LaDainian Tomlinson - going downhill? - Page 2

tjsunstein · 11-16-2008, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CC.SD

I'm sorry I told myself I was going to stay out of this thread, but this is just revisionist history.

LT has been setting records since 2001. I don't know if you're watching Charger games but the blocking hasn't been there, and the defense couldn't get off the field if it was on fire (which it might be by our next home game).

To lump him in with any one-shot wonder is just plain dumb. To put "best" in quotes...also dumb. As much as I pride myself on sarcasm I usually make it a point to avoid anything personal or actually insulting.

The casual fan wondering "LT might be slowing done" or "LT is having a bad year," that's okay with me. Everyone is entitled to their opnion.

But when the line gets crossed to "LT was never that great, he fizzled out fast", that is straight up stupid.

and now it's time to get drunk. I suspect threads like this will be popping up for the rest of the season, so I've gotta pace myself. :D

This made me chuckle, as wrong and heartless as it was.

BamaFalcon59 · 11-16-2008, 07:33 PM

Tomlinson will be fine. Great runningbacks don't slow down till 32 or 33. LT is a great runningback. He will have another two twelve hundred yard seasons after this one, at minimum.

Paranoidmoonduck · 11-16-2008, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RavenOfProphecy

Tomlinson doesn't look tough or quick at all this year, which is what happened to Shaun Alexander immediately preceding his free fall. LaDainian: stop whining about being nicked up - we're past halfway into the year, every player is nicked up. Deal with it.

The difference is that Shaun Alexander was never particularly tough or quick. LaDainian Tomlinson is the best runner the NFL has seen since Sanders retired.

Tailbacks are unpredictable guys. I know I'm not the only one who thought Joe Gibbs was going to grind the explosiveness out of Clinton Portis. If the San Diego offense gels just right in 2009, I think Tomlinson is going to put together a really nice year.

LonghornsLegend · 11-16-2008, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Number 10

With that said, San Diego needs to get a compliment RB back there other than Sproles.

That's all I think it is, put another nice compliment back there even if you have to spend an early pick, forget trying to give him 30 touches a game...I bet they wish they could of kept Turner around a little longer though.

I don't think he's done though, I think after an off-season and time to heal he will bounce back and produce, no where near breaking records but he will be a solid back, he still looks explosive to me but he just cannot cut the same.

Mr. Stiller · 11-16-2008, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmy

wouldn't that increase his carries and time on the field?
and its not liek he's not getting carries, he's 9th in the league in touches

Yeah, it would increase his carries/time on the field. Which generates more opportunities. They'd also be able to build off the play action if they held the ball a little bit more.

I think SD has been playing behind a lot this season but I could be mistaken.

The Legend · 11-16-2008, 10:58 PM

I do wonder if they got the number one overall pick for him would they trade him to the Lions.

Ward · 11-16-2008, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CC.SD

I'm sorry I told myself I was going to stay out of this thread, but this is just revisionist history.

LT has been setting records since 2001. I don't know if you're watching Charger games but the blocking hasn't been there, and the defense couldn't get off the field if it was on fire (which it might be by our next home game).

To lump him in with any one-shot wonder is just plain dumb. To put "best" in quotes...also dumb. As much as I pride myself on sarcasm I usually make it a point to avoid anything personal or actually insulting.

The casual fan wondering "LT might be slowing done" or "LT is having a bad year," that's okay with me. Everyone is entitled to their opnion.

But when the line gets crossed to "LT was never that great, he fizzled out fast", that is straight up stupid.

and now it's time to get drunk. I suspect threads like this will be popping up for the rest of the season, so I've gotta pace myself. :D

There's sort of a straw man thing going on here and I feel like I need to defend myself from your... defense.

My point was that it's hard to stay on top. I wasn't putting LT down, but just propping my old favorite 22 up. LT has done a lot of great things, and wasn't a "one year wonder" and I don't think I implied as much. But I do think that there's a clear pattern of halfbacks having big drop offs, and rightfully so. It's a physical, injury-prone position. I love LT, he's a Texas guy deep down so I had no intention of throwing any hate out there.

