CAN Reggie Bush Turn This Whole Team Around???

[MorKnolle]

If they still had Earl Campbell (the one reason the Oilers were able to turn it around...right?), what does it matter that all that other stuff happened? They still had Campbell but never returned to the playoffs after his third season.

If he couldn't produce "behind that line", then you're saying the OL is just as important as the RB (or that a great RB is useless behind a bad OL). If the defense fell into the bottom half of the league, then obviously it's important that they carry their weight as well.

Bottom line, I don't care how great one player is (I put Earl up there with Jim Brown as the greatest RB ever), by himself he's not enough to carry a team. Funny that you mentioned Barry Sanders along with Earl. He never won a championship either.

And back on topic, good luck convincing me Bush is anything close to Earl Campbell.

1) I wasn't an Oilers fan so I don't know, but if Campbell couldn't ever get the Oilers back into the playoffs after his third year then why is it people are expecting Bush to turn the Texans around like Campbell did for the Oilers?
2) I definitely consider Barry Sanders and Walter Payton the best RBs ever, Brown and Campbell can fall in close behind, but the "best ever" status stays with Sanders and Payton in my books. You are entitled to your opinion though.

 

[Porky]

If they still had Earl Campbell (the one reason the Oilers were able to turn it around...right?), what does it matter that all that other stuff happened? They still had Campbell but never returned to the playoffs after his third season.

If he couldn't produce "behind that line", then you're saying the OL is just as important as the RB (or that a great RB is useless behind a bad OL). If the defense fell into the bottom half of the league, then obviously it's important that they carry their weight as well.

Bottom line, I don't care how great one player is (I put Earl up there with Jim Brown as the greatest RB ever), by himself he's not enough to carry a team. Funny that you mentioned Barry Sanders along with Earl. He never won a championship either.

And back on topic, good luck convincing me Bush is anything close to Earl Campbell.

To answer your questions - Because after three years, Earl had the wear and tear of a 10-12 yr vet. The fact of the matter is he was a HUGE part of the team going to the AFC Championship game twice in a row, and if they hadn't run into a brickwall Steel Curtain team, they may have gotten two Superbowl rings. If you think this is pure coincedence, then we will just agree to disagree. Do you honestly think if you put the 1980 version of Dominick Davis on that team, that they would have made it to the AFC Championship? Sure, the defense played a part in those glory years as well, and that fell on hard times too, just about the time that Earl fell apart. My wife has had the pleasure of meeting Earl at a few charity events. According to her, he has the body of an old man. He took an increbible pounding in a very short amount of time. This is all well documented. OTOH, some RB's have very good longetivity - Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith come to mind, among others. Can Bush, or any one single player win by himself? Of course not. Look at Barry Sanders. But put a "Barry Sanders" on a team, and build properly around him, and the team would be unstoppable. Detroit has had nothing but futility for 50 some odd years. Other than the recent success of NE, most teams that have gone deep into the playoffs have had very successful running games, and/or top notch skill position people. The lunch pail types are critical to being successful over the long term (see NE) but without the superstars, it's hard to go all the way. There is also something to be said for the sheer joy in watching an electrifying player do his thing.

 

[Huge]

I guess that explains Earl's 1,300 yard, 14 TD season in '83 then. That'd make him about a 15 year vet by then.

And I never said he wasn't an enormous part of the Oilers' success. Most of which can be attributed to Earl. But that's not what was said.

THIS IS FOOTBALL. No one player can turn a team around. Can they add some excitement yes. J. Mathis has done that but can he make the D tackle someone NO can he make the -line have an O at the beginning of it. NO.

Bush and any other player can make us better but no one player will turn us around.

Ever heard of Earl Campbell?

See the difference?

I don't think there's any question that Reggie Bush could be a part of a turn-around in Houston (but still not contribute to one as much as Earl did). But no one player is going to do it by himself without a strong supporting cast.