hondo in seattle Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 The draft is over and preseason hasn't begun so I find myself with weird offseason musings. Today's useless speculation has to do with the Bills' running game. I was wondering if I could pick any RB in history to start for the Bills this season, who would it be? I think Jim Brown and OJ are the two greatest backs in history, so they'd be fun to see in the backfield with Josh. Multipurpose Thurman would be great with this offense. Even Cookie Gilchrist would be awesome. Today's defenders are often smaller than the defenders of yore. It's a passing league now. Defensive schemes and players these days are better at coverage than stopping a battering ram. I'd be cheering, "Lookie, Lookie, Here comes Cookie!" as Gilchrist ran over pint-sized nickel backs. But the guy who really jumped out of my memory was Earl Campbell. If an opponent lined up in a nickel or dime to stop Josh, Earl would obliterate them. Earl was such a strong, violent runner. How would a modern defense stop both Earl and Josh? I don't think any team could. As for current backs, I'd probably most want King Henry. Thoughts? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Smith Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Barry or Sweetness 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Your Brown Eye Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 I think Gale Sayers would be very successful in today's game 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubba Gump Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 I would take Henry if he were a few years younger. For a past RB, I would take my all time favorite player, Walter Payton. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunnerBill Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Alvin Kamara. His success rate out of shotgun is phenomenal. I don't want a RB for whom I have to line up in the I-formation because it is too much of a tell to the defense. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie's Dead Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Thurman in his prime. There were none better at running AND receiving. 2 4 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddyjj Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 OJ Simpson. Most exciting RB to watch ever! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarleyNY Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Barry Sanders would be incredible in today’s game. 1 1 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsbackto81 Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Marshall Faulk 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobills404 Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Sanders would be unfair against all the light boxes in todays NFL 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrownBear Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Barry had the issue with dancing and not just hitting the hole. I'd like a guy like Faulk or a prime Shady for a complete runner/receiver, or a big monstrous bruiser like Earl Campbell or Henry in his prime. I wouldn't turn away 1990-1991 Thurman either. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan in Cleveland Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Thurman Thomas. He's a former Bill and one of the greatest dual threat RBs in NFL history. He could pass block extremely well too. End the thread. 1 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
14774 Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 OJ, he was killer. 1 1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Boo Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 LaDainian Tomlinson 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goin Breakdown Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 58 minutes ago, freddyjj said: OJ Simpson. Most exciting RB to watch ever! Some don't agree, but hey, if the glove fits.... 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NastyNateSoldiers Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 1 hour ago, hondo in seattle said: The draft is over and preseason hasn't begun so I find myself with weird offseason musings. Today's useless speculation has to do with the Bills' running game. I was wondering if I could pick any RB in history to start for the Bills this season, who would it be? I think Jim Brown and OJ are the two greatest backs in history, so they'd be fun to see in the backfield with Josh. Multipurpose Thurman would be great with this offense. Even Cookie Gilchrist would be awesome. Today's defenders are often smaller than the defenders of yore. It's a passing league now. Defensive schemes and players these days are better at coverage than stopping a battering ram. I'd be cheering, "Lookie, Lookie, Here comes Cookie!" as Gilchrist ran over pint-sized nickel backs. But the guy who really jumped out of my memory was Earl Campbell. If an opponent lined up in a nickel or dime to stop Josh, Earl would obliterate them. Earl was such a strong, violent runner. How would a modern defense stop both Earl and Josh? I don't think any team could. As for current backs, I'd probably most want King Henry. Thoughts? I’d take any of these greats to play on this offense. Todays gen I would take King Henry or Barkley all day and it would truly be unstoppable offense . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1ManRaid Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 For almost no other reason than personal bias, Fred Jackson. Most elusive RB of his time and would definitely be a "process guy". 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Hooks Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 This isn’t just the Homer part of me, I think Thurman would be excellent in this offense. Faulk too, I think he’s even said once if he was a Bill during that time they would’ve won a Super Bowl. Though maybe I’m misremembering, I do definitely remember him saying he would’ve loved to play in that offense. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinceThe70s Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 1 hour ago, Simon said: If I could guarantee his health that would be my choice too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bills!Win! Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Christian Okoye. Okoye would run them over and wear them down so when Allen runs he can jump over the defense every play 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie's Dead Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 1 hour ago, Ethan in Cleveland said: Thurman Thomas. He's a former Bill and one of the greatest dual threat RBs in NFL history. He could pass block extremely well too. End the thread. FTFY. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punching Bag Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 2 hours ago, Clyde Smith said: Barry or Sweetness Bills would not work with Barry Sanders who needed to time his runs with OL and often would lose yards. