Best Running Back in Colts history...

[RockThatBlue]

Who would you say was the best running back in Colts history?

[2006Coltsbestever]

I think most people will say James because he is our all-time leading rusher but I say Eric Dickerson is. Dickerson was our first player to really be a Star and put Indianapolis Colts Football on the map. We absolutely stunk our first 3 seasons here from 1984-1986 then the first season we got Dickerson we won the Division. Dickerson had his best seasons with the Rams but his first 3 seasons here he went over 1000 and led the league in rushing in 1988. I vote Dickerson!

[jimmy g]

I was going to say Lenny Moore, but you're  probably right about Dickerson.

 

Peyton had his best all round game when he had Edge, because the threat of run was there, and left his receivers open.

[COLTS449]

Man this is a tough one. It'd be between Trent Richardson and Donald Brown. Two 1st round picks that were well worth it.

 

But na LOL. He was before my time but Dickerson.

[NorthernBlue]

Eric Dickerson was a beast, but I really can't pick a guy who I never watched to be honest. Give me Edge. But both are beasts

[GoColtsWin]

Man, this thread is playing with my emotions lol! Dickerson is the reason I started Pop Warner ball back in the day. He was the "Man"in his prime, just like AP. Even have a Dickerson autographed HoF football I picked up the year he was inducted  But for my $$, EJ was one of the best "all around" running backs of all time. He's cut from the same cloth as the likes of Jim Brown. Before anyone bash's me for that last statement, let's not forget EJ took Browns record for most scrimmage yards. Which goes to show you how important moving the chains were to EJ's overall game. Not to leave out the likes of Lenny Moore, I just have a limited knowledge(but what I have read/seen of him, he was super fast and elusive). 

[jvan1973]

The Halloween 88 game was one of the most dominant performances by a running back in ever saw.     Dickerson was a beast.     But I'm going with edge.    He was here longer and is really only remembered as a Colt. 

[SteelDragon]

Marshall Faulk.

 

[2006Coltsbestever]

14 minutes ago, jvan1973 said:

The Halloween 88 game was one of the most dominant performances by a running back in ever saw.     Dickerson was a beast.     But I'm going with edge.    He was here longer and is really only remembered as a Colt. 

Yeah it was a toss up between Dickerson and Edge only because Edge had more longevity here and has more Yards in a Colts uniform but I went with Dickerson. He was our first real Star regarding INDIANAPOLIS Colts Football and he did have 3 Great seasons here, led the league in Rushing in 1988, oh yes the Halloween game too as you mentioned, and we stunk the 3 seasons prior to him being here. Then when he arrived we won the Division with really a mediocre team and inconsistent QB play.

[2006Coltsbestever]

13 minutes ago, SteelDragon said:

Marshall Faulk.

 

I was waiting for someone to say that. The forgotten RB!

[MPStack]

I have to go with the Edge. Enjoyed for a season or two the backfield of Curtis Dickey and Randy McMillian though. 

[SteelDragon]

39 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

I was waiting for someone to say that. The forgotten RB!

 

 

It is amazing that people forget Faulk is not only the 10th leading rusher of all-time(ahead of Edgerrin), but he also had nearly 6900 yards receiving(#1 among running backs). Best dual threat ever

[2006Coltsbestever]

41 minutes ago, SteelDragon said:

 

 

It is amazing that people forget Faulk is not only the 10th leading rusher of all-time(ahead of Edgerrin), but he also had nearly 6900 yards receiving(#1 among running backs). Best dual threat ever

I actually almost brought him up but I still thought Dickerson was our best here in Indianapolis. Faulk and Dickerson both were even better Rams players. If we could've had either for their whole career's that would've been entertaining. Regarding Edge, it sucks for him that the first season he isn't a Colt, we win the SB.

[Gavin]

Marshall Faulk. Don't remember Dickerson as a Colt. Became a Colts/football fan 1994 or 1995....A bit foggy as to which but earliest memory is of the Aaron Bailey drop vs the Steelers in '95 AFC Championship

[TheRustonRifle#7]

3 hours ago, MPStack said:

I have to go with the Edge. Enjoyed for a season or two the backfield of Curtis Dickey and Randy McMillian though. 

I watched them beat the Jets back in old Shea Stadium...was the only Colt fan there!

[TheRustonRifle#7]

It's tough because the question is subjective?

 

Is it the greatest that ever played in the NFL that also was a Colt? If so, Dickerson then with Faulk right behind him.

