Why do so many people say to "handcuff your stud RB"

[mattb47]

I think the ability of individual RBs is vastly overrated by most fans. With few exceptions, take any "stud RB" out there, replace him with a competent backup and they will be very successful. So much goes into having a successful running game. Cases in point:

1. Denver for the past decade
2. Rhodes when Edge got hurt
3. Holmes / Larry Johnson
4. Faulk / whoever his backups were when he was hurt
5. LT's backup when he went down

The list goes on and on.

Which is why:
1. If either Rhodes/Addai emerge the winner will be a stud
2. Edge will be a big disappointment

I think you're completely off base here. It matters greatly with some systems, but a lot of it has to do with RB talent as well. Turner is good but will he perform week in and week out like LT if he was the starter there? I don't think so. Holmes and LJ are both very very talented RBs, Rhodes wasn't even close to as good as Edge when he played for him. And Faulk's backup's were never close to him either when they played, with the exception of Steven Jackson.....who is also a talented RB.

Very talented RBs like LT, LJ, and Edge will perform wherever they are. It may not be as good as it would have been with a better offensive line or a better FB, but that kinda follows logic. It doesn't mean however that talent doesn't matter as much as situation, talent matters very greatly.

[The Miner Part 2]

I think the ability of individual RBs is vastly overrated by most fans. With few exceptions, take any "stud RB" out there, replace him with a competent backup and they will be very successful. So much goes into having a successful running game. Cases in point:

1. Denver for the past decade
2. Rhodes when Edge got hurt
3. Holmes / Larry Johnson
4. Faulk / whoever his backups were when he was hurt
5. LT's backup when he went down

The list goes on and on.

Which is why:
1. If either Rhodes/Addai emerge the winner will be a stud
2. Edge will be a big disappointment

I think you're completely off base here. It matters greatly with some systems, but a lot of it has to do with RB talent as well. Turner is good but will he perform week in and week out like LT if he was the starter there? I don't think so. Holmes and LJ are both very very talented RBs, Rhodes wasn't even close to as good as Edge when he played for him. And Faulk's backup's were never close to him either when they played, with the exception of Steven Jackson.....who is also a talented RB.

Very talented RBs like LT, LJ, and Edge will perform wherever they are. It may not be as good as it would have been with a better offensive line or a better FB, but that kinda follows logic. It doesn't mean however that talent doesn't matter as much as situation, talent matters very greatly.

dominic rhodes had better numbers than edge the year he filled in.

[mattb47]

I think the ability of individual RBs is vastly overrated by most fans. With few exceptions, take any "stud RB" out there, replace him with a competent backup and they will be very successful. So much goes into having a successful running game. Cases in point:

1. Denver for the past decade
2. Rhodes when Edge got hurt
3. Holmes / Larry Johnson
4. Faulk / whoever his backups were when he was hurt
5. LT's backup when he went down

The list goes on and on.

Which is why:
1. If either Rhodes/Addai emerge the winner will be a stud
2. Edge will be a big disappointment

I think you're completely off base here. It matters greatly with some systems, but a lot of it has to do with RB talent as well. Turner is good but will he perform week in and week out like LT if he was the starter there? I don't think so. Holmes and LJ are both very very talented RBs, Rhodes wasn't even close to as good as Edge when he played for him. And Faulk's backup's were never close to him either when they played, with the exception of Steven Jackson.....who is also a talented RB.

Very talented RBs like LT, LJ, and Edge will perform wherever they are. It may not be as good as it would have been with a better offensive line or a better FB, but that kinda follows logic. It doesn't mean however that talent doesn't matter as much as situation, talent matters very greatly.

dominic rhodes had better numbers than edge the year he filled in.

Oh, you mean when Edge got hurt? I'm sorry....but I don't really look at that as being much proof. Especially since that was in 2001, and if you look at his output recently it's been very mediocre. There can be no argument made that Rhodes would have done as well as Edge has been doing in this offense, he's just significantly less talented RB.

[9er Fan]

I stand by my prediction; the Colts RBs will come much closer to matching what the Colts RBs did last year, than Edge will come in AZ matching the numbers he put up with the Colts last year.

If you took a mediocre starting RB from last year and made him the #1 guy in Denver or KC, he'd be a top-10 performer easy.

I'm not saying RB ability makes NO difference however, I'm just saying it's vastly overrated. If Emmit Smith was a Buc, would he be in the Hall of Fame? Maybe so, but it's at least arguable. If LT sat out the year and Turner started in his place, I believe he would easily perform as a top-10 RB, though likely not top-3.