NFL Week 15

Everything else
41

All of those guys are averaging at least a yard per carry more than Alexander. But on to specifics:

Larry Johnson: objective criteria? What does that mean? He’s first in the league in rushing and second in total yards.

Tiki is playing well, on a totally disfunctional team. But hey, if you want to add Mo Mo to the list of guys better than Alexander, you should phone up Holmgren because he’s a viable option for them.

Brian Westbrook made that offense go far more than McNabb. When he was hurt, they could barely move the ball. And he’s dynamite catching the ball.

Clinton Portis may be injury prone, but then so may Alexander now. That wasn’t one of my criteria. Aside from that knock, he’s ripped it up for two different teams, including one bad one.

Steven Jackson is third in the league in total yards from scrimmage. He runs hard, breaks tackles and blocks and catches well. What more do you want?

Fred Taylor, despite being old, is still better than Alexander. He averages about the same yards per game, but on significantly fewer carries because he’s splitting time with Jones-Drew.

If Rudi Johnson and Edgerrin get knocked for getting soft yards on a powerhouse team, then so should Alexander. And LT, for that matter.

Warrick Dunn was knocked for being small in Tampa, and they said he’d never be able to take the pounding as a number one back. But he has, and he’s surprisingly small.

I’ll give you Tatum, he’s iffy. You can’t really judge a Denver RB till they go somewhere else.

42

It’s an apples-to-oranges comparison to make these judgements based on total yards and even yard per carry for just this season. Because of his injury Alexander has too few carries for a meaningful comparison to these other backs’ stats this year. Also, before this season’s injury, Alexander was the most durable back in the game as far as consecutive starts go.

I’m no Alexander supporter, but it’s sheer hyperbole to say all those backs are better than he is.

43

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Seattle just scored and the cable goes out. Damned weather!

44

my cable has locked up twice now; only solution I’ve found is to unplug the box for a half minute.

45

Lights are flickering off and on here in Silver Lake…two more hours please electricity gods.

I’ve never really liked Alexander either but no back is that good without a good line…example Denver…and I’ve never liked his soft style of not taking hits BUT he’s money around the goal line and with a good line, he’s dependable and rarely gets hurt.

46

Don’t get NFL Network. How’s the game currently?

— Alan

47

Ugly. SF has six posessions and not a first down yet. Seattle has fumbled twice and recovered both times.

48

Rock: Wow you’re pretty close to me - I’m over in Mill Creek. And yeah power has been flickering all evening, though it’s evened out over the past hour.

49

What the hell, Mill Creek? I thought you were still Redmond! We oughtta put together a Snohomish County QT3 meet at the Flying Pig or something.

50

No way duder I worked in Redmond, I’e lived in Mill Creek (well technically the northern tip of Bothell) for like almost a year now.

51

Back on topic: I’m glad my cable’s back on but I want to murder Bryant Gumble and Chis Collinsworth. What morons. I’d rather listen to the “comedians” from the redneck comedy tour doing the play by play on this game.

52

These announcers are pretty bad…with them and the Monday night crew…UGH.

I drove through Mill Creek coming up here at 5, some lighting hit very close to the road, the car radio flickered for a second…I drove faster!

53

Are you shitting me? Have you WATCHED LJ play? Dude is a man among boys. He has insane power and speed and he’s doing it with basically no other offensive play makers except Gonzalez, and he’s doing it with 8/9 in the box.

Tiki Barber… you’re kidding, right? Tiki is better than Maurice Morris, maybe, but not Alexander.

Assuming same age, I’d probably take Tiki to be honest, at least Tiki sans fumbling problems.

Frank Gore… a more visibly impressive runner (I like his willingness and ability to run guys over) but his fumbling is a big minus. Call it a push.

You can coach fumbling away (cf. Tiki and Travis Henry).

Clinton Portis… injury prone, so no

Smallish guy who got handed a huge load in Washington, no wonder he got injured. Has a hard time getting the tough yards.

Brian Westbrook… no way

Agreed.

Steven Jackson… huh?

I’d take Jackson over Alexander. Jackson isn’t as shifty, but he’s a better receiver and more powerful runner.

Deuce McAllister… I agree, I like Deuce better as a runner and as a blocker (Alexander can’t pick up a blitz for anything)

You’ll knock other guys for being injury prone but don’t mention it with Deuce?! Deuce, when healthy, is a beast, but he gets hurt an awful lot.

Rudi Johnson… no way… he’s only good for the same reason James was good in Indy

Possibly true, hard to say though.

Fred Taylor… maybe five years ago, not today

Fred Taylor at one point was one of the best pure runners in the league. Again, injury issues hurt.

Warrick Dunn… too small, would be Alexander’s backup on any team in the league if the two were together.

Dunn is always accused of being too small, yet is rarely injured and runs harder between the tackles than Alexander EVER has.

Tatum Bell… dream on

Yeah, system guy.

Guys I’d add to the list though:

  • Joseph Addai
  • Ronnie Brown
  • Cadillac Williams
54

Who honestly thought it was a good idea to make Bryant Gumble your play by play guy?

55

No joke. He makes losers like Esiason and Theisman sound like Keith Jackson in his prime. Speaking of which, Dan Fouts really would have been a better choice than Theisman/Tirico for MNF and a better choice than Madden for SNF. I actually like Kornheiser, but then I enjoyed Dennis Miller so that shows what I know.

56

Plenty of backs have succeeded without an elite line. Warrick Dunn in Atlanta. Cadillac Williams in Tampa. Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams in Miami. Those are mediocre to downright bad offensive lines. Fred Taylor, Deuce McAllister, and even LT – LT has had musical freakin’ o-lines tossed at him for years now. Kevin Jones has done reasonably well in Detroit with a horrendous line.

And, of course, Barry Sanders is probably the best example. Barry Sanders + the Dallas O-Line of the 90s would have been goddamned unbelievable.

57

Good job Hasselhack…thank God I’m out of my fantasy football playoffs cause he just ain’t getting it done for me.

58

Dammit electricity…why couldnt you have gone off two hours ago!

59

Some of you with intermittent power watching the Seahawks game probably wishes your power got cut out right about now…

— Alan

60

What a tale of two games. That last Alex Smith naked bootleg TD was one of the most embarassing plays I’ve seen this year. And the Seahawks actually looked good for most of the game!