Top 10 Rushing Seasons Of All Time

[sport historian]

On Saturday night, November 9, the NFL Network premieres the Top 10 Rushing Seasons of all Time at 9pm ET. I'm curious to see if Steve Van Buren 1949 and Jim Taylor 1962 are included.

This would mean winning a championship counts extra. Taylor also set a record with 19 TDs that year.

 

[dwid]

Well, could you post the list please? not everyone has NFL Network, either due to lack of funds, or not wanting to pay for the network.

 

[sport historian]

Well, could you post the list please? not everyone has NFL Network, either due to lack of funds, or not wanting to pay for the network.

I will, after I see it.

 

[sport historian]

1. O.J. Simpson 1973
2. Adrian Peterson 2012
3. Eric Dickerson 1984
4. Barry Sanders 1997
5. Terrell Davis 1998
6. Jim Brown 1963
7. Walter Payton 1977
8. Ladanian Thompson 2006
9. Chris Johnson 2009
10. Earl Campbell 1980

They went by yardage total and didn't consider winning a championship. IMO Brown and Payton should have been higher since they had 14 game seasons.

 

[dwid]

Thanks

What a joke of a list they put out. Dickerson fumbled 14 times that season, nowhere number 3. They should have at least considered winning in general. The Titans didn't have a winning record the year Chris Johnson put up 2k. Tds should have factored in as well, since those are the things that helps the team win. Riggins had 24, higher than anybody on that list besides LT, but I think it was tougher to score when Riggins played.

It would be cool to see top post season rushing performances. Riggins would be in it, he leads it for a single post season. Csonka is up there.

 

[davidholly]

Thanks

What a joke of a list they put out. Dickerson fumbled 14 times that season, nowhere number 3. They should have at least considered winning in general. The Titans didn't have a winning record the year Chris Johnson put up 2k. Tds should have factored in as well, since those are the things that helps the team win. Riggins had 24, higher than anybody on that list besides LT, but I think it was tougher to score when Riggins played.

It would be cool to see top post season rushing performances. Riggins would be in it, he leads it for a single post season. Csonka is up there.

Yup, it's like how Calvin Johnson's single season receiving yardage record is a joke since most of it came against prevent defenses when the Lions were getting blown out. On the other hand Jerry Rice's single season receiving record came during a season where the 49ers went 11-5.

 

[sport historian]

Thanks

What a joke of a list they put out. Dickerson fumbled 14 times that season, nowhere number 3. They should have at least considered winning in general. The Titans didn't have a winning record the year Chris Johnson put up 2k. Tds should have factored in as well, since those are the things that helps the team win. Riggins had 24, higher than anybody on that list besides LT, but I think it was tougher to score when Riggins played.

It would be cool to see top post season rushing performances. Riggins would be in it, he leads it for a single post season. Csonka is up there.

Speaking of post season rushing performances, IMO it is harder to run for big yardage in the playoffs than in the regular season.

 

[foreverfree]

Speaking of post season rushing performances, IMO it is harder to run for big yardage in the playoffs than in the regular season.

Why?

John

 

[sport historian]

Why?

John

Check Barry Sanders' playoff rushing stats.

 

[dwid]

for starters its the TOP teams in the playoffs. If you ever look many back's rushing stats, they might have a few 60 (or less, you only need to average 62.5 a game to get 1k) yard games and then huge chunks against some of the worst run defenses, like 120 to 150 to make up for it.

The old saying is defense wins championships, and that was more true even 6 or 7 years ago, definitely true from the beginning until 2000, probably later than that. Now i think you can win with a great offense and an average defense, so I think its a little easier to run in the postseason now.

 

[white is right]

for starters its the TOP teams in the playoffs. If you ever look many back's rushing stats, they might have a few 60 (or less, you only need to average 62.5 a game to get 1k) yard games and then huge chunks against some of the worst run defenses, like 120 to 150 to make up for it.

The old saying is defense wins championships, and that was more true even 6 or 7 years ago, definitely true from the beginning until 2000, probably later than that. Now i think you can win with a great offense and an average defense, so I think its a little easier to run in the postseason now.

All of the major pro sports have had stars that choke and under perform in the playoffs. Until Lebron James created his super team in Miami he this reputation. Dave Winfield had the nickname of Mr. May from George Steinbrenner. Except for rare teams almost all playoff teams are much better than the average team, so no soft opponents are available to boost your stats.

 

[sport historian]

Cold Hard Football Facts put out a Top 10 Rushing Season (http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/content/the-greatest-rb-seasons/6939/ list in 2009. They considered scoring, yards per attempt, receiving and returns. They pointedly left Dickerson off the list for fumbling too much. Simpson's 1975 season rated higher than his 2000 yards in 1973.

1. Jim Brown 1958
2. Marshall Faulk 2000
3. Jim Brown 1963
4. Ladanian Tomlinson 2006
5. O.J. Simpson 1975
6. O.J. Simpson 1973
7. Barry Sanders 1997
8. Terrell Davis 1998
9. Gale Sayers 1965
10. Jim Taylor 1962

 

[dwid]

I think Riggins should be on there with his 20+ td season, he may have had a low ypc but there are so many other variables to consider. Knocking off Dickerson and keeping Gale Sayers doesn't make sense. Sayers was a very exciting player to watch, but he fumbled 9 times on 232 touches which includes rushing, receiving, returns. Thats one fumble very 25 touches which is worse than Dickerson.

 

[Don Wassall]

Cold Hard Football Facts put out a Top 10 Rushing Season (http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/content/the-greatest-rb-seasons/6939/ list in 2009. They considered scoring, yards per attempt, receiving and returns. They pointedly left Dickerson off the list for fumbling too much. Simpson's 1975 season rated higher than his 2000 yards in 1973.

1. Jim Brown 1958
2. Marshall Faulk 2000
3. Jim Brown 1963
4. Ladanian Tomlinson 2006
5. O.J. Simpson 1975
6. O.J. Simpson 1973
7. Barry Sanders 1997
8. Terrell Davis 1998
9. Gale Sayers 1965
10. Jim Taylor 1962

Good to see Jim Taylor sneak on the list. He was a great runner, 1-A to Jim Brown's 1, but has been consigned to the memory hole while Brown's legend is polished every year.

 

[sport historian]

Good to see Jim Taylor sneak on the list. He was a great runner, 1-A to Jim Brown's 1, but has been consigned to the memory hole while Brown's legend is polished every year.

Jim Taylor's 1962 season (1474 yards in 14 games, TD record, league MVP, and 5.4 ypc) was sensational at the time. I've noticed that Taylor is given a fair amount of credit by people like CHFF and other researchers.

 

[sport historian]

I think Riggins should be on there with his 20+ td season, he may have had a low ypc but there are so many other variables to consider. Knocking off Dickerson and keeping Gale Sayers doesn't make sense. Sayers was a very exciting player to watch, but he fumbled 9 times on 232 touches which includes rushing, receiving, returns. Thats one fumble very 25 touches which is worse than Dickerson.

They could have put Walter Payton's 1977 season on the list instead of Sayers. He gained 1852 yards with a 5.5 yard per carry without a strong supporting cast. The Bears made the playoffs with a 9-5 record before being blown out by the Cowboys, who won the Super bowl that year.