Darren McFadden

[Smashmouth]

Constantly prefacing every post with "when healthy" doesn't help his case. Most of the people complaining about him said he couldn't run hard and hold up. That he would be more of a change of pace back and would have to share carries. That would be fine, but you usually want more from the #4 overall. McFadden is having a nice season so far, but he's already missed a couple of games. All of you guys blaming the Raiders for DMC not doing anything until now should look at Michael Bush. He has been around the same amount of time and has put up similar if slightly better numbers. Is Michael Bush "an absolute BEAST"?

Very well said.

I always try and evaluate players in the NFL when it comes to soild opponents and playoff performance due to the fact so many players compile stats vs doormats. So you have some players who put up big numbers but come playoff time they fold, it happens in every sport. The truly great ones rise to the occasion when MR DMC shreads the Jets or Steelers or Ravens or Titans then give me a call. Sure alot has to do with the team but plenty of players have done well on crappy teams so thats no excuse.

[SenorGato]

Constantly prefacing every post with "when healthy" doesn't help his case. Most of the people complaining about him said he couldn't run hard and hold up. That he would be more of a change of pace back and would have to share carries. That would be fine, but you usually want more from the #4 overall. McFadden is having a nice season so far, but he's already missed a couple of games. All of you guys blaming the Raiders for DMC not doing anything until now should look at Michael Bush. He has been around the same amount of time and has put up similar if slightly better numbers. Is Michael Bush "an absolute BEAST"?

Actually...Bush his pretty talented. The only reason he fell to the 4th is because he got hurt in his draft year.

[Scott Dierking]

B-b-b-but his legs are too skinny.

Whenever you have to say "when healthy" when mentioning top pick RB's. STAY AWAY!

[#27TheDominator]

Actually...Bush his pretty talented. The only reason he fell to the 4th is because he got hurt in his draft year.

Pretty talented = absolute Beast? Is Michael Bush a top 15 back? He has a steel rod in his leg and missed two years of football. From earlier in this thread I was made to believe that McFadden's production on a crappy team like the Raiders has been near super-human. Now a "pretty talented" back with a rod in his leg can do the same? IMO slightly superior to Justin Fargas does not equate to absolute Beast. Neither does "should have a productive career if he has a good OL and is healthy".

[Smashmouth]

Pretty talented = absolute Beast? Is Michael Bush a top 15 back? He has a steel rod in his leg and missed two years of football. From earlier in this thread I was made to believe that McFadden's production on a crappy team like the Raiders has been near super-human. Now a "pretty talented" back with a rod in his leg can do the same? IMO slightly superior to Justin Fargas does not equate to absolute Beast. Neither does "should have a productive career if he has a good OL and is healthy".

#27 you know as well as I how this plays out. McFadden compiles some decent stats vs subpar teams, has a good year, then all the assholes on NFL network and ESPN begin the a$$ kissing campaign.

Then if by some miracle Oakland makes the playoffs pussy legs pops out and gets his a$$ handed to him by some of the top defenses. It wont matter because the fans are so driven by stats now they cant look past the numbers and realize that truly great and talented players make it happen when it counts, you know THE MONEY PLAYERS. Some past RB's who stepped up during crunch time... John Riggins, Franco Harris, Walter Peyton, Emmitt Smith, Matt Snell, Thurman Thomas. Im sure im leaving some out. Judge a running back by how he runs hard in the really tough games, not how he compiles stats vs freakin doormats then chokes in the playoffs. Plenty of RB's who had great careers and major stats but just could not get it done in the playoffs or in big games for that matter. I wont mention those guys at the risk of starting even more arguements but thats the class I put Mcfadden in "IF HE STAYS HEALTHY" LOL

[bitonti]

i dont have the time or inclination to look it up but i bet alot of fantasy points have been scored against teams the week after the Jets OL broke their spirit.

[#27TheDominator]

#27 you know as well as I how this plays out. McFadden compiles some decent stats vs subpar teams, has a good year, then all the assholes on NFL network and ESPN begin the a$$ kissing campaign.

