(con’t from Reason #6: Different running styles, different systems) https://cowboyscoffeetalk.com/7-reasons-why-emmitt-smith-is-underrated-reason-6-different-running-styles-different-systems/
Reason #7: More valuable to his team
How on earth could this be? If you were to listen to most Detroit fans they would tell you how Barry Sanders miraculously took a terrible Lions team with no hope of success and carried them on his shoulders into respectability. Without him, they will tell you, the Lions would have plummeted to unimaginable futility. To those who share this opinion, I offer the following evidence to refute such nonsense.
Both Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders were very durable backs. During Emmitt’s career in Dallas he missed exactly 7 games which is precisely how many games Sanders missed his entire career. The Dallas Cowboys own a 1-6 record when Emmitt Smith did not play including 0-4 during the Super Bowl years. The Lions own a surprisingly respectable 4-3 record in the 7 games Barry Sanders did not play.
The 1993 season is especially relevant in this comparison. That season the Dallas Cowboys were the defending Super Bowl Champions, however Emmitt Smith held out during a contract dispute and missed all of training camp and the first 2 games of the season. Dallas started 0-2 that season and as soon as Smith was signed they finished the season 12-2. Emmitt became the only running back to win the rushing title, league MVP and Super Bowl MVP in the same season. This also marked the first time a team started 0-2 and went on to win the Super Bowl. That very same 1993 season Barry Sanders was well on his way to winning the rushing title when he was injured and missed the final 5 games of the season. The Lions posted a 3-2 record during his absence including winning the season finale against the Packers for the division title and advancing to the playoffs. Barry Sanders actually returned for the playoff game the following week which the Lions did lose against those same Green Bay Packers.
Fast forward to 1999 when Sanders shockingly announced his retirement right before the season, leaving the Lions high and dry. Detroit had finished 5-11 the previous season and were left without an opportunity to address Sanders’ loss in free agency or the draft. Amazingly, the Lions actually improved to a record of 8-8 and made the playoffs. Do not assume that I am aiming to prove the Lions were a better team without Barry Sanders because I do not believe that at all. My only desire is to expose the erroneous fallacy that the Lions were nothing without Barry Sanders.
Those same fans that overemphasize Barry Sanders value to his team will go further and be so audacious and disrespectful to claim that ANY running back would have succeeded behind the Cowboy’s line. I have heard Emmitt Smith referred to as “overrated,” “average” and sometimes far worse. I always respond to those criticisms by simply asking the question, “Can you name Emmitt Smith’s back-up running back?” It is rare that anyone can ever name a single one of them, but there were many. Below is a comparison of Emmitt Smith’s numbers as a Cowboy to the unspectacular production by his many back-ups:
(GP = games played, Att = rushes, Y/A = yards/rush, TD = touchdowns,)
| Cowboys Running Backs | seasons | GP | Att | Yards | Y/A | TD | Yrds/Game |
| Emmitt Smith | 1990-2002 | 201 | 4052 | 17162 | 4.2 | 153 | 85.38 |
| Timmy Smith | 1990 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 1.00 | 0 | 6.00 |
| Tommy Agee | 1990-94 | 75 | 89 | 304 | 3.4 | 1 | 4.05 |
| Alonzo Highsmith | 1990-91 | 9 | 19 | 48 | 2.5 | 0 | 5.33 |
| Curvin Richards | 1991-92 | 11 | 51 | 181 | 3.3 | 1 | 16.45 |
| Derrick Gainer | 1992-93 | 16 | 9 | 29 | 3.2 | 0 | 2.6 |
| Derrick Lassic | 1993 | 10 | 75 | 269 | 3.6 | 3 | 26.9 |
| Lincoln Coleman | 1993-94 | 18 | 98 | 312 | 3.2 | 3 | 17.33 |
| Sherman Williams | 1995-1999 | 60 | 302 | 1162 | 3.8 | 4 | 19.37 |
| Chris Warren | 1998-2000 | 38 | 217 | 948 | 4.4 | 8 | 24.95 |
| Troy Hambrick | 2000-03 | 51 | 473 | 1896 | 4.4 | 8 | 37.18 |
The significant drop-off in production illustrates that no one was better than Emmitt Smith at understanding the Cowboys blocking scheme. It also shows why Dallas chose to stick with a one armed Emmitt Smith in that 1993 season finale against the Giants and at the same time proves that not just anybody could produce on that team behind that line.
Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders were both the best offensive players on their teams but because Smith was the better all-around player, the evidence shows his value to his team was greater.
Final Thoughts:
Emmitt Smith simply does not get the credit that he deserves. Even though he owns so many records, demonstrated consistency for 15 years, and was as complete a player as there ever was at the running back position, Smith continues to be underrated by fans and experts alike. Why is it that he is never mentioned as the greatest of all time? Why is it that his accomplishments are so largely underappreciated in the football universe?
Is it because he never had that 2000 yard season? It cannot be otherwise Jim Brown and Walter Payton would be removed from consideration and replaced with guys like Jamal Lewis and Chris Johnson. Can it be attributed to the general hatred of the one of the most polarizing franchises in all of pro-sports the Dallas Cowboys? Could it be the influence of Lions fans, who have never witnessed their team accomplish anything of significance, and are thus desperately clinging to the idea of any form of supremacy in Barry Sanders? Perhaps it is the illusion of the Barry Sanders highlight reel that mesmerizes people into believing that he ran like that every time he touched the ball?
Whatever the reason is I implore you not to be so easily fooled. The next time you read an article, peruse a website or watch a video ranking the greatest running backs of all time, do not forget about Emmitt Smith.
See Also
7 Reasons Why Emmitt Smith is Underrated: Reason #1 Numbers Don’t Lie
https://cowboyscoffeetalk.com/7-reasons-why-emmitt-smith-is-underrated-reason-4-tougher-competition/
*All statistical data collected and verified through Pro-Football-Reference.com https://www.pro-football-reference.com/
I’ve heard Aikman was only good because he had that offensive line plus Emmitt and Irvin….and Irvin was only good because he had Aikman and Emmitt…and of course Emmitt was only good because he had the offensive line. All these arguments basically boil down to one thing…these fans vehemently despise the Cowboys so they refuse to give one of their players any respect. The only ones they will acknowledge as being good are the unnamed offensive line.