- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: Derrick Henry: Where does he stack up at the end?
Posted on 3/7/26 at 11:26 am to kajunman
Posted on 3/7/26 at 11:26 am to kajunman
quote:
The flip side to this is he faces more nickel and dime packages than the backs from the 70's and 80's. You'll mostly have only one lb in dime packages.
Which is what makes OJ's stats unreal. Not only was it a ground and pound game in the 70s because passing was so terribly difficult with no offensive protection rules but teams literally lined up every Sunday with the sole focus of stopping OJ.
1
Posted on 3/7/26 at 12:26 pm to SteveLSU35
He’s a HOF. He definitely benefitted from being an old school, power running back (with speed) against smaller, new-aged defenses but that can’t take away from what he’s done.
I’ve said it before, but him being able to stay healthy his entire career sans one season is incredible.
I’ve said it before, but him being able to stay healthy his entire career sans one season is incredible.
Posted on 3/7/26 at 4:32 pm to SteveLSU35
I believe Henry should have the right to say he was one of the top backs ever possibly 1.
Posted on 3/7/26 at 5:00 pm to Paul Allen
You're trolling, but I'll bite anyway. And this is just right now, with nothing else added to his resume.
quote:
1. Jim Brown
2. Walter Payton
3. Barry Sanders
4. Emmitt Smith debatable
5. LaDainian Tomlinson debatable
6. Eric Dickerson
7. Adrian Peterson
8. Marshall Faulk
9. Gale Sayers
10. O. J. Simpson
11. Tony Dorsett nope
12. Jerome Bettis nope
13. Franco Harris nope
14. Marcus Allen nope
15. Thurman Thomas LOL
16. Curtis Martin LOL
17. Edgerrin James LOL
18. Earl Campbell LOL putting EC this low
19. Roger Craig LOL
20. Terrell Davis LOL
Posted on 3/7/26 at 5:24 pm to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
Agree with everything you said.
Posted on 3/7/26 at 6:25 pm to deltadummy
quote:No.
4. Emmitt Smith debatable
5. LaDainian Tomlinson debatable
quote:Terrell Davis didn't have the longevity, but his run from 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998 was the best 4 year span a RB has ever had.
20. Terrell Davis LOL
6,413 yards
61 TD
ROY in 1995
SB Winner in 1997 and 1998
SB MVP in 1997
MVP in 1998
1st Team All-Pro in 1996, 1997 and 1998
Not to mention his playoff stats from 1996-1998:
8 games
1,140 yards
5.6 YPC
142.5 YPG
12 TD
Prime TD was the best a RB has ever been and I'll die on that hill.
ETA: Not to mention, this is when defenses actually ran true 43 and 34 defenses that were more focused on stopping the run.
This post was edited on 3/7/26 at 6:27 pm
Posted on 3/7/26 at 7:37 pm to SteveLSU35
Regardless of where you rank him, I am convinced that he is the very last running back that any DB would want to see running toward him.
Posted on 3/7/26 at 7:41 pm to Paul Allen
quote:
Paul Retard Allen Retard
Retard
Posted on 3/7/26 at 8:49 pm to RollTide1987
quote:
All of these are subjective. Not only that, it is much more difficult for a RB to be selected MVP in the modern game
This is where these debates do not make any sense. You say he's had a better career than Emmitt Smith. By what metric?
I've seen people over and over try to disparage Smith's career or point to his team, and try to diminish him. But as a Redskin fan, he was an unstoppable terror. They didn't win without him, and he was the key to everything they did.
Smith was a MVP. 3 Super Bowls (plus a SB MVP). 4x 1st team all-pro. He owns almost every career rushing record.
So how is Henry's career remotely better? Or is it just cause he's bigger?
Posted on 3/8/26 at 11:30 am to Paul Allen
Henry over Bettis, Martin, James, and much as it pains me to say it, Roger Craig.
We’ll never know what Sayers or Davis could have been without devastating injuries that derailed their record-breaking careers, and if Al Davis had actually used Marcus Allen during the prime of his career. But even with those “what ifs”, I’d say especially as a RB, Henry over those guys as well.
Sayers was great all around because of his kick returning abilities. That separates him from other RB greats that get mentioned.
We’ll never know what Sayers or Davis could have been without devastating injuries that derailed their record-breaking careers, and if Al Davis had actually used Marcus Allen during the prime of his career. But even with those “what ifs”, I’d say especially as a RB, Henry over those guys as well.
