Depends how you’re looking at it really. I mean if you’re looking at a strictly peak prime of their career talent level sure. But if you’re a GM and player A will give you two thousand yard seasons and play a total of what 4 full seasons? And player B will give you 14+ years en route to becoming the NFL’s third all time leading rusher (maybe second) ....who are you drafting? I would argue ability to be healthy is more important than an overall talent advantage as talent is useless on the sideline. I’d rather have a perennial pro bowler/boarder line pro bowler that will remain on the field rather than a world beater who won’t last.
Better Rams #1 overall pick: Bradford or Goff
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Bradford just didnt have it. Period. He was the same QB in Philly, and the same QB in Minnesota. Check down machine who just wouldnt throw in to tight windows
Goff has played at such a higher level than Bradford ever did, plain and simple.
Goff has played at such a higher level than Bradford ever did, plain and simple.
When just looking at who was the better player. Gurley was superior to Jackson. Props to SJ for being a compiler, and career wise he's better than 99% of RB's that came in to the league. Just wasnt better than Gurley
Again, I'd put Jackson's 2006 season - the only season where he had a competent offensive line and quarterback - above anything Gurley has. Jackson nearly hit 2,500 yards from scrimmage, had 90 catches, and was starting to come into his own as a blocker.
Gurley is better suited for today’s NFL, but wouldn’t be nearly as effective or durable as ED in the ‘80s. ED would still have a better career now, IMO, than gurley.
ED could play in any era because of his size, speed, and durability. He would be limited, though, in today’s game because of the pass first mentality. The closest I see in comparison, that is his style and role today, would be henry (titans).
A more accurate comparison (for gurley) would be a more modern day back like Faulk—the gold standard for a RB in today’s NFL.
...and as mentioned, it isn’t even close. Insulting to Faulk, really.
I honestly do understand what you’re saying and don’t disagree. Just to me ...it unfair to not include health and longevity in your equation when deciding who’s “better” IMO those things matter a lot more than some seem to give them credit for.
But he wasnt OROY like all of us all time greats!
~Robert Griffin III
* Eddie Lacy likes this
Well, I cant hold injury against a player either. Gurley had 3 epic seasons, cant just forget that.
And of course there is the fact that Gurley has scored more touchdowns in his 6 seasons than SJ scored in his entire 13 year career too. I get the "he played on a bad team" card, but that's a stat that's too hard to overlook
Honestly I think we just have a fundamental difference in the way we examine the word “better” which is fine. I do think Gurley had more talent than SJax. I just think from a revisionist standpoint health and durability are just as important factors as speed and elusiveness. Especially when we’re examining players like Bradford and Gurley where it wasn’t freak injuries that did them in they demonstrated consistent inability to stay healthy in various leagues on various teams during various times of their lives I don’t think circumstance changes These guys injury history.
Side note this is all wildly impossible to accurately compare. For my final project in my descriptive statistics class I built a database much like the ones nba teams use for future projections. and while you can somewhat project future performance to a certain level of accuracy when examining a single player....comparing different players in different circumstances during the same era is almost mathematically impossible because of the lack of basis for comparison....let alone players from different eras is just actually impossible.
The OU offense was the biggest mirage...superior talent in a sub-par defensive conference.
I can’t rank any OU QBs in the last twenty years highly, going back to Huepel.
None have transitioned that success to the NFL, although it seems the NFL offensive rule changes have made the league more like the Big 12, IMO.
I’ll take an older Stafford over Murray and Mayfield every single, f’ing day. Goff was able to adapt to a pro-style, play action offense that required him to turn his back on the defense and then turn to find his receivers.
Murray’s not learning that.
Not necessarily directed at you, @HE WITH HORNS , just thoughts on offenses and college football and OU.
A Thorn between two roses...BTW in this picture they had Haden standing on a higher pile of dirt to look taller.
Sam was that way his entire career.
And yet Jared last year had the same or better TD and INT % as when Sam actually played a full 16 games. Completed a higher percentage of passes and for more yards per attempt. Sam was sacked more and they each fumbled 7 times (Sam his 2 years he actually played 16 games and Jared last year).
Yup, 2006 was uniquely special. Bulger had his career best year in 2006 too. Took a "special" kind of coach/gm to destroy that foundation
SJ for sure with a monster year, Gurley had 3 of those.
If SJ had the nose for the endzone that Gurley had, he would be on Mt Rushmore of RB's. Again, Gurley had more TD in 6 years, than SJ in 13
You have to consider that Gurley had a great offensive line for four of those six years, along with receiving threats. Jackson had one year with a good offensive line.
Put Gurley on the 2009 Rams, and we don't win a game. Put S-Jax on the 2018 Rams, and I do feel we'd win it all.
Thats just silly
Sj was not a good goal line/short yardage back, Gurley is. Smaller, shiftier target. Gurley's o-line as a rookie sucked, and he scored 10 td in 12 games. I get it, SJ is your ride or die, but downplaying Gurley just doesnt hold water. Heck, he even got 9 td last year and Atlanta line was trash
Atlanta at least had competent quarterback play from Ryan, which got them down the field. S-Jax had none of that except for 2006 - and he scored sixteen total touchdowns in 2006. I guarantee he scores more in a McVay like offense.
HE WITH HORNS
Hall of Fame
Goff is very up and down, one week he will look like a great QB, the next week, when they get pressure in his face, he turns into a turnover machine. One week, it was, "I'm glad he's my QB!" The next week, "I can't stand this guy, he just cost us the game!"
And Bradford would still be playing if he hadn't blow out his knee the first time, IMO. That's not saying he would be better than Goff, but it's not like he was a bust because of his play, but because of his injuries.