Then if by some miracle Oakland makes the playoffs pussy legs pops out and gets his a$$ handed to him by some of the top defenses. It wont matter because the fans are so driven by stats now they cant look past the numbers and realize that truly great and talented players make it happen when it counts, you know THE MONEY PLAYERS. Some past RB's who stepped up during crunch time... John Riggins, Franco Harris, Walter Peyton, Emmitt Smith, Matt Snell, Thurman Thomas. Im sure im leaving some out. Judge a running back by how he runs hard in the really tough games, not how he compiles stats vs freakin doormats then chokes in the playoffs. Plenty of RB's who had great careers and major stats but just could not get it done in the playoffs or in big games for that matter. I wont mention those guys at the risk of starting even more arguements but thats the class I put Mcfadden in "IF HE STAYS HEALTHY" LOL

Maybe they are right about him. Like Gholston, he is kind of a boom or bust pick. With Gholston it was his brain, "motor" and ability to switch to OLB and with DMC it's his body type and desire to run hard. That is why people are so vehement about him. IF he stays healthy and IF he runs hard he can be a great back. Many of us saw him more as a guy that could contribute right away, but probably couldn't carry the load for entire seasons. That is nice to have, but isn't usually #4 or #6 pick worthy. Some little guys actually can carry the load MJD, Tiki, Westbrook, but most can't. I just don't think we can proclaim the guy a good pick when he hasn't sniffed a full season. We'll see how this plays out. It will be interesting to see how he looks against Seattle and KC.

[Bergen Jet]

Does anybody still think he is not playing Like a number 4 pick? Or that he isn't a "top 20" back?

[T0mShane]

DMC averaged 4.4 ypc as a rookie (which is great) and 3.4 last year in an injury-ravaged season (not so great). I can't blame the dude for struggling while in Oakland. Jamarcus Russell couldn't even be considered a quarterback, much less an NFL quarterback and that essentially ruined DMC's first two years. The knock on him (as I remember it) was that he wasn't a back who would make something out of nothing because he wasn't going to power through tackles and he wasn't as good going laterally. Hopefully, with a little stability at the QB position, he'll get to show that he can be a special player. Give him a crease and he's gone. I would have loved to see him as a Jet, running behind this O-Line.

How come every time somebody necro's a thread I come out looking like Nostradamus?

[JiFtheOracle]

#27 you know as well as I how this plays out. McFadden compiles some decent stats vs subpar teams, has a good year, then all the assholes on NFL network and ESPN begin the a$$ kissing campaign.

Then if by some miracle Oakland makes the playoffs pussy legs pops out and gets his a$$ handed to him by some of the top defenses. It wont matter because the fans are so driven by stats now they cant look past the numbers and realize that truly great and talented players make it happen when it counts, you know THE MONEY PLAYERS.

Haha!!! This one is classic. I wonder if Smash thinks he came up big vs. the Jets?

Pussy legs...too funny.

Its pretty much AP and DMC in this league.........and everybody else.

[JiFtheOracle]

How come every time somebody necro's a thread I come out looking like Nostradamus?

Dont get to excited...I was right there with you.

[CTM]

Yep. I STILL hate that meaningless game we played at the end of the season that made us fall those 2 or 3 draft slots. Dumbasses kept arguing that you play every game to win it even if you're eliminated from the playoffs. But that difference netted us Gholston.

Been involved in quite a few of thos debates in the past.. I don't understand the difference between 5-11 and 3-13 personally, you're a loser either way

[Matt39]

Fact is, he did have skinny legs coming into a league full of guys with tree trunks for legs that play running back.

He's fast as hell, and can swerve like a maniac. I'm surprised by him this year. However the Raiders have improved a ton too.

[JiFtheOracle]

Fact is, he did have skinny legs coming into a league full of guys with tree trunks for legs that play running back.

He's fast as hell, and can swerve like a maniac. I'm surprised by him this year. However the Raiders have improved a ton too.

Those skinny legs didnt stop him from being the most dynamic player not named Percy Harvin that I've seen in the SEC for many many years. Its a funny thing you know, 20/21 year old kids can actually get stronger and shape their body.

[Matt39]

Those skinny legs didnt stop him from being the most dynamic player not named Percy Harvin that I've seen in the SEC for many many years. Its a funny thing you know, 20/21 year old kids can actually get stronger and shape their body.

