Who are the Panthers all time running backs?

[RelaxImaPro]

Remember when Denver came out running a 4-4 defense because of DWill? Then Jake and Smitty lit them up... Smitty was around 120 yards by halftime. Then Denver tried to change up their defense, only for DWill to respond with a 56 yard run. I was laughing so hard that game.

 

eta: DWill's run against the Broncos is about at the  2 minute mark. That run killed any hopes the Broncos had in that game.

 

Man, watching that is so depressing.

 

I know a lot of credit goes to that o-line, but if we had THAT Double Trouble with Cam as our QB?  Lol... we'd have like the most dominant rushing attack in NFL history.

 

Matter of fact, just go ahead and put Cam on that 2008 team with prime Double Trouble and prime Smitty.  It'd be the best Panthers team of all time.

[TN05]

My personal favorites (based on on-field, running style, personal meetings, etc.)

1) Jonathan Stewart

2) Stephen Davis

3) Deshaun Foster

4) Deangelo Williams

5) Fred Lane

* Brad Hoover is my favorite fullback

How the actual fug do you have DeShaun Foster higher than DeAngelo Williams. Like, seriously, DeShaun Foster had about three times as many fumbles as touchdowns.

[Chimera]

If we were doing best Panthers running backs in the Playoffs, Deshaun Foster would be above Deangelo. But for the entirety of their careers, I'm not sure Stephen Davis even surpasses DWill. I mean, I know it's cool to hate on DWill at the moment, but honestly, which back has contributed more to the most wins?

[TN05]

Man, watching that is so depressing.

 

I know a lot of credit goes to that o-line, but if we had THAT Double Trouble with Cam as our QB?  Lol... we'd have like the most dominant rushing attack in NFL history.

 

Matter of fact, just go ahead and put Cam on that 2008 team with prime Double Trouble and prime Smitty.  It'd be the best Panthers team of all time.

We did have that Double Trouble with Cam in one season, 2011. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart played in every game, averaged 5.4 yards per carry, and they (along with Cam) both had over 700 yards apiece (Stewart actually had nearly 1,200 yards if you count receiving yards). We had the third-best rushing attack in the league, behind only Denver (whose offense consisted almost entirely of running since The Golden Calf of Bristol was the starter) and Houston (who had a very, very good Arian Foster/Ben Tate combo). As far as seasons go, that was a really good rushing season for us... the only problem was our defense was complete and utter garbage.

[Chimera]

We did have that Double Trouble with Cam in one season, 2011. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart played in every game, averaged 5.4 yards per carry, and they (along with Cam) both had over 700 yards apiece (Stewart actually had nearly 1,200 yards if you count receiving yards). We had the third-best rushing attack in the league, behind only Denver (whose offense consisted almost entirely of running since The Golden Calf of Bristol was the starter) and Houston (who had a very, very good Arian Foster/Ben Tate combo). As far as seasons go, that was a really good rushing season for us... the only problem was our defense was complete and utter garbage.

 

The defense as a whole wasn't bad. But Ken Lucas was the original Nakamura down the stretch. He gave up big play after big play after big play for weeks in the second half of the season. Remember the old "21 out of 22 starters returning" thing Hurney kept repeating that offseason? That 22nd guy was Lucas.

 

eta: DWill and JStew both had huge runs that were great for momentum, but led to the defense not getting a whole lot of rest on the sidelines

[RelaxImaPro]

We did have that Double Trouble with Cam in one season, 2011. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart played in every game, averaged 5.4 yards per carry, and they (along with Cam) both had over 700 yards apiece (Stewart actually had nearly 1,200 yards if you count receiving yards). We had the third-best rushing attack in the league, behind only Denver (whose offense consisted almost entirely of running since The Golden Calf of Bristol was the starter) and Houston (who had a very, very good Arian Foster/Ben Tate combo). As far as seasons go, that was a really good rushing season for us... the only problem was our defense was complete and utter garbage.

 

I remember 2011.  Hell, I even rewatched quite a few 2011 games not too long ago... but Double Trouble that year wasn't quite the same as from 2008.  Not even close really.

