Who is your Greatest Rams Running Back of All Time?

[RamFan503]

Darrel Green

Daryl Green ran down ED and I think Green is the only one who ever did.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Eg3RHKKbQU

Well I did say that I didn't recall a time. So it happened once. Figured you bastards would have to call me on it.

What is amazing about that though is that ED was not exactly a small man. With the number of times he got the ball, and with that size, it is astounding that he was only caught from behind ONCE. And of course it was by a little DB that happened to be the fastest guy in the NFL at the time.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I haven’t read the thread, yet. Just voted. Will read now.

My vote: Steven Jackson

He is our all time leader in yards rushing, BTW.

One bad ass dude on far too many bad Ram teams.

8 consecutive seasons >1,000 yards… EIGHT! Just YES and WOW!

Averaged over 50 catches those seasons as well. FIFTY!

The Rams have many legendary backs. SJ is DEFINITELY one of them.

 

[Ramrocket]

I voted for Dickerson because he’s the only one of the choices listed to average over a hundred yards a game. Plus he played for the Rams much longer than Faulk did.

I can’t fault your choice although I did vote for Faulk but Dickerson actually played at the Rams for a shorter period of time that Marshall as I recall.

 

[ReekofRams]

What, no Lawrence Phillips?

 

[snackdaddy]

Hard to decide. Just pure running back skill handing the ball off and getting yards. I'd say Eric Dickerson. Overall skill as a running back, receiver and ability to protect the quarterback. Marshall Faulk.

Faulk could line up as a receiver, run routes better than most receivers with better hands than most. And his ability to pick up a blitz was huge in the passing game. Allowed Warner to find the all pro guys Holt and Bruce downfield.

Dickerson could break off large runs with his ability to break tackles and speed. If there wasn't a hole it seemed like he'd fall forward for 5 yards.

Being traded to the Rams really enhanced Faulk's career. 5 seasons with Indy he averaged 3.8 yards per carry. In his first 3 seasons with the Rams he averaged 5.4 yards per carry. I'm pretty sure he doesn't make the Hall of Fame if he stayed in Indy. Him and Warner were the catalysts for the Superbowl championship and 3 seasons over 500 points per season.

 

[XXXIVwin]

those stats DON'T include receptions or receiving TD's, correct?

Correct, my previous post only included rushing stats.

For COMBINED rushing and receiving yards per game, here's the breakdown of the top 3 RB's:

ED 125.7
MF 111.6
SJ 103.3

I'm still going with MF #1 because he was a dual threat and we went to 2 Super Bowls with him.

ED is my #2 because as others said he WAS the offense for many years. Only at my #2 because of the fumbles and the lack of Super Bowls.

SJ is my #3 primarily because he had the misfortune of being on so many shitty teams.

Below, a link to Rams all-time "combined yardage" leaders:

Most Yards Player Los Angeles Rams All-time | StatMuse

Isaac Bruce has gained the most career all-purpose yards for the St. Louis Rams, with 14,311 yards.

www.statmuse.com

 

[KA210927]

Marshall Marshall

My favorite Ram ever.

 

[methomas50]

Gotta be Eric. He had that extra gear and nobody hit that extra gear quicker than he did. He was also the most effortless runner I have ever seen. Such a perfect stride that he never looked like he was running his hardest. You have to remember that when he was a Ram, and those were his prime years, he was the focal point of the offense. Defenses geared up to stop him and hardly ever did. While he had a great O Line, the QB play was quite mediocre, and really the only other real threat on offense was Henry Ellard.

And I have seen all the way back to Willie Ellison and Lester Josephson.

 

[PARAM]

I can't isolate any of the top 3. Dieter described them perfectly.

Dickerson was a horse. A big, fast, strong running back. Probably the prototypical RB. 396 touches per year the 4 full years with the Rams. Averaged 1960 yards from scrimmage.

Marshall was a work horse. In both the run game and the passing game (*the total offense).
Averaged 2200+ yards from scrimmage.

