SHAUN ALEXANDER....................................

[1crzydmnd]

I'd keep an eye on Mack Strong's status...SA's lead blocker is most situations.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/2620/news

[PSU All Day]

This thread reminds me of the thread at the begining of the year about Portis. The theory was that Portis's success was mostly due to the line in Denver and that anyone could be good in that scenario. Based upon the performance of Q Tip (who is one my FF team ) I think we know now that it was probably not that clear cut.

Of course Portis's performance in DC has not exactly put that to rest either.

[Amazinz]

I agree with this. It seems like a lot of people put too much stock in the blocking. Obviously it plays a huge part in a RB's success but you still need the talent and heart to make it happen.

No one can convince me that if you but Ron Dayne behind Denver's OL you'd produce a top 10 back.

[Cornbread Maxwell]

This thread reminds me of the thread at the begining of the year about Portis. The theory was that Portis's success was mostly due to the line in Denver and that anyone could be good in that scenario. Based upon the performance of Q Tip (who is one my FF team ) I think we know now that it was probably not that clear cut.

Of course Portis's performance in DC has not exactly put that to rest either.

Can the departure of Gibbs to ATL, who is now enjoying a very successful running game - 1st in NFL after 3 games - have affected the running game in DEN that drastically? You cant rule it out as a factor.

[Fern]

I'm telling you all that Alexander's best days are ahead of him when he leaves Mike Holmgren. If you put him on the Titans, he would run circles around Chris Brown. Put him on the Ravens, he would outproduce Jamal Lewis. I firmly believe this. He is the most underrated rb in the league.

And put him on the Chargers and watch him get stuffed, he is no LT and thats a fact. Nothing against SA but he's in a good situation right now that most rb's dont have the luxury of having.

[bagobonez]

The bottom line is, Shaun Alexander gets it done. Who cares HOW he gets it done, as long as he does.

In the Portis v. Alexander argument before the start of the season, everyone was sayng, "I'll take Portis every day of the week, he's faster, more explosive, can take it to the house, and Shaun NEVER breaks a big run".

Who cares? Production is production. One of the benefits to having Alexander is you know that the Seattle offense is going to get to the goal-line 2 or 3 times a game, and you know Alexander's going to get his number called every time. You have no clue if the Ravens' inept offense will get Jamal Lewis to the goal-line every game, or even Portis with Washington.

I mean, LT, Ahman Green, Jamal Lewis, etc. are all more physically gifted than Emmitt SMith EVER was in his career, but who currently owns the NFL's all-time rushing record? A short, stumpy little 5 foot 9, 210 pound Emmitt Smith that never ran a 4.4 in his life.

As long as the job gets done, that's all the matters, fantasy or otherwise, and I'm SO glad I took Alexander over Priest and Portis now. I'd be 0-3 if I had taken either Priest OR Portis, and as it stands i'm 2-1 instead.

[ramsalldaway514]

didnt realize this post would spring so many replies.

[no1cowboysfan]

I agree with this. It seems like a lot of people put too much stock in the blocking. Obviously it plays a huge part in a RB's success but you still need the talent and heart to make it happen.

No one can convince me that if you but Ron Dayne behind Denver's OL you'd produce a top 10 back.

Agreed.. I wish Dayne could be somewhere that allows him to be an every down back. But I think people put too LITTLE stock in blocking. Priest Holmes is a top-tier running back, but would he have scored 27 TDs last year if he ran behind Miami's o-line?

Noooooooooooo...

[awwchrist]

didnt realize this post would spring so many replies.

well when you you lead the thread with

SHAUN ALEXANDER SUCKS REALLY BAD

whadjaexpect?

[JtotheF]

Football is all systems. And to call a running back "great" these days, well that's just rediculous. To call him "a good/functional running back in a well-built system," is more fitting.

Shaun Alexander thus far is a good/functional running back in a system built to utilize the RB position no matter who is there. In other words, he's doing his job.

The 49ers had one of the greatest good/functional RB's of all time in Roger Craig. I would imagine back in the day he would have been a great FF player. But was he a great running back? I don't think so, and he isn't according the record books.

So ask yourself, how many "great" RB's have there truly been in the history of the game? Ten? More? Less? And who are they? Jim Brown? Barry Sanders? Walter Payton? Eric Dickerson? Marcus Allend? Earl Cambell?

And for those interested, he's in the NFL Total Access studio as I type this.

Late