 

The whole first half of the season our running game was highly inconsistent, much like it was in 2012, 2013, and 2014.  We were still having tons of those "Deangelo runs for 0-2 yard" barely cracking the LOS drive killers.  The later part of the season really skews the overall numbers, where they started going off for ridiculous YPC - which, is also when we started really introducing the NFL to the read option.

 

Deangelo has had his moments here and there in the Cam era, but he started on a serious decline prior to the 2011 season, which coincidentally coincides with his ridiculous contract (got complacent maybe?).  Stew has largely still been Stew, just terribly unlucky.  Even in a lot of those 2011 games Stew was clearly outplaying Deangelo, but still sat behind him.

 

What I'm saying is if we had 2008 Deangelo (who was insanely productive and reliable) and Stewart along with Cam it would be something else.  In Cam's entire career here our running game has benefited from Cam far more than Cam has benefited from the running game.  

 

But yeah, overall it was pretty good in 2011.  By far the best it's been since Cam has been here, but it would've been a lot worse without Cam and his threat to run along with the then-new read option.

[Mol3m4n]

If we were doing best Panthers running backs in the Playoffs, Deshaun Foster would be above Deangelo. But for the entirety of their careers, I'm not sure Stephen Davis even surpasses DWill. I mean, I know it's cool to hate on DWill at the moment, but honestly, which back has contributed more to the most wins?

If we're going in that direction, then Stephen Davis is the man that always did it all for the Panthers. Williams pretty much had Stewart getting 40% of the touches his entire career. Davis was a workhorse where Deangelo is not.

[Chimera]

If we're going in that direction, then Stephen Davis is the man that always did it all for the Panthers. Williams pretty much had Stewart getting 40% of the touches his entire career. Davis was a workhorse where Deangelo is not.

 

Davis was no doubt a work horse. His career probably ended early because of it. 300 carries in a season is rough on one's body. This logic is supposedly what influenced us to draft Stewart in 2008.... so DWill would never endure that punishment.

 

At this point in Davis' career (age 31, like DWill is now) he was done. He was Stephen Jackson's backup in St. Louis. I don't think Williams fits our offensive scheme anymore. He doesn't run well from shotgun especially with no lead blocker. His career numbers have suffered since the Fox days because of that. I think if he winds up on a team that runs from such sets, he will prove to have much more left in the tank than what Davis had at this stage of his career.

[B.BERSIN]

DWill's 2008 season is a fuging MVP season.

[bigdog10]

Unfortunately, Williams name is tarnished around these parts due to the stupid amount of money Hurney gave him.

Williams is easily the greatest panther rb to ever do it. His 2008 season is among some of the best of all time, all the while splitting carries. Granted he is not the type of back to completely carry a workload and needed Stewart shouldering some of the load.

I hope Stewart can stay healthy and overtake him

[pantherclaw]

Fans think that good running backs are a dime a dozen.

If that was true, every team in the league would have talented RBs and their ofenses would be that much harder to stop.

I think a lot of Panther fans have gotten spoiled by having two of the best franchise backs on the roster for so long. So long, that they get dogged when they don't have the great seasons that we as Panther fans have honestly, come to expect.

I have not forgotten the ages the team has struggled finding good backs.

I hope that we never have to go through such ineptitude again.

[pantherclaw]

Their best years came on their rookie contracts, which were never extended early due to the CBA issues.

It's insane how badly they weren't being compensated for their great performance/production.

That's why i never had any issue with their big contracts. They earned them.

I know most don't agree, i don't care.

I do feel its time Williams contract returns to be more affordable, or be let go.

[Chimera]

I don't get the love affair for Fozzy Whitaker. He had that great run after the screen pass against Arizona, sure. That was a great play. But he had his time to shine against Cincinnati. The result? Cam ran for over 100.

 

I think he may be good in certain situations. I don't remember noticing him in pass protection, so maybe he did good there. But IIRC, good things happen when he catches a screen pass (against Cincy and I think against the Taints), so having him on the field on 3rd and long may work wonders.

 

I just wouldn't want to be going into any game with him as our feature back.

[RelaxImaPro]

Lol I'm kinda' surprised no one has said Cam Newton yet.

 

But seriously though... Cam is on pace to set every one of our team rushing records.

 

He's 101 first downs, 13 TDs and 4,200~ yards away from Deangelo's career totals.