 

Or is it the greatest that played his greatest as a Colt? Then Faulk.

 

[shakedownstreet]

edge was a FREAK OF NATURE before he tore his ACL, and was very good afterwards

 

ACL wasn't something people came all the way back from like it is today

 

dicks was great, but not truly a colt. shortly after he left, he said the best thing about playing in indy was the privilege of playing with jeff george... meh

 

don't quite count faulk either. he was never a true run threat like dicks & edge were. plus there was some mutual bitterness

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 hour ago, TheRustonRifle#7 said:

It's tough because the question is subjective?

 

Is it the greatest that ever played in the NFL that also was a Colt? If so, Dickerson then with Faulk right behind him.

 

Or is it the greatest that played his greatest as a Colt? Then Faulk.

 

It's tough for me to judge anything before 1984 because I wasn't a diehard Colts fan until then and I was still pretty young, just entering my teens to where I really started to understand the game. So when it comes to Baltimore Colts history I really didn't follow it on an every day basis like I have after the move to Indianapolis in 1984. I never seen backs like Lenny Moore play live. I think between Dickerson and Faulk, to me Dickerson was important to the franchise because he was our first real SuperStar so I leaned toward Dickerson.  

[2006Coltsbestever]

3 hours ago, Gavin said:

Marshall Faulk. Don't remember Dickerson as a Colt. Became a Colts/football fan 1994 or 1995....A bit foggy as to which but earliest memory is of the Aaron Bailey drop vs the Steelers in '95 AFC Championship

One thing to remember as well, Faulk never led the league in Rushing in a Colts uniform and Dickerson did in 1988. Also, many may not remember this but before the 1995 Playoffs began Faulk got injured and didn't play in those Playoffs. We actually played great without him. (well he had 1 carry in those Playoffs)

[WarGhost21]

Honestly, I'd probably go with either the Edge or Dickerson, but in more recent times, you have to love what Addai did with the team, before injuries began to plague his career. He could have been right up there with those two names if he would have been hurt less often!

[JPFolks]

9 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

I think most people will say James because he is our all-time leading rusher but I say Eric Dickerson is. Dickerson was our first player to really be a Star and put Indianapolis Colts Football on the map. We absolutely stunk our first 3 seasons here from 1984-1986 then the first season we got Dickerson we won the Division. Dickerson had his best seasons with the Rams but his first 3 seasons here he went over 1000 and led the league in rushing in 1988. I vote Dickerson!

This sums it up....

[Smonroe]

Edge is the last great RB.  But since the OP didn't specify Indianapolis Colts, I'm giving a shout out to Lydell Mitchell.

 

Definitely not in the running, but one of my all time faves was Tom Matte.

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 hour ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

It's tough for me to judge anything before 1984 because I wasn't a diehard Colts fan until then and I was still pretty young, just entering my teens to where I really started to understand the game. So when it comes to Baltimore Colts history I really didn't follow it on an every day basis like I have after the move to Indianapolis in 1984. I never seen backs like Lenny Moore play live. I think between Dickerson and Faulk, to me Dickerson was important to the franchise because he was our first real SuperStar so I leaned toward Dickerson.  

*more important to the franchise was Dickerson. I couldn't edit above.

[2006Coltsbestever]

15 minutes ago, WarGhost21 said:

Honestly, I'd probably go with either the Edge or Dickerson, but in more recent times, you have to love what Addai did with the team, before injuries began to plague his career. He could have been right up there with those two names if he would have been hurt less often!

I thought the combo of he and Rhodes were Good in 2006. They both together made up for Edge no longer being here.

[JPFolks]

6 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

I thought the combo of he and Rhodes were Good in 2006. They both together made up for Edge no longer being here.

You know getting rid of Edge was very much like a Patriot's move.. We got rid of him just before he tailed off talent wise.  Sad, but a good choice.  Faulk was the opposite, but they got James so it was a bit of a wash, though imagine if we'd kept Faulk and drafted another star in the first round instead.   

[Coltsfan1953]

Allen "Horse" Ameche, I just recently read a biography on him and he was a great running back even though he was a fullback. In his time, the fullback was the star running back.

[TheRustonRifle#7]

17 minutes ago, Coltsfan1953 said:

Allen "Horse" Ameche, I just recently read a biography on him and he was a great running back even though he was a fullback. In his time, the fullback was the star running back.

