Ranking The 5 Best Super Bowl Running Backs Of All Time
by Russell Preston, Sports 1140 KHTK
With the 51st Super Bowl prepped for Sunday afternoon, the internet always has an annual habit of ranking and debating the best quarterbacks of all time.
Guys like Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Brett Favre, Terry Bradshaw and dozens of others get all the attention while the lone guys in the backfield, the reliable running backs, are somewhat forgotten.
Although quarterbacks are typically the biggest leaders in NFL locker rooms, let's rank the five best Super Bowl performances by a running back in the last 50 years:
5. Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboys - 1994 (Super Bowl XXVIII)
In a 30-13 win over the Buffalo Bills, Smith led his team with 132 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries. He didn't just put up those numbers, he fueled a comeback after trailing 13-6 at halftime when he had just 40 rushing yards and no scores.
In the second half, the Cowboys outscored the Bills 24-0 with Smith's 92 yards and two scores being a big part of it.
4. Roger Craig, San Francisco 49ers - 1985 (Super Bowl XIX)
It's 1985 and the great Dan Marino is facing Montana (who had already won his first Super Bowl three years prior) - the matchup was set up to be a good one. However, the game was over by halftime.
In a 38-10 drumming of the Miami Dolphins, the NFL awarded Montana the MVP award and his legacy grew. What is sometimes overlooked in that game is the performance by Roger Craig, who rushed just 15 times for 58 yards, but also had seven catches for 77 yards.
Oh, and he set a Super Bowl record with three touchdowns - two receiving, one rushing.
3. Marcus Allen, Los Angeles Raiders - 1984 (Super Bowl XVIII)
Marcus Allen was a machine in this game. The Los Angeles Raiders were up against the Washington Redskins and ended up blowing them out, 38-9 thanks to Allen's 191 rushing yards and two scores.
He was named the obvious MVP with his then-record-setting performance for rushing yards in a Super Bowl. Jim Plunkett threw just 172 passing yards, being overshadowed by his halfback. Allen's best play was his 74-yard run in the third quarter to put the Raiders up 35-9:
2. Timmy Smith, Washington Redskins - 1988 (Super Bowl XXII)
The unknown rookie out of Texas Tech got his chance to shine on the biggest stage in the NFL. After rushing just 29 times for 126 yards all season, Smith ended up running the ball 22 times for a Super Bowl-record 204 yards and two touchdowns. He helped his team destroy John Elway and the Denver Broncos, 42-10.
Of course, the Super Bowl MVP went to his quarterback, Doug Williams, who threw for 340 yards and four touchdowns.
The amazing part is Smith's career didn't progress after that amazing breakout game. He finished with just 476 rushing yards and three touchdowns spanning the rest of his career.
1. Terrell Davis, Denver Broncos - 1998 (Super Bowl XXXII)
Everyone on this list thus far, without a doubt, had big games statistically - however, they all played in Super Bowl blowouts.
The Broncos and Green Bay Packers were tied 24-24 until Terrell Davis scored a 1-yard touchdown with 1:47 left in regulation. The 31-24 score would hold up and the Broncos went on to win their second-straight Super Bowl after previously going 0-4 in the big game as a franchise.
Davis ended with 157 rushing yards and three touchdowns - essentially putting the team on his shoulders to take down Farve & Co. He won the Super Bowl MVP, easily, as Elway had a mediocre 123 passing yards, one rushing touchdown and an interception.