Vox Populi · 11-17-2008, 12:16 AM

LT was looking good a couple times today and running well. Unfortunately the rest of the carries gained nothing or lost yardage. I remember today on the go ahead drive before Pitt came back and on the first couple carries he saw in the second quarter he was running well and there was actually room to run up front. LT is still probably the best back in the league when it comes to patience, vision and following his blockers, unfortunately though, his style relies too much on his blockers and cutting back into lanes that don't exist when he starts his break, so he hasn't been as effective this year with the play of his line and the foot injury. The thing that really stood out to me today though that sold me on LT not truly being done and it being largely to the play of the offensive line, at one point he was 7 carries for 20 yards, then 9 carries for 35 yards and then 15 carries for 36 yards during the game. LT's running is fine still, but he doesn't have the ability to create something out of nothing like he used to. He might not be THE BEST, but he is still in the top ten for sure.

illmatic74 · 11-17-2008, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BamaFalcon59

Tomlinson will be fine. Great runningbacks don't slow down till 32 or 33. LT is a great runningback. He will have another two twelve hundred yard seasons after this one, at minimum.

RBS usually wear down at 29.

BamaFalcon59 · 11-17-2008, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by illmatic74

RBS usually wear down at 29.

I said great ones.

Menardo75 · 11-18-2008, 12:41 AM

Watching him play he is not the same guy. I don't know why, it could be for a lot of different reasons. Right now though he is not the same.

Zyro_1014 · 11-18-2008, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Menardo75

Watching him play he is not the same guy. I don't know why, it could be for a lot of different reasons. Right now though he is not the same.

LT makes some of the best cuts you see in the game today, and an injury on the toe like he has had this year will limit those abilities to make the types of runs we are so used to see him make....he'll be fine

Menardo75 · 11-18-2008, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zyro_1014

LT makes some of the best cuts you see in the game today, and an injury on the toe like he has had this year will limit those abilities to make the types of runs we are so used to see him make....he'll be fine

Yeah im not making a decision on anything right now. Next year all the questions will be answered.

Zyro_1014 · 11-18-2008, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Menardo75

Yeah im not making a decision on anything right now. Next year all the questions will be answered.

yeah we will see what happens when hes back to 100% again.

you need to update your sig....niners are 3-7 now bro ;)

oh yeah that quote in your sig is HILARIOUS! touche my friend lol

Menardo75 · 11-18-2008, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zyro_1014

yeah we will see what happens when hes back to 100% again.

you need to update your sig....niners are 3-7 now bro ;)

oh yeah that quote in your sig is HILARIOUS! touche my friend lol

It really is timeless.

jth1331 · 11-18-2008, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BamaFalcon59

Tomlinson will be fine. Great runningbacks don't slow down till 32 or 33. LT is a great runningback. He will have another two twelve hundred yard seasons after this one, at minimum.

Its really around 30. And even then, most hardly ever produced what they did in their prime. They all had "average" type years, and then really trailed off to nowhere.

LonghornsLegend · 11-18-2008, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jth1331

Its really around 30. And even then, most hardly ever produced what they did in their prime. They all had "average" type years, and then really trailed off to nowhere.

It doesn't matter, this is the first season he's had to play through an injury, it's unfair to say he's not going to be a great back anymore because everyone is judging his play through this injury.

You don't get the injury pass forever, if he's banged up all next year then it's a legitimate question, but even though he got hurt in the playoffs last year this is the first season he's had to play through an injury...He's still looked good to me out there, he's just doesn't have the same explosiveness or agility with that toe injury, and no one would.

Look at Darren McFadden, he has toe injuries and it makes him look slow and pedestrian, but he's 22 years old so nobody would think twice about it.