Oh he's definitely gotten stronger. He's bigger than he used to be. His rookie year when he actually played he looked like a bust honestly as he was going down on first contact.

You give him a hole to the outside like the Jets did and he can break it at any time....through the middle though he's still not great like the Petersons, Rice's and MJD guys though.

[Jetsfan80]

How come every time somebody necro's a thread I come out looking like Nostradamus?

"I would have loved to see [McFadden] as a Jet, running behind this O-Line."

Not in 2011.

[JiFtheOracle]

Oh he's definitely gotten stronger. He's bigger than he used to be. His rookie year when he actually played he looked like a bust honestly as he was going down on first contact.

You give him a hole to the outside like the Jets did and he can break it at any time....through the middle though he's still not great like the Petersons, Rice's and MJD guys though.

I dont know, he was pushing the pile on Sunday. The guy is a complete runner at this point. He always was IMO...everyone just looked at his body shape and knew he had speed and assumed he'd be just like Reggie Bush.

What makes him unique is that his height and lanky nature makes him tough to take down because he's a jabber. When a defender gets close he's got that reach to keep guys off him.

"I would have loved to see [McFadden] as a Jet, running behind this O-Line."

Not in 2011.

Ha! That was my mantra back when everyone would give him sh*t. Put him on a good team behind a good line and he's elite. Many times I said I'd trade for him right now...guy is a stud. And FWIW, I think he'd be making the Oline look better than it has been. He's that much better than anything we've got.

[Matt39]

Bush, considering the hype, is a Russell/Gholston type bust.

[Jetsfan80]

Bush, considering the hype, is a Russell/Gholston type bust.

Absolutely agree with you there. And I remember when people called that year's race for the # 1 pick "the Bush Bowl", then the media lambasted the Texans for taking Mario Williams instead. At least in that instance, the Texans look like the winners in that one.

[Jetsfan80]

Ha! That was my mantra back when everyone would give him sh*t. Put him on a good team behind a good line and he's elite. Many times I said I'd trade for him right now...guy is a stud. And FWIW, I think he'd be making the Oline look better than it has been. He's that much better than anything we've got.

Yep, he certainly would make the O-line look better, particularly since our most successful run plays this year have been ones going outside the tackles. McFadden has some Barry Sanders-esque skills in that it doesn't seem to matter what players are around him, he's produced.

Every successful running back in the history of the Jets, meanwhile, has depended on what the offense gave him.

[whodeawhodat]

he looked like eric fvckin dickerson against us. long strides leaving everyone behind...

[Smashmouth]

LOL - how exactly do measure the pussyness of someone's legs?

Ok you can get off it already . But the answer to your question should be obvious .

One thing everyone should have noticed about McFadden (and he should get all the credit in the world for this) is that he has bulked his legs up and can now run through tackles and also at times push the pile much better then he could earlier in his career. To be Honest I did not think he had it in him to put that work in but he proved me wrong for sure. Those skinny legs are no longer skinny and it has turned him into a RB who can no longer be taken down by simple arm tackles. Good job McFadden on hard work and realizing what it takes to be a damn good NFL RB.

As for sundays game it was not so much McFadden as it was total Jets fail . Thats not a knock on Mcfadden its just a fact that he was running through holes the size of the grand canyon and when he ran outside we simply did not have near the speed on defense to deal with him. The Steelers did this to us in the playoffs last year , Maurice Jones Drew also ran well to the outside on us and Mcfadden with his speed further enhanced the weakness. If we do not adapt to this weakness its not going to turn out good for our defense. Now we face a Ravens team with a double threat back in Ray Rice. You can bet the Ravens will attack us on the outside exposing our Slow Old OLB's even further. Lets hope we adjust.

[The Troll]

Every once in a while, whenever I'm textually fellating all things SEC, I get one right.

[JiFtheOracle]

Ok you can get off it already . But the answer to your question should be obvious .

One thing everyone should have noticed about McFadden (and he should get all the credit in the world for this) is that he has bulked his legs up and can now run through tackles and also at times push the pile much better then he could earlier in his career. To be Honest I did not think he had it in him to put that work in but he proved me wrong for sure. Those skinny legs are no longer skinny and it has turned him into a RB who can no longer be taken down by simple arm tackles. Good job McFadden on hard work and realizing what it takes to be a damn good NFL RB.

