R.Grant pics and video from Seahawk game

[vince]

He's certainly been on par with Tomlinson at least. A 1500-yard season (had Grant played all season) is nothing to downplay for sure, no matter what team you're playing on. You can say what you want to about whether the the Packers use the pass to set up the run or the run to set up the pass, I'd say defenses are going to try to stop the run first either way. With as much criticism as the Packers run blocking has sustained, it makes his achievements this year even more poignant.

Impressive company for guy who makes the league minimum. I don't know what Tomlinson's contract looks like but I bet Grant will never command the salary that Tomlinson does - particularly if he's signed to a long-term deal this offseason.

In today's NFL, Ryan Grant is perhaps the ideal running back to have. Great acceleration, great vision, great body lean, great attitude, great intelligence, very good speed, hard downhill runner, big and strong, hard worker, and just as important, not flashy.

[4and12to12and4]

Who the hell said he wasn't the real deal? I said he was the real deal months ago. Most of you were late on the bandwagon.

While we're at it, Grant is much more "productive" than LaDainian Tomlinson also.

If you thought he was better than Jackson in the first half of the season, then Kudos to you. I rode the Jackson bandwagon all year, and am still on it, I think they can both work together in the backfield keeping each other fresh, I still think Jackson is a very good back.

The reason why you and Vince are not seeing eye to eye is that you watch LT and AP run and say "wow" because of their ability to stop on a dime, cut, and contort their bodies in ways that are 'Barryesk' and I admire them too. I am a very late bandwagon jumper for Grant because he "isnt" spectacular as far as his moves are concerned, but what pack4to84, vince, and I are saying is that Marcus Allen wasn't like that either. A perfect example of another back that isn't spectacular looking is Shaun Alexander. He runs upright and seems slow, yet is much faster than he looks and makes people miss with very slight movement and fluidity. To watch him, he seems rather average, yet he was, in his prime, as good as anyone in the league. My god, he rushed for 30+ TD's in a season. Only LT had a better scoring year.

So, we are just dissecting why Grant seems to have that same ability. He is as productive as AP and LT and according to the evidence in this thread, maybe more productive then both, yet doesn't have the flashy moves, so does that make him a lesser talent? I say no, he just has different talents.

The ability to make smaller running adjustments at full speed is in some ways harder than the stop and cut and have to start up again, because he is always going forward. LT and guys like that lose a lot of yardage stopping and restarting (Bush is the worst at that).

Grant almost never dances around in the backfield and that is why I think he is as good as them. I didn't see it at first because it's not flashy, but we can't just ignore his numbers and think he's benefitting from our offense. That's just not so. It's obvious that he has special talent and great vision and speed. That's why this thread was started, to explore the "why" in his productivity. So, you kind of are saying you think he isn't the real deal if you say he is getting his numbers because of Favre and think that these other backs are so much better than him. Aren't you?

[4and12to12and4]

Just another thought. Guys like Barry Sanders and LT get all the media attention because they are fun to watch as they stop and start and spin and cut on a dime, etc. However, the "Bushes" of the world lose a lot of yardage and have many bad games due to that fact. Also, they are a liability in the red zone, with maybe LT being the exception, because they aren't north-south runners. Coaches tend to call on the McAllisters, the Brandon Jacobs, the (whoever was backing up Barry all those years) in goal line situations because of their liability. Grant, however, is the perfect style runner on 3rd and short and goal line situations BECAUSE of his running style. So, does that make him not as talented? I think it makes him multi-dimensional and worth more than they. He just won't make as many highlight reels, but he sure will make defenders respect the running game in those situations, making the play-action work!!