 

18 minutes ago, Coltsfan1953 said:

Allen "Horse" Ameche, I just recently read a biography on him and he was a great running back even though he was a fullback. In his time, the fullback was the star running back.

Ameche and Moore are all time greats who I unfortunately didn't have the chance to see as they played before my time. I based my answers on who I actually saw play...and with that said, in regards to when the Colts played in Baltimore, Lydell Mitchell gets the nod...

[Colttodd18]

Dickerson. I loved his running style. He would get super low to the gound as he went through the hole. Then he would raise his head like a stallion as he shifted into another gear. 

Edge would be second. I loved the way he could always gain another 2-4 yards as he went down. 

Dicky and McMillian were our best one two punch back in the day. I use to love going to Memorial stadium with my dad to watch those two run. 

[Buddy Lee]

7 hours ago, MPStack said:

I have to go with the Edge. Enjoyed for a season or two the backfield of Curtis Dickey and Randy McMillian though. 

My all-time favorite red zone play inside the 5 on offense was a pitch to Curtis Dickey and a race to what is now the pylon. It got to the point that it was very predictable, except whether to the left or right, yet I never saw it fail. Dickey was the CKY2K of his time in terms of speed.

[jimmy g]

2 hours ago, Coltsfan1953 said:

Allen "Horse" Ameche, I just recently read a biography on him and he was a great running back even though he was a fullback. In his time, the fullback was the star running back.

I watched the 58 game on Baltimore tv. I was 4.

 

Oh, if our line could block like that now...  ( Alan Ameche scoring, and that's Lenny Moore blocking on the left.)

 

[jimmy g]

Look at that blocking! 

 

http://goldenrankings.com/nflchampionshipgame1958.html

[Ja'Crispy]

James Mungro!

 

But seriously, I go with Edge. I think he would have been one of the greatest of all time if not for his injury. I also give him the edge, yeah I said it, over Faulk because he was here longer. I also always think of Dickerson as a Ram, not a Colt. 

[Carlos Danger]

I'd go with James... He didnt have the best career of all of the RBs mentioned, but he did the vast majority of his damage with the Colts.

HOF caliber back who could do it all describes a few Colts RBs, but Edge is my personal fav.

[ColtsFanMikeC]

17 hours ago, RockThatBlue said:

Who would you say was the best running back in Colts history?

 

I would say as far as talented RB's who have played for the Colts go it would  be:

(1) Faulk

(2) Dickerson

(3) Edge

(4) Frank Gore

 

As far as which RB meant the most to the Colts, I'd say it goes to Edge because of the duration he played here and because he really helped establish our identity.  If you remember in Peyton's retirement speech -- he said a defining moment for the Colts was in 1999, when they finally got broadcasted by John Madden and Pat Somerall and they beat the Cowboys (including Troy Aikman, Emmett Smith, and MIchael Irvin) -- he said 'we beat the Cowboys that week, and we let the world know that the Colts had arrived.  Make no mistake about it, we were coming and we went on to do some phenomenal things...."

 

That, to me, was a defining moment in Colts' history, we just ousted the famous 'triplets' with our own triplets.  In that game, Edge rushed for 117 yards and a TD plus he had 7 receptions for 92 yards -- Marvin had 6 receptions for 85 yards and a TD. 

 

To me -- from that point until Edge left the organization, we were defined and feared because of our 'triplets.'

 

FYI if you go to around 3:45 and watch from there, you'll see what I am talking about in his speech--

 

[JRnINDY]

Quick29

[jimmy g]

And speaking of a Colts Best Ever :

 

That picture I posted above of the line; Number 77 standing up Giants 76 is Jim Parker.  Colts retired number, NFL Hall of Famer, and the Best Lineman to ever pull on a Colts Jersey...

[Combsey]

Definitely Faulk or Dickerson 

[fatboy]

I never fully appreciated ole Goggle Eyes when he was a Ram.  Only when I saw him in Indy did I understand the greatness of Dickerson.  Some of his better runs were making a few yards when a mere mortal would have lost ground; a marvel to watch.  He was the player the Colts needed for sheer credibility at the right time.  We refer to LOF as the house that Peyton built; without ED, I'm not sure the a Colts survive in Indy. 

[MTC]

Eric Dickerson > Marshall Faulk

[crazycolt1]

1 hour ago, MTC said:

Eric Dickerson > Marshall Faulk

Colts history, not NFL history. Just saying.