ChezPower4 · 11-18-2008, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LonghornsLegend

Look at Darren McFadden, he has toe injuries and it makes him look slow and pedestrian, but he's 22 years old so nobody would think twice about it.

That is a very bad arguement, McFadden is like you said 22 and LT is now 30. him being 30 may be what causing his injuries. Hard to say for sure because LT has not been known to have lot of injuries buy you can't rule out the fact that he's 30 and his health may now be suffering because of that.

BamaFalcon59 · 11-18-2008, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jth1331

Its really around 30. And even then, most hardly ever produced what they did in their prime. They all had "average" type years, and then really trailed off to nowhere.

I said 'great'.

Walter Peyton from the age 30-32 averaged 1,522 yards per year.

Barry Sanders had 2,053 yards at age 29, 1,491 at age 30, his last year in the league.

Emmitt Smith had five seasons of at least 900 yards rushing after he turned 30.

And so on.

detknowitall · 11-18-2008, 02:17 PM

He's not going downhill, he's having a rough year recovering from an injury that hurt him all last season. The whole Chargers team is having a bad year.

Menardo75 · 11-18-2008, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by detknowitall

He's not going downhill, he's having a rough year recovering from an injury that hurt him all last season. The whole Chargers team is having a bad year.

Thats a good point L.T. is having a down year just like the rest of the Chargers besides Rivers, who is having his best. If L.T. is playing like this next year I think there is a valid argument for him being worn down. I feel like a lot of it has to do with the loss of Lorenzo Neal. Also the O-line has not been as dominant as it has been.

jth1331 · 11-18-2008, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BamaFalcon59

I said 'great'.

Walter Peyton from the age 30-32 averaged 1,522 yards per year.

Barry Sanders had 2,053 yards at age 29, 1,491 at age 30, his last year in the league.

Emmitt Smith had five seasons of at least 900 yards rushing after he turned 30.

And so on.

They sure show signs of decline though. And Emmit Smith is by far the best example of that decline. His last 5 years in the league were average at best for a RB in the league. That is the best example of showing how a RB starts to hit a wall when he hits 30.
Sure, guys can be "successful" for a couple years after, but thats it, they are finished.
LT is on the decline. Saying otherwise IMO is showing ignorance.

bantx · 11-18-2008, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jth1331

They sure show signs of decline though. And Emmit Smith is by far the best example of that decline. His last 5 years in the league were average at best for a RB in the league. That is the best example of showing how a RB starts to hit a wall when he hits 30.
Sure, guys can be "successful" for a couple years after, but thats it, they are finished.
LT is on the decline. Saying otherwise IMO is showing ignorance.

Saying LT is on the decline a season with injuries no LoNeal and line not performing is showing ignorance. Wait till next season to say hes on the decline.

LonghornsLegend · 11-18-2008, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jth1331

They sure show signs of decline though. And Emmit Smith is by far the best example of that decline. His last 5 years in the league were average at best for a RB in the league. That is the best example of showing how a RB starts to hit a wall when he hits 30.
Sure, guys can be "successful" for a couple years after, but thats it, they are finished.
LT is on the decline. Saying otherwise IMO is showing ignorance.

Emmitt got nearly 300 carries at 35 years old, over 1000 total yards and 9 TD's when he was 35 years old while averaging 3.5 YPC, just for reference in 96' he averaged 3.7, and majority of his years he produced 1200 yards.

Emmitt is a bad example, first off everyone's stats decline to an extent with old age, to not expect that to happen otherwise with LT is ridiculous...Look at Emmitt's stats after the 95 season, he was coming off two back to back 25+ TD campaigns, and he never saw more then 13 rushing TD's again in his career...But he sustained his career and was consistently a solid back which is what I think LT will continue to be...Emmitt produced 3 1000 yd seasons and 2 900+ yard seasons after he turned 30, if LT can produce solid seasons like that he could end up the all-time leading rusher, decline or no decline.

Bruce Banner · 11-18-2008, 08:27 PM

Emmitt had the best o-line evar!