Johnson ran inside and outside. He was there for 3rd & 1 or 3rd & 15. He was also an excellent receiver out of the back field. 3 Winning seasons between 1964 & 1983 and Ron Johnson led 2 of those teams. Johnson played on Giant teams that had small and poor offense lines. In 1970 he had a great QB, but in '72, it was him, Bob Tucker and nothing else.
Barber & Gifford didn't play short yardage downs, but Gifford was a threat to throw the option pass.
When I started to really pay attention to the Giants as a kid, Carpenter was the spark on offense that helped the Gmen finally make the playoffs. Just loved his big cut back runs. Just great.
Tiki Barber was my favorite. I liked the way he played. He appeared to me to be a sportsmen. Always played hard, and it looked like he acknowledged the opposing players for tackling him. Didn't talk smack as far as I could see. It really hurt when it turned out what turd he really was off the field.
Have to go with Bradshaw, his pure toughness and playmaking are so difficult to replicate with any other back. Tiki was supremely talented but I think wasted it.
The play I will remember most about Brandon Jacobs is when he trucked Charles Woodson in the 2007 NFC Championship game. That's an all-time favourite play/moment for me.
But AB is my guy if I had to pick ONE Giants RB for all time in my life of watching them. 3 plays come to mind:
1 - 2007 vs Buffalo when he busted that long TD run in the rain/snow to clinch the win and the playoffs.
2 - 2011 vs the Jets when he ran over their safety en-route to a TD.
3 - 2011 vs the Packers in the playoffs, a very unheralded play IMO. He caught a simple pass in the flat at the end of the first half, then amazingly turned it into a long catch and run for a first down, while also getting out of bounds and putting the Giants in a position to attempt a legitimate Hail Mary. Such a smart but also athletic play and sums up AB as a football player. We all know what happened next - Nicks in the end-zone on an amazing end of the half Hail Mary Touchdown.. And the rest of that game was history.
Frank Gifford throwing the option pass for another big gain or TD. Contrary to the ESPN incompetents, he was THE MOST VERSATILE player ever to see action in the NFL.
Rob Carpenter carrying the GIANTS into the playoffs on his back after fifteen-plus years of lousy football.
Rodney Hampton gaining yard after yard in the honest, old fashioned run-it-down-their-throat way as the heart of the offense on some pretty mediocre teams.
Brandon Jacobs trucking the Redskins safety, knocking a dogging 'backer flat on his back, firing the ball at the Cowboys' scoreboard after scoring a TD, being a cheerleader on the sidelines, and numerous other similar actions.
My favorite Giants running backs the last time they wore the jersey... Â
...were Barber, Meggett and Hampton. Post Giants career behavior has eliminated two of those 'gentleman' from consideration making Rodney Hampton my all time favorite Diants running back. Old school, tough as nails and very productive in every situation.
he was unfortunately saddled with bad coaches and poor QB play for most of his giants career so was always a favourite for me,close second joe morris the little guy running behind that huge OL will always be a giants great for me but he had LT and simms and a great OL and DL which hampton didnt have
i would have said tiki but the manner of his exit and vitriol for the team afterwards means he soured his legacy with the giants for me he could have played several years more and that was a factor too
He left a bad taste in my mouth with some of his comments particularly the one about Eli's leadership being comical but I ran into him off the field twice and he was a friendly guy, he actually talked football with me and my dad for a good 20 minutes. Signature play, there is just too many to list he made a lot out of a little, running and receiving. I think his ability to get small behind the line and disappear off the screen then reappear on the other side of the pile totally losing me and even the game camera man was pretty slick I must say. Loved me some tiki, sad he never won a title, can't fault his efforts on the field that's for sure, he just packed it in a year too early.
Great heart great pass protector. Ran like he was mad at the grass. The run against Buffalo is the one I'll always remember. Hampton my second Jacobs third.
RE: Joe Morris, Rodney Hampton and tiki are clear cut best ones Â
Jacobs was loves for his trucking but he's the most overrated Giant back by a long shot. For every truck there was two soft failed 3rd and shorts.
I agree. Jacobs has just as much bad as he did good. I recall a back that was hurt a lot, fumbled and tried to run like a scat back, pouted when he lost the starting job. Didn't see how good it was in NY till he went to SF. Jacobs is just "Meh" to me.
Hampton was such a complete back. I liked him so much I actually wanted him to take the 49ers offer so he could play on a good team.
to the Giants ground game and offense. I thought he was tremendous for this team at the time, but not the most talented guy. Tiki was the most talented with the ball in his hand, and also was extremely durable. Rodney Hampton was a breath of fresh air also and had the quickest feet I ever saw for a guy his size. Bradshaw and Jacobs were quite the tandem and add Ward into that mix and the Earth, Wind and Fire was something to behold. Nobody could stop our ground game then. Of course much of that success could be attributed to the great Oline we had, as well. Bradshaw and Jacobs were both hard, tough runners and brought much needed attitude to the offense. OJ Anderson was a wily vet and also brought that great running attitude, but of course he was in the later part of his career with us and didn't quite have the speed he did at one time either. I'd have to say Joe Morris was probably my favorite RB. Guy could make something out of nothing, had great balance and was instrumental in getting us that 1st Super Bowl win too. He could do everything; run, catch and block and you just knew that it was just a matter of time before he took the ball to the house.
toughest players I have seen. He led the league in rushing one year. Jim Taylor later reminded me of Eddie Price. He was my favorite with Gifford second. Of course, Tiki is the best, though.
knows nothing about football and Tiki Barber was the first running back she watched. When she watched other running backs with the football, she was confused why nobody had ran, made plays, had the ability to escape guys/make them miss and had the vision like Tiki and I said, because they they’re not Tiki lol
One of my favorite Giants to watch, but such a condescending boob-head off the field
Nothing he said, says, did or does changes the fact that he was the best RB in the history of this franchise and an absolutely incredible RB at his peak who was capable of putting the entire team on his back and winning a football game on his own.
I loved Hampton when I was a kid... he was really the NYG RB I have my first real memories of watching on a weekly basis. All of us were big fans of both Jacobs and Bradshaw but I can't answer this question with anyone other than Tiki.
Joe Morrison played for 15 years. Was part of the 1960s era team thru the 1970s. Played HB, FB, flanker, DB, special teams and threw the option pass. He along with Greg Larsen were the final links to the Conerly-Tittle teams.
In his last years he was out there hustling on special teams.
The guy was great. I was around 40 at the time he came to the team. I had been waiting for a back like that for years to come to the Giants.
Are you really 'around' 120 years bold? Isn't that some kind of a record for longevity?
Or did you mean that you weighed 40 lbs. at the time Leemans arrived (1936)?
Joe Morris, Tiki, Bradshaw (not neccessarily in that order) Â
My favorite play by a RB - Otis Anderson in the superbowl - the uppercut club to the defender coming down the sideline.
Honorable mention to Maurice Carthon (The battering ram) - for his blocking efforts.
In the 80's Parcells used to give out game balls and one week Joe Morris received one. With the award came the use of a car for the week ... Morris didn't miss a beat. He took the keys and threw them right to Carthon.
What's wrong? Doesn't anyone here remember Joe Don Looney (Tunes)? Â
