Broncos O-Line + Barry Sanders = 3000 Yards?

[SportinOne]

Barry Sanders (http://www.youtube.com/results?search=barry+sanders&search_type=search_videos)

With our '97 O-line, do you think he could have done it?

[Jason in LA]

No. I think Barry would give Shanny and Turner a huge headache.

People like to look at his highlights and think that he did all that on his own. Like if he had a better O line he would have done a lot better.

Barry did his own thing. He didn't follow his blocks. He'd try to bounce it outside, instead of cutting through the hole for 3-5 yards. He wasn't a patient runner at all.

The only way Barry would have worked with the Broncos is if he changed his running style. If he let the O linemen set up the play. That's what TD did. TD made his blockers look great by letting them do their jobs, then following behind. Barry never did that.

It's BS that Barry had horrible O lines. When Barry has a hole up the middle, but then decides to bounce it outside and then gets stuffed, everybody blames the O line. But if Barry had followed them he would have gotten yards.

Barry had great highlights, but his running style didn't produce nearly as many points as TD's running style, or Emmit Smith's running style.

[BroncoFiend]

Barry Sanders (http://www.youtube.com/results?search=barry+sanders&search_type=search_videos)

With our '97 O-line, do you think he could have done it?

No way, Sanders running style would not be a good fit for our scheme. Remember that Portis ran a similar way and Shanny made him change. Sanders would be great in any system, but he wouldn't have gotten anywhere near 3000. TD was the ideal runner for our system.

[MechanicalBull]

No. Sanders was great and all but people have tough time just getting to 2000.

[SportinOne]

I'll agree that TD was the perfect fit.

My thinking is that if you could get Barry to follow his initial blocks for the first 10 to 15, he could use his juking and spinning for an extra 20 to 30+. That's assuming that Barry would do that, though.

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

No. I think Barry would give Shanny and Turner a huge headache.

People like to look at his highlights and think that he did all that on his own. Like if he had a better O line he would have done a lot better.

Barry did his own thing. He didn't follow his blocks. He'd try to bounce it outside, instead of cutting through the hole for 3-5 yards. He wasn't a patient runner at all.

The only way Barry would have worked with the Broncos is if he changed his running style. If he let the O linemen set up the play. That's what TD did. TD made his blockers look great by letting them do their jobs, then following behind. Barry never did that.

It's BS that Barry had horrible O lines. When Barry has a hole up the middle, but then decides to bounce it outside and then gets stuffed, everybody blames the O line. But if Barry had followed them he would have gotten yards.

Barry had great highlights, but his running style didn't produce nearly as many points as TD's running style, or Emmit Smith's running style.

Good post Jason. You hit the nail on the head. Great player, but wouldn't use the Bronco blocking scheme to his advantage. He actually might have had fewer yards in Denver than Detroit.

[Garcia Bronco]

I think he would have been the smae...maybe better...but our system in north-south, not make a play. He would have been no worse.

[Jason in LA]

I'll agree that TD was the perfect fit.

My thinking is that if you could get Barry to follow his initial blocks for the first 10 to 15, he could use his juking and spinning for an extra 20 to 30+. That's assuming that Barry would do that, though.

The problem is that a lot of times following those initial blocks only leads to 2-3 yards. TD would put his head down and gladly take those 2-3 yards. He wouldn't ditch the play and run somewhere else, then get stuffed for a loss. 2nd and 7-8 is a lot better than 2nd and 12-13.

A lot of times TD would take those 2-3 yards, get hit, and bounce forward for a 4-5 yard pickup. Those extra yards added up big time.

[SportinOne]

The problem is that a lot of times following those initial blocks only leads to 2-3 yards. TD would put his head down and gladly take those 2-3 yards. He wouldn't ditch the play and run somewhere else, then get stuffed for a loss. 2nd and 7-8 is a lot better than 2nd and 12-13.

A lot of times TD would take those 2-3 yards, get hit, and bounce forward for a 4-5 yard pickup. Those extra yards added up big time.

Good point, i wish there were TD videos on youtube.. or anywhere on the internet for that matter.

[Orange_Beard]

187 yards per game.

No way.

[leon_d]

I remember this debate on the old RMN boards around the time that Barry and TD were doing their 2000 yard seasons.

