The Silver Lining From Today's Cloud

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

Jacobs is better, Barber is better, Westbrook is better.

Westbrook can't get a short yardage run...that's not based in reality. You don't have to look any further than today, but if you choose to, he's got incredible statistical splits in every situation. He's just a great player, probably the best RB in the conference.

Barber is just really, really good. Probably the 2nd best running back in the conference. Great vision, runs hard, great receiving skills. You can't really argue that Portis is a better running back than those two.

Now, Jacobs is the most controversial, but based on what he's done so far this year, he is very clearly better than Portis. He's still got a long way to go to establish himself as an elite back, but right now I would say he's running better than Portis. Jacobs is having a great, great year so long as hes been healthy. Much better than Portis, thus far. We'll see if I'm right on this one. One thing is for sure, the Giants running game over the past few years has been much better than ours.

None of those guys you named are running behind an O-line that lost two starters on one side.

[GusFrerotte]

Originally Posted by SouperMeister

None of those guys you named are running behind an O-line that lost two starters on one side.

Good point, but guess what? Those guys are gone so we have to deal with it and hope the backups play good ball. Hopefully next season they will be back 100% and we can give it another go.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by SouperMeister

None of those guys you named are running behind an O-line that lost two starters on one side.

O-line or not, the success is still there. Fabini and Wade are comparable to the players who are starters on those lines anyway, so the point is moot.

The point is that they are all better runners, more powerful, more elusive etc. I'm merely pointing this out, not suggesting something ridiculous. Year in and year out (save Jacobs, who is in his first year as a starter), those guys have consistently higher YPC than Portis.