I'd take either but would prefer Marshall over ED.

Gurley was a little of both. Averaged 1962 yards from scrimmage his 2 healthy years under McVay.

I gotta agree with DieterBrock.....had he remained healthy he might have been more productive than both. But he wasn't.

If I had to pick at gun point.....based on production and value to the offense...
1. Marshall
2. Dickerson, Gurley

 

[kmramsfan]

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/XDZbhIXBFI0?si=zGTBhlOdFj4BaQtw Seen this clip today and it got me thinking about how amazing ED was when he was in Horns! Hearing Marcus Allen talk about him is pretty legit to. I’ve seen some debates here and there on the forum but searched for a thread surprisingly didn’t find one. So who is your GOAT Rams RB and why is it Blake Corum? View attachment 65705 View attachment 65703 View attachment 65704 View attachment 65707 View attachment 65706 View attachment 65702

I voted for Marshall because of his game day IQ, his overall offensive impact with the GST era team, and the many ways that he could, and did beat you.
But Eric Dickerson was the best pure running back that I may have ever seen play. He would either run through you, or get the edge on you, or just flat out run the entire defense.
ED was was an amazing talent and a great watch on his high lights reels.

 

[Ram65]

You guys decide. I don't want to make a choice.

 

[Antonius]

So many good ones. I remember Jerome Bettis in his rookie season and second season. Just blasting over defenders. Reminded me of the Tyler Rose.

A bit before my time, what was the feeling among the fan base when we moved on from him so early on?

Was the feeling positive, negative or mixed? I only remember Bettis as a Steeler. I just don’t hear a lot of chatter about him one way or the other

I would say Faulk is #1 based on the incredible versatility. It was said having him in the backfield was like having another quarterback on the field in terms of vision and seeing what the defense was going to do

#2 Dickerson , based on the highlights I’ve seen and the records he holds. These days many teams do the committee approach at running back and the focus on the passing game in this modern era, I think the all time rushing record will be around for a while

3. What can I say, SJ39 has to be here. I remember the first time I saw this guy. I tuned in to watch my hometown Lobos take on the Beavers in the Las Vegas bowl. #34 just tore us up. Completely shredded our defense and bulldozed his way into the end zone over and over. He had 5 touchdowns lol. As the offseason progressed I remember seeing Steven Jackson being mocked to the cowboys. That morning of the draft there was shock when the Cowboys traded down. Didn’t we trade up as well? Anyway the running back that literally destroyed my lobos was now the future of my favorite nfl team.

Who would be 4? Gurley was a monster, and his candle burned very quickly.

Someone else from the past? I read about mccutchen often, how does he compare to the other guys I mentioned?

 

[LARAMSinFeb.]

“Marshall was the perfect person because he was explaining to me why we had needed a veteran offensive mind to be the head coach,” Demoff said. “And he was happy to go to dinner with this 30-year-old, but he thought that was stupid, and that we were stupid.”

The former San Diego State Aztecs star hit it off with McVay, however. By the end of the meeting, he found himself changing his tune, and made sure to tell Kroenke about it.

“At dinner, the two of them got going and they hit it off immediately. They’re talking the whole time. I remember walking out and Marshall told Stan [Kroenke, Rams owner], he goes, ‘You let that guy leave tomorrow, you’ve made a huge mistake. That’s your guy.’”

 

[Tano]

A bit before my time, what was the feeling among the fan base when we moved on from him so early on?

Was the feeling positive, negative or mixed? I only remember Bettis as a Steeler. I just don’t hear a lot of chatter about him one way or the other

I would say Faulk is #1 based on the incredible versatility. It was said having him in the backfield was like having another quarterback on the field in terms of vision and seeing what the defense was going to do

#2 Dickerson , based on the highlights I’ve seen and the records he holds. These days many teams do the committee approach at running back and the focus on the passing game in this modern era, I think the all time rushing record will be around for a while

3. What can I say, SJ39 has to be here. I remember the first time I saw this guy. I tuned in to watch my hometown Lobos take on the Beavers in the Las Vegas bowl. #34 just tore us up. Completely shredded our defense and bulldozed his way into the end zone over and over. He had 5 touchdowns lol. As the offseason progressed I remember seeing Steven Jackson being mocked to the cowboys. That morning of the draft there was shock when the Cowboys traded down. Didn’t we trade up as well? Anyway the running back that literally destroyed my lobos was now the future of my favorite nfl team.

