SI says that the Jets have the 5th best RB combo with TJ and Leon. This list goes like this: 1. Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush 2. Fred Taylor and MJD 3. Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts 4. Julius Jones and Marion Barber 5. TJ and Leon 6. Travis Henry and Mike Bell 7. DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams 8. Warrick Dunn and Jerious Norwood 9. LaMont Jordan and Dominic Rhodes 10. Brandon Jacobs and Reuben Droughns Is it just me, or did they miss LT and Michael Turner? Anyway, nice to see the Jets' tandem recognized.
Well, if you put those two on the list they are the #1 without a doubt. Theres no better backup in the league (except maybe Bush and MJD), and LT is the best of the best at his position.
I think its more because LT and Turner aren't that big of a RB tandem. Turner comes in to spell LT like any backup does. A tandem splits carries evenly or even 75-25%
Would Betts get as many carries as he did/does if Portis wasn't injured? I don't think thats true at all.
if you read the Portis/Betts expanation, it states that Betts is expected to get a lot more carries this year
Theres no link. And the Chargers are trying to get Turner more carries by all accounts. They want Tomlinson to be more fresh.
Yea but Portis does get injured which is why Betts gets so many carries adn can be considered part of a "tandem". Plus Portis was back last year for a short time and they split carries. LT doesn't get injured and plays most of the time.
So what you're saying is that "tandems" are only "tandems" cause the main guy gets hurt? I don't get it...like...LT and Turner are two RBs on the same team that wants the younger, less used, but obviously talented guys to get more carries so that the older, wiser, best RB in the game can stay healthy. Not only that, but as Turner is a power back with speed that compliments LT's outside running ability beautifully...aren't they the definition of a "tandem?" Or does a reporter or some other "expert" have to say it to be true?
This list goes like this: 1. Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush OK, good pick 2. Fred Taylor and MJD Another good pick 3. Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts I don't care about the explanation, I'll believe it when I see it....right now, they are not a tandem IMO 4. Julius Jones and Marion Barber Maybe the best true tandem in the league IMO - Jones between the 20s and Barber in the redzone - the guy has a ridiculous nose for the endzone 5. TJ and Leon Although they haven't played together yet, I agree, a proven/consistent power back with decent speed and small scat back that posted 650 in his rookie year splitting carries all season 6. Travis Henry and Mike Bell Just because they are in Denver doesn't mean they are one of the best tandems, they are both recieving too much credit 7. DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams I Disagree - Foster is always injured, and Williams is practically a clone of Foster anyway - two of the same back isn't a "tandem" the way I think of it 8. Warrick Dunn and Jerious Norwood I liked Dunn and Duckette more - at this point I'd say this is more of a mentor/apprentice relationship than a tandem 9. LaMont Jordan and Dominic Rhodes Talent wise, sure, they are up there, but they aren't going to produce like a top tandem 10. Brandon Jacobs and Reuben Droughns What a joke - Jacobs who has never carried the full load, and Droughns who is the epidemy of mediocrity (mediocracy? idk...) I think the list should've just been top 5. They really reached with a couple of these, not to mention when I think "tandem" I think one bruiser and one cruiser.
You never know what teams are going to wind up with a tandem situation. Last season, Maroney, Leon, and Addai were all in tandems and they were rookies. So it's hard to say at this point. I love the TJones/Leon tandem possibilities. But 6 through 10 are not impressive at all in my mind. Travis Henry and Mike Bell? A never-was and an unproven back. DeShaun and DeAngelo? Two injury risks. Dunn and Norwood? I agree - mentor and protegee but they'll never split time. LaMont and Rhodes? Two guys who will guarenteed be on other teams in two years. Jacobs and Droughns? Could be a solid duo - who knows? Too early for that experiment.
LT + Turner = No Tandem Why? When chargers are on TV (NY Metro Area), I can't recall ever seeing Turner take a snap on offense (outside of preseason games). Which means the writer is correct in saying no tandem. Turner is just a backup.
no, a tandem can occur because of injuries but injuries don't define a tandem. I don't know how you can jump from injuries can create a tandem, which is the case with the Redskins, to tandems only occur because of injuries, which no one has even mentioned or insinuated. that is an awfully large specious leap on your part. by your definition, every team would have a RB tandem, because every team has multiple RB's that get carries throughout a game and season and provide some sort of dynamic the other doesn't. I think it is obvious that the concept of tandem that is being used here is RB's that not only compliment each other but do so at a ratio that they are equally important to a large extent. I suppose you are free to feel that Turner is equally as important as LT, but I do not know if the rest of the football viewing world would agree.
You're still missing the part about how the Chargers plan to give Turner more carries to keep LT fresh....the part about how their running styles compliment each other perfectly... How is that not a tandem in the making? Why am I arguing over something this stupid and obvious? I mean Betts is Portis' backup, no one seems to care. The Chargers have also said Turner will be getting more carries to ease the load on LT. Thats....the same thing as the 'Skins but they're doing it BEFORE they lose their star running back... What kind of argument is this? You never see it...therefore it never happens? Thats your whole argument?
Just thought I'd point out that a friend of a friend works for sports illustrated. He works in their internet dept. and said the guys who do the rankings like that are entry level workers who just pick the order more or less randomly and then fill in a little blurb on the side. Often times they pick who goes into those lists by how good a picture they can get of a player. So ya, keep debating whos the best tandem, but don't trust a SI list for shit.
Exactly LT and Turner dont share the ball, LT gets it then Turner gets the scraps. Those other rbs on the list out there are real tandems and will share the ball atleast 65/35.
If the list was "all time worse tandoms" then the Giants "Thunder and Lightning" tandom of Ron Dane and Tiki Barber would have gotten some mention. How could Ron Dane be so bad? Someone throw that boy a tube of vagasil.
Not to sound like a jerk, but i really don't think this topic needs an argument (regarding LT/Turner). How many of us believe LT and Turner are a tandem? Of course i can't supply facts, polls or whatever, but i'm still under the impression that they are not a tandem. if you can supply more than one game where they are splitting carries, please do. Call it ignorance or whatever, Turner is nothing but a backup on the chargers. if you think that is a tandem, well then i guess every team has tandem RB's according to that logic. As for "spelling him" in the future? could be true, could be not. right now, that's speculation, unless you're the coach of the Chargers. I'd like to think that if LT were on the Jets, he'd never leave the field on offense unless it's a blowout. just my 2 nickels
I hate to say it, but Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams belong on that list, especially if Droughns/Jacobs qualify
