Adrian Peterson was great. But was he better than LaDainian Tomlinson?

[basketball reasons]

Nope. LTs one of the most versatile backs ever. AD was a one trick pony who fumbled alot. Not even close really

 

[NYC Rebel]

Nope. LTs one of the most versatile backs ever. AD was a one trick pony who fumbled alot. Not even close really

One trick ponies don't own the NFL record for most 50 yard runs, single game rushing record and second most rushing yards in a season.

That "one trick" is a more dominant quality than LT displayed in any one area

 

[Remote]

You call it "held back." If someone owns the NFL record for most 50 yard runs, you keep him in the backfield

LT and Marshall Faulk were in the backfield every bit as much as Peterson. That's where they all start the play.

They just sometimes left the backfield to benefit their team in other ways.

Only on the coli is does this seem to be a detriment or mean that you're less of a RB.

 

[Th3G3ntleman]

Since I never really answered the question I guess it depends on the criteria. Who is the better player? I feel like Ladainian is demonstratively better in more aspects of the game of football than Peterson so in my eyes that makes him the clear better player.

Who is the better running back? Hmm that's the more alluring debate at least to me. I feel like because L.T did so many things well we tend to downplay just how good a runner he was. He was the definitive 2000's cutback runner in my opinion...he set up blocks really well and would jump and hit that shyt hard as good as any back I've ever seen. AD on the other hand is the most physical runner in my generation (90s) just straight up punishing defenders in ways we ain't really seen(I didn't get to watch Earl Campbell). He was also more explosive than L.T although I think in straight line speed in their primes L.T was faster but in terms of just the burst I think AD got it.

So I dunno I think the eye test will probably swing Petersons way because he has more explosive runs but I feel like if you watched L.T play an adequate number of times you'd see that he was really gifted as just a pure runner himself.

 

[Remote]

I can't with the football acumen on here sometimes.

He has more 50 yard runs than almost every pass receiver has receiving plays and an offense is supposed to have him out catching swing passes? Why...to prove some point?

If you have a HR threat at any given moment out of the backfield, you keep him there

I like this baseball analogy.
Let's expand on this.

Do you want the .260 hitter who hits 50 homers or do you want the .315 hitter who hits 30 homers and 40 doubles?

 

[Raquinotj]

LT was a p*ssy who would back out of Big Games. Let's not Forget

The Original LeVeon Bell.

 

[I AM WARHOL]

Just gonna say Jamaal Charles is the most underrated back in NFL history. That is all

 

[NYC Rebel]

I like this baseball analogy.
Let's expand on this.

Do you want the .260 hitter who hits 50 homers or do you want the .315 hitter who hits 30 homers and 40 doubles?

Don't care for the baseball analogy honestly.

The football acumen on the board is trash for the most part. You keep a long TD threat from the backfield in the backfield and build around it. You don't throw passes and all that. It's akin to slighting Bo for not cataching passes. Why should he? To prove a point?

 

[who_better_than_me]

I'd call them "good but not great"

Anyway, whatever your view on those seasons, note that 1999 marked Emmitt's age 30 season, and note that the next year was the last time he averaged over 4 yards per carry.

The point is, running backs have always declined substantially by the time they are around 30 years old.

That was also during the time we started our quarterback carousel which probably correlated with his "falloff"

 

[Curtis Nightfish]

Not a bad question.

I would go with LT. I think Adrian might have been blessed with more god given talent but LT was one of the most versatile running backs to ever play the game. Case in point: one season early in his career he rushed for over 1600 yards and 100 receptions.

On another note, I think its utterly disgusting how people who supposedly watch sports dismiss LaDainian's career
- 5th all time leading rusher
- 3rd in overall touchdowns scored (behind Jerry and Emmitt)
- 2nd all time in Rush TDs
- 7th all time in all purpose yards
- MVP
- Most touchdowns scored in a Season (31)

 

[yseJ]

I can't with the football acumen on here sometimes.

He has more 50 yard runs than almost every pass receiver has receiving plays and an offense is supposed to have him out catching swing passes? Why...to prove some point?

If you have a HR threat at any given moment out of the backfield, you keep him there

while I cant agree with him I cant fully agree with you either...

when theres a pass play youre not handing the ball off to the RB. the RB has to block, have a designed route or just a simple checkdown. and being a dangerous receiver out of the backfield actually helps out a ton against 8 or 9 man fronts.

for a lot of his career AD was marginal at best at those things and Vikes were choosing other backs on third and longs over AD and defenses fear of AD running the ball.

now obviously it was the right idea to maximize what AD did best, but it's hardly a justification for things he wasn't so good at. thats like saying Jerry Rice wasnt a good jumpball guy because he was killer on posts and other precise routes. I mean, yeah he was killer on post routes and timing slants and all that, but he also just wasnt that great of a jumpball receiver, lacking lot of height or crazy hops

 

[Absolut da poet ®]

LT

 

[Rekkapryde]

Contrarian for no reason. Imagine what AD would have done with that HOF line

 

[Deus]

Tiki Barber

Made his team better on and off the field





LT was the better overall player by FAR

 

[Versa]

I feel like this is saying "Greg Maddux is the better pitcher but Nolan Ryan has the better fastball"

Just wanted to interrupt this debate to say that this was a terrible analogy to LT vs AP.

AP was a better running back than Ryan was a pitcher, and to dumb down AP's greatness as to just having a better "fastball" than LT is reaching hard AF.

His job through his career was to run, not catch or be "well-rounded". He did the RUNNING part of being a RUNNING back better than LT did. He was never asked to be an all purpose guy but I'm sure he could have been a receiving back if he played with the personnel that allowed him to do so in spurts (IE like LT did with Drew fukking Brees and Phillip fukking Rivers).

They were both great players. Stop being weird just because you disagree about AP getting as many votes as he is.