Who would be 4? Gurley was a monster, and his candle burned very quickly.

Someone else from the past? I read about mccutchen often, how does he compare to the other guys I mentioned?

McCutcheon was 5 yards and a cloud of dust.

But man - he consistently got you 5 yards.

 

[tempests]

1.Superman wears #28. Broke Barry Sanders record for yards from scrimmage one year and then Emmitt Smith's record for TDs the next. Could've (and arguably should've) been league MVP three years in a row.

1b. Dickerson just a hair behind him. Can't help but wonder how different it might've been in 1988 or 1989 if the Rams still had him, paired with the passing game they finally found with Everett, Flipper and Ellard. I believe they could've surpassed SF if that was the case.

Honourable mention to Deacon Dan Towler, whose accomplishments have largely been lost to antiquity. But the Rams greatest ever offensive backfield was the Bull Elephant running attack from the 1950's, and Towler averaged 6.1 yards per carry over a three year peak. He was pursuing a master's degree in theology at the same time, and retired from football once he had it. If he had committed to football fully he could've had a HOF career himself. Once of the most talented runners in Rams history, who would be in my top five or six.

 

[Loyal]

Trung Candidate lol.

He had one good run in his career.

That game was for what, 200 yards? Folks were crowning him as the next Marshall Faulk after that! lol

 

[XXXIVwin]

A bit before my time, what was the feeling among the fan base when we moved on from him so early on?

Was the feeling positive, negative or mixed? I only remember Bettis as a Steeler. I just don’t hear a lot of chatter about him one way or the other

No Internet back then, and I didn't have much access to the LA Times, so I can only give you my own personal recollection....

I just recall shrugging my shoulders and being disappointed that the Rams organization was so stupid and incompetent. In Bettis we drafted a great amazing player and then we didn't (or couldn't) use his talents to the fullest. He had a great rookie year but then declined in production the next 2 years. Then we trade him for peanuts to Pittsburgh and he has a monster year. Oh well, shruggged my shoulders, hard to blame Bettis for wanting to leave a shitty organization in favor of a competent one.

This is part of the reason I love McVay so much. So many dozens of years when Rams leadership was stupid and incompetent. Feels so great now to have an HC who's brilliant and effective. And a bonus to have a savvy GM and an owner who's willing to spend money.

It was hard being a Ram fan in the mid-90's... the incompetence was so obvious. Bad coaching, bad GM, bad owner... the trifecta of idiocy.

EDIT: here's an article on Steve Ortmayer, one of the worst GM's in NFL history. With Rams, traded away Bettis and Sean Gilbert, then drafted Laurence Phillips. Only lasted 2 years but made things significantly worse.

Ortmayer on Trial for League's Two Worst Trades

The Rams have no defense, as evidenced by their scores and record, but something should be said on behalf of Steve Ortmayer, the embattled general manager, who has been accused of making the two worst trades in NFL history.

www.latimes.com

 

[Loyal]

What, no Lawrence Phillips?

He was Felony approved ~ Tony Banks

 

[RamBall]

I guess its easier to pick which Rams RB was the most fun to watch as a child. I have to go with ED29, even though I think he screwed himself when he chose to go for more $. The Rams had 1000 yard rushers for at least 8 seasons after ED left with a different RB each year. If ED had stayed and the OL stayed the same, ED would have had way more yards than he got with the colts. There has been a long list of great RBs that have worn the horns.

 

[HitStick]

It’s Marshall, then Jackson, the Gurley for me. If Gurley had a 10 year run, it would be Gurley in the number 1 spot in everyone’s list.