Sayers was great all around because of his kick returning abilities. That separates him from other RB greats that get mentioned.
Posted on 3/8/26 at 11:55 am to TTsTowel
TD's run was great, but he played 7 years, and you want to put him above Henry. What about someone with 3 great years? They go above Henry?
The arguments for/against Smith are well known, so, yes, it is debatable. Same for LT, though LT probably has a better case. Factoring in QBs and Oline probably does a good job of balancing out the defense slant you want to include. But the biggest flaw in your argument is you said there were 20 backs better, and half of those would not be on anyone's list of backs better than Henry. He's coming off two huge years at Balt at the age of 31/32. And he shows no signs of slowing down. There aren't 20 backs better than him. It's possible one could eek out an argument he's not top 10, but even that's thin ice.
The arguments for/against Smith are well known, so, yes, it is debatable. Same for LT, though LT probably has a better case. Factoring in QBs and Oline probably does a good job of balancing out the defense slant you want to include. But the biggest flaw in your argument is you said there were 20 backs better, and half of those would not be on anyone's list of backs better than Henry. He's coming off two huge years at Balt at the age of 31/32. And he shows no signs of slowing down. There aren't 20 backs better than him. It's possible one could eek out an argument he's not top 10, but even that's thin ice.
Posted on 3/8/26 at 12:11 pm to deltadummy
quote:
It's possible one could eek out an argument he's not top 10, but even that's thin ice.
When I try to think up Top 10 NFL backs without including Derrick Henry, I come up with a list that looks like, in no particular order:
Sanders
Payton
Simpson
Brown
Smith
Faulk
Tomlinson
Peterson
Dickerson
Allen/Dorsett
Earl Campbell was an absolute beast, but he fell off fast after seemingly just his 3rd or 4th season. His body was already wearing down from the pounding.
I can see Henry being amongst that Top 10-11 above. And another year or two like his previous two with Baltimore, and he’s banging on the Top 5-7 door.
Posted on 3/8/26 at 12:19 pm to TTsTowel
quote:So tell us how his production diminishes with larger, slower defenders.
He definitely benefitted from being an old school, power running back (with speed) against smaller, new-aged defenses but that can’t take away from what he’s done.
Posted on 3/8/26 at 1:11 pm to deltadummy
quote:Who’s career would you rather have?
TD's run was great, but he played 7 years, and you want to put him above Henry. What about someone with 3 great years? They go above Henry?
I know which career TD and DH would rather have.
Posted on 3/8/26 at 1:21 pm to TTsTowel
Y’all really give that much of a bump for a RB playing with prime HoF’s like Elway and Sharpe?
Don’t tell me the defense was great too.
Don’t tell me the defense was great too.
Posted on 3/8/26 at 3:44 pm to ReauxlTide222
TD is who got Denver over the hump. That was the best 4 year span a RB has ever had.
Posted on 3/8/26 at 3:51 pm to ReauxlTide222
quote:
Y’all really give that much of a bump for a RB playing with prime HoF’s like Elway and Sharpe?
While I don’t put TD over Henry in an all time NFL great ranking, because part of the equation is what is done over a career, I absolutely do think he would have been a 12k yard and 100 TD back if not for the knee injury(ies).
Posted on 3/8/26 at 4:08 pm to TTsTowel
quote:Meh
TD is who got Denver over the hump
quote:Henry has a similar 4 year span and also played more than those 4 years.
That was the best 4 year span a RB has ever had.
Posted on 3/8/26 at 4:17 pm to brmark70816
quote:
You say he's had a better career than Emmitt Smith.
I did not say this at all. The only thing I said is that he is currently Top 10 all-time. If he continues to put up 1,200-1,300 yards per season for the next two or three years he has a strong argument for Top 5 all-time. Not once did I ever say he has had a better career than Emmitt Smith. You either have me mistaken for someone else or are attempting to start something for no reason whatsoever.
This post was edited on 3/8/26 at 4:18 pm
Posted on 3/8/26 at 4:23 pm to TTsTowel
quote:
Who’s career would you rather have?
I know which career TD and DH would rather have.
I'm fairly certain I know which career Barry Sanders would have rather had, too. However, that doesn't make Terrell Davis a better running back than Barry Sanders. Davis was a great RB on a great team. Sanders was a great RB on a bad team.
Page 3 of 4
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News