Okay, so I’ve been digging into the New England Patriots’ history, specifically their running backs. It’s a fun rabbit hole to go down, man.
I started by just listing out names that came to mind. Jim Nance, Sam Cunningham, Corey Dillon… Then I figured I should probably have some stats to back up my choices, right? So I started looking up their rushing yards, touchdowns, the whole nine yards.
First I pulled up some articles, you know the usual “Top 5” lists and stuff. Found out that Sam “Bam” Cunningham is the Patriots’ all-time leading rusher. I saw his name pop up in almost every other website, so I think, “Well, there’s one for the list!” But it can’t just be about the numbers, can it? There’s gotta be more to the story. Then I found another one. Guess what? He is James White, who played for New England Patriots between 2014 and 2021. I mean, I did not see him as one of the best. Maybe I am wrong. Or not?
I started thinking about how important each player was to the team during their time. Like, were they the main guy, or more of a role player? Did they have any big moments in important games? I remembered some awesome runs by Corey Dillon in the early 2000s, so I dug deeper into that era.
Here’s where things got tricky:
- Some guys, like Kevin Faulk, were more known for their receiving skills out of the backfield. How do you compare that to a pure rusher?
- Then there’s the whole longevity versus peak performance thing. Do you go with someone who was consistently good for a long time, or someone who had a shorter but maybe more dominant run?
- And what about those guys who were great, but maybe didn’t have the best offensive lines in front of them? How much does that factor in?
I spent a good chunk of time just watching old game highlights. It’s crazy to see how much the game has changed over the years. Those old-school running backs were tough as nails, man. And the way they used to block back then…wild!
Anyway, after all this, I’ve got a much better appreciation for the history of Patriots running backs. It is tough to pick only one guy as the best one, but the two of them, Sam Cunningham and James White are great players who played for Patriots. It’s a lot harder than I thought it would be, and it’s a debate that could go on forever! I am planning to make a list for my blog. I will keep you updated.
