

[jwvdcw]

[ QUOTE ]
That kid for Denver sure made me think of Barry... will he run that well against a REAL run defense?

[/ QUOTE ]

T Davis
M Anderson
O Gary
C Portis
Q Griffin

Who doesn't look good in that system?

[Aces McGee]

It's not just the yards and TDs man, it's the way he got them.

-McGee

[n1stunnor]

And all the other owners laughed when i took Griffin in the 2nd round of our FFB draft....even if it's just the system.

[J.R.]

Plummer's running ability (ie bootleg play-action runs) forced KC to keep at least one outside to watch Plummer, putting one less guy in a hole to stuff Quentin. Q isn't Barry like though, in that its make your first cut and go for Q as opposed to Barry's dramatic backfield dance/escapes, but this is in large part a function of the superiority of the denver line over most of the lion lines barry ran behind.

However, Q's ability to cutback and chage direction once he is into the secondary is very Barry like, but don't look for Q to do much dancing behind the line. Q does cut it up pretty hard on the big sweeps where the line pulls, where is really barry like in that he kinda sneaks thru all those bodies somehow. Q tore up Indy at the end of last season, and played well in the preseason, so given denver's line and plummer's ability to run, Q should typically be put in the spot of not having to beat multiple defender's and do just fine.

The big question was his top speed, people knew there would be holes but how quickly would he hit them, and more importnatly, did he have break away speed and explosiveness in the secondary like Portis, whose big runs were TDs and not 20-30 yard gains where a saftey made the tackle. I think Q showed people that denver still has big play (to the house) potential in their running game post-portis.

[Easy E]

Are you saying that all of those backs would have been no good on other teams?

I guess Clinton will be one way to test this.

[nolanfan34]

[ QUOTE ]
And all the other owners laughed when i took Griffin in the 2nd round of our FFB draft....even if it's just the system.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm already wishing I had taken him in a couple.

[bugstud]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
And all the other owners laughed when i took Griffin in the 2nd round of our FFB draft....even if it's just the system.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm already wishing I had taken him in a couple.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not that I don't believe in him, I don't believe in him both staying healthy and keeping Tatum Bell off the field.

[jwvdcw]

[ QUOTE ]
It's not just the yards and TDs man, it's the way he got them.

-McGee

[/ QUOTE ]

I understand that. I didn't ask 'Who doesn't put up good numbers in that system?'; I asked, 'Who doesn't LOOK good in that system.'

Every back that is put in that system looks like one of the best RBs in the league.

[jwvdcw]

[ QUOTE ]
Are you saying that all of those backs would have been no good on other teams?

I guess Clinton will be one way to test this.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not necessarily. Perhaps it is that Denver can scout RBs well. Or perhaps its that they coach them to be great backs. Or perhaps it is just the system.

Whatever the case...I'm not going to get too excited over a low round draft pick putting up good numbers in a system that always makes RBs look good against the worst defense in the league.

[Easy E]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Are you saying that all of those backs would have been no good on other teams?

I guess Clinton will be one way to test this.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not necessarily. Perhaps it is that Denver can scout RBs well. Or perhaps its that they coach them to be great backs. Or perhaps it is just the system.

Whatever the case...I'm not going to get too excited over a low round draft pick putting up good numbers in a system that always makes RBs look good against the worst defense in the league.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed.... for now. However, watching this kid run and come to a complete stop on a one-step cut impressed the hell out of me. We'll have to see how he does, but I assume they dumped Portis for a reason (yes, Champ Bailey and crew, but still...)

[Aces McGee]

I know that's what you asked, and it's why I don't think you are getting my point (and Easy E's, for that matter).

Terrell Davis and Portis looked GREAT in that system, and they produced a ton, as well. But they didn't run the way Griffin ran Sunday night. There was something different about him.

-McGee

[Easy E]

If he's still channeling Barry a few weeks from now, then we can all be impressed.