As for sundays game it was not so much McFadden as it was total Jets fail . Thats not a knock on Mcfadden its just a fact that he was running through holes the size of the grand canyon and when he ran outside we simply did not have near the speed on defense to deal with him. The Steelers did this to us in the playoffs last year , Maurice Jones Drew also ran well to the outside on us and Mcfadden with his speed further enhanced the weakness. If we do not adapt to this weakness its not going to turn out good for our defense. Now we face a Ravens team with a double threat back in Ray Rice. You can bet the Ravens will attack us on the outside exposing our Slow Old OLB's even further. Lets hope we adjust.

Oh Please. This "pussylegs" thing you were doing was ridiculous. His legs are no different now then they were then, his build is exactly the same, his weight is exactly the same. There is no difference what so ever. You were just flat out wrong...and its o.k. We've all been wrong before. I know it hurts a little because your a future GM with amazing scouting ability but the fact of the matter is, the dude has been a stud from day 1, he just couldnt stay healthy and the Raiders Oline has improved drastically. It had nothing to do with his "pussylegs".

Regarding the Jets: you're right. Something needs to be done because the next 2 teams we play have duel threat RB's (most of the league does now), so we need to improve or we are in for a long season. I trust Rex though, he'll get it fixed.

[Smashmouth]

Oh Please. This "pussylegs" thing you were doing was ridiculous. His legs are no different now then they were then, his build is exactly the same, his weight is exactly the same. There is no difference what so ever. You were just flat out wrong...and its o.k. We've all been wrong before. I know it hurts a little because your a future GM with amazing scouting ability but the fact of the matter is, the dude has been a stud from day 1, he just couldnt stay healthy and the Raiders Oline has improved drastically. It had nothing to do with his "pussylegs".

Regarding the Jets: you're right. Something needs to be done because the next 2 teams we play have duel threat RB's (most of the league does now), so we need to improve or we are in for a long season. I trust Rex though, he'll get it fixed.

JIF check out the pictures of him early on and now, his legs are much bigger and it has had a big effect on him. Building muscle does not equate to weight gain.

You can call the pussy leg thing ridiculous but early on his career he could not break tackles nor push the pile now he seems to be doing it. hes a different RB now.

[JiFtheOracle]

[JiFtheOracle]

[JiFtheOracle]

I see no difference.

I'm sure he's worked his legs out to get stronger, but there really isnt any difference in the shape of his legs.

Its okay Smash, you were wrong. This isnt the first time, it wont be the last.

[JiFtheOracle]

And here's a pic from the game. Look at the tree trunks for legs compared to college.

[T0mShane]

JIF check out the pictures of him early on and now, his legs are much bigger and it has had a big effect on him. Building muscle does not equate to weight gain.

You can call the pussy leg thing ridiculous but early on his career he could not break tackles nor push the pile now he seems to be doing it. hes a different RB now.

It's the ankles. Skinny ankles make for injury-prone, sucky RBs. Reggie Bush=small ankles. McFadden=beefy ankles.

Ankle Theory also works with chicks.

[RutgersJetFan]

It's the ankles. Skinny ankles make for injury-prone, sucky RBs. Reggie Bush=small ankles. McFadden=beefy ankles.

Ankle Theory also works with chicks.

Definitely. My last girlfriend had teh small ankles, terrible in short yardage gains. Couldn't move the pile for sh*t.

[Vicious89x]

Definitely. My last girlfriend had teh small ankles, terrible in short yardage gains. Couldn't move the pile for sh*t.

But once she got an outside edge she took off fast.

[THE ILK]

It's the ankles. Skinny ankles make for injury-prone, sucky RBs. Reggie Bush=small ankles. McFadden=beefy ankles.

Ankle Theory also works with chicks.

Perdue as well as Tylor?

[Vicious89x]

It's the ankles. Skinny ankles make for injury-prone, sucky RBs. Reggie Bush=small ankles. McFadden=beefy ankles.

Ankle Theory also works with chicks.

So you're saying you like thick ankles that can pound the hole? Makes sense.

[JiFtheOracle]

So you're saying you like thick ankles that can pound the hole? Makes sense.

Obviously. TomGayne loves thick hole pounding ankles.