Some stat was floating around then about how TD almost always at least made it back to the line of scrimmage when it looked like the play was going for a loss.... his run would almost always gain the team between 1 and 6 yards, and then he'd occasionally break a 10,20 yarder or more.

Barry had an incredible avg that year he got 2000+ (5.5 ypc?) but he was a lot less consistent from carry to carry, i imagine it was due to him looking for the home run every time he carried the ball

[SteveTensi13]

Doesn't Barry have the NFL record for most yardage BEHIND the line of scrimmage?

[Jason in LA]

I heard the stat somewhere, but I don't remember what it was. I think he's lost well over 1,000 yards in his career.

I remember the year he went for 2000 yards they showed a stat that was shocking. When he got past the LOS that year, he gained an average of 7 yards+ per carry. When he didn't make it back to the LOS, he lost an average of 2 yards+ per carry.

I think it was in '96 or '97, late in the year, I saw a stat that said that TD only had 5 carries for a loss the entire year. That't not just having a good O line. That's following the play everytime, and settling for a little if there is not much there. You never saw TD dancing int he backfield, or run in a totally different direction from where the play was designed.

[FantomForce]

No way look at the stats, Barry never played well on the grass, and I don't think anyone in Denver would ever want us to play in a dome

[watermock]

This is a joke right? For every 7 yard first down he would put the team in a 2'nd and 14 hole. He wasn't the type of downfield runner that could carry a team on his back and Detroit's record indicates that. You could call him the anti-TD.

[BroncoMan4ever]

I say who cares wat Barry would have done in Denver. Honestly TD could have shattered every rushin record in the 98 season. Remember all the games he had like a 150yard before the 4th quarter and they put in his backup to keep him healthy. Had Shanny let him pound the ball start to finish every game he would have run for over 2500 and over 30TD's. He would have had a season that would never be duplicated.

[12th man]

I say who cares wat Barry would have done in Denver. Honestly TD could have shattered every rushin record in the 98 season. Remember all the games he had like a 150yard before the 4th quarter and they put in his backup to keep him healthy. Had Shanny let him pound the ball start to finish every game he would have run for over 2500 and over 30TD's. He would have had a season that would never be duplicated.
I know. TD would have been the all time leading rusher for a season if he would have played in full games and didn't get pulled. But I loved the way things went that year. I mean, we blew people out that year, and really didnn't need TD in the fourth quarter, and if he got hurt during the end of the game, who knows what would have been the fate of that team.

[listopencil]

I say who cares wat Barry would have done in Denver. Honestly TD could have shattered every rushin record in the 98 season. Remember all the games he had like a 150yard before the 4th quarter and they put in his backup to keep him healthy. Had Shanny let him pound the ball start to finish every game he would have run for over 2500 and over 30TD's. He would have had a season that would never be duplicated.

...or he would have gotten so beaten up that he would have missed the entire playoffs. He played injured in the SuperBowl that year anyway. The wear and tear even with those breaks took its toll. I'm glad they rested him when they did so he could be there when it counted. Shanny did the right thing.

[watermock]

I know. TD would have been the all time leading rusher for a season if he would have played in full games and didn't get pulled. But I loved the way things went that year. I mean, we blew people out that year, and really didnn't need TD in the fourth quarter, and if he got hurt during the end of the game, who knows what would have been the fate of that team.

All you have to do is go back to running Portis in OT a 38th time where he twisted his knee when it was allready a chip shot for Elam. Portis wasn't the same for the playoffs.

Is Bell whining about not being the #1 or possibly #2 behind Dayne? When players whine about position and touches it just pisses me off. When a player does that, they are entering the egocentric realm of T.O., Moss and MeShawn. That said, when TD was close, we left him in till he got 2008 and pulled him. Everyone on the D knew where the ball was going too. If you want to see great blocking, watch the play of the OL on that last run. The line was stacked and I don't know how they did it honestly. I don't remember it all that well, but I remember that the line fired off like in unison.

[Gcver2ver3]

Doesn't Barry have the NFL record for most yardage BEHIND the line of scrimmage?


yes

[Gcver2ver3]

I think he would have been the smae...maybe better...but our system in north-south, not make a play. He would have been no worse.


i think he would've been the smae also......