If You Are Building A Franchise

[TexasCowboy]

Which position to you start with?

[Steeler Fanatic]

I voted for offensive line. John Madden had a great point a few years ago, that every team that ever sent two or more players from their offensive line to the Pro Bowl went to the playoffs as well. He didn't think it was a coincidence, and neither do I. Those teams that protect their QB, open up good lanes for their RB and generally dominate the line of scrimmage win games. I would start with the o-line. Not sexy or flashy, but it wins games.

[Barleybaby]

O-line was my vote too. Then D-line. It all starts up front.

[eliforpres]

QB then O-Line then RB then D-Line

[Plymkr]

Already did this on ESPN.COM this morning. But, will do here as well.

I still start with the QB..

[pittfan34]

I dunno that you can build around 1 offensive lineman. Sure 2 or 3 good ones is great, but if you only get to pick 1 player I would say QB.

[TexasCowboy]

I say running back is what you start with first..because it dictates the kind of
O line you will need, the sort of QB you'd want and then the recievers and the
tight ends to round out the rest of the unite

[Steeler Fanatic]

I think you begin building around a strong line. I have seen great offensive lines make mediocre QB's look like world beaters. I have never seen a great QB make a bad line look good. The closest I ever saw to an offensive player making his line look good was Barry Sanders.

Plus, if you are starting a franchise, you don't want to throw a young kid to the wolves with a piss poor offensive line around him. Witness David Carr.

[TexasCowboy]

Barry who? guys I remember who made their line look sick as hell was Emmitt
Tony Dorsett, Franco Harris, Gayle Sayers, Dave Meggett, Tiki Barber and of
course the late great Walter "Sweetness" Payton

[Steeler Fanatic]

Umm the problem with all of the above players you name is they all had great offensive lines. Franco was a great back, but he had Mike Webster anchoring an All-Pro line in front of him. Emmett and Payton had great offensive lines blocking for them most of their careers. Dorsett had an All-Pro line in front of him.

All of those guys were great backs, but they had awesome lines in front of them. How many times did Sanders elude guys who were in the backfield almost the minute the ball was snapped? How often did his linemen miss blocking assignments, get pushed on their back, or just get flat out schooled and he still made the play?

[H41L2teh5k1n5]

It's true, Sanders did all his running with little or no help. If he had been behind some of the lines that the other RBs mentioned had, he would have broken every record in the NFL.

[TexasCowboy]

I disgaree Emmitt, Walter, Harris, Dorsett, Sayers, Meggett, Barber were
all great runners..and because they were all great runners this made the
offensive line in front of them push hard to improve and create gaps from
which they could break huge runs from

[Steeler Fanatic]

Ummm so your argument is that good runners make good lines? That has to be the most bass ackward lines of logic I have ever heard.

[Plymkr]

Did they have awesome O-lines? Or did plyrs at other positions also have an affect on the defense to make that O-line look great.? It all goes together. But, it starts at QB, the leader.

[Steeler Fanatic]

I can get with what you're saying ply, it's definitely a team effort. I just feel that you have to give the QB a chance to direct, and that isn't going to happen if he's on his back the whole game.

[TexasCowboy]

Ummm so your argument is that good runners make good lines? That has to be the most bass ackward lines of logic I have ever heard.

How is it backwards? how your line attacks is based on how good the players
are behind it, a average back may not get the full blocking that a good back
like Emmitt might get if he were still playing