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Earl Campbell or Bo Jackson. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrags Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 18 minutes ago, Beast said: Earl Campbell or Bo Jackson. Bo. We really missed an opportunity at greatness. Might have been the best to ever play the game Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philholbroo Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Past- ladanian Tomlinson Present- chubb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerseyBills Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 (edited) Thurman He's so underrated. I was too young to see him play but the games and highlights I seen are incredible. He was the catalyst for that great offense And majority of the games I've seen were in the playoffs , he came up big in big games Edited May 7, 2023 by JerseyBills 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Mantis_Toboggan Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 now- Bijan. I’m thinking this kid is going to be special, and I want the RB with the lowest mileage on the tires combined with elite skill set. past- Barry. All time RB1. Dude just ran different, never seen another like him. Plus the numbers he put up, considering everybody knew he was the Lions offense, just ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoradoBills Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 I'd like to see former Bills with Josh. AFL-Cookie Gilchrist NFL-Thurman Thomas All you younger Bills fans missed out watching Cookie play football. It was something to behold. Talk about intensity, they were meant to play with each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBillyG Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Joe Cribbs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrimeTime101 Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Jerome Bettis, Rarely got caught behind the los. Dude was a beast. Players always bounced off him and unusual speed for his size. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo716 Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 2 hours ago, Bobby Hooks said: This isn’t just the Homer part of me, I think Thurman would be excellent in this offense. Faulk too, I think he’s even said once if he was a Bill during that time they would’ve won a Super Bowl. Though maybe I’m misremembering, I do definitely remember him saying he would’ve loved to play in that offense. Thurman Thomas was Marshall Faulk before Faulk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
without a drought Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Lenny Moore https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1viJbaAPCM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'm Spartacus Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Thurman Thomas or Roland Hooks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hondo in seattle Posted May 7, 2023 Author Share Posted May 7, 2023 1 hour ago, ColoradoBills said: I'd like to see former Bills with Josh. AFL-Cookie Gilchrist NFL-Thurman Thomas All you younger Bills fans missed out watching Cookie play football. It was something to behold. Talk about intensity, they were meant to play with each other. Cookie was one tough dude. I've heard 60s Bills players tell different versions of this story... The Bills were playing the Pats. Early in the game, Cookie finds a hole. A 2nd level defender moves forward to make the tackle. Cookie could have tried to slip to the right or left and then broken the arm tackle. But Cookie loved contact. He lowers his head and destroys the Pats tackler in a horrific collision. They had to take the poor schmuck off the field on a stretcher. Cookie then goes over to the Pats sideline and shouts something like, 'Which one of your muthafutzers is next?' (The actual quote might have been R rated). According to Cookie's teammates, the Pats lost heart after that and the Bills cruised to victory. Can you imagine Diggs and Cookie on the same offense? Diggs would love it. Cookie's violent physicality would be an inspiration for the entire team. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Sack Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 RB1 LaDainian Tomlinson RB2 Marshall Faulk RB3 Marcus Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan in Cleveland Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 3 hours ago, Freddie's Dead said: FTFY. Faulk and Tomlinson were just as good and a step faster. Thurman had better vision and set up his blocks perhaps better than any RB in history. My favorite Bill until Allen wins the SB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hondo in seattle Posted May 7, 2023 Author Share Posted May 7, 2023 48 minutes ago, without a drought said: Lenny Moore https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1viJbaAPCM Impressive highlights. I'd rather have a powerful downhill runner like Earl, but Lenny would be super productive in our offense - if Dorsey used him right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoradoBills Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 7 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said: Cookie was one tough dude. I've heard 60s Bills players tell different versions of this story... The Bills were playing the Pats. Early in the game, Cookie finds a hole. A 2nd level defender moves forward to make the tackle. Cookie could have tried to slip to the right or left and then broken the arm tackle. But Cookie loved contact. He lowers his head and destroys the Pats tackler in a horrific collision. They had to take the poor schmuck off the field on a stretcher. Cookie then goes over to the Pats sideline and shouts something like, 'Which one of your muthafutzers is next?' (The actual quote might have been R rated). According to Cookie's teammates, the Pats lost heart after that and the Bills cruised to victory. Can you imagine Diggs and Cookie on the same offense? Diggs would love it. Cookie's violent physicality would be an inspiration for the entire team. That game is engrained in my memory of Buffalo Bills football. My mom, who's still a big fan, talked my dad into going to meet them at the airport in a snowstorm. It was crazy! My 2 older brothers and I still talk about it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hondo in seattle Posted May 7, 2023 Author Share Posted May 7, 2023 5 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said: That game is engrained in my memory of Buffalo Bills football. My mom, who's still a big fan, talked my dad into going to meet them at the airport in a snowstorm. It was crazy! My 2 older brothers and I still talk about it. Just a bit before my time. The earliest Bills RB I remember is Mini Max Andersen. Didn't Larry Felser used to say that Cookie - in his prime - was as good as Jim Brown? You're a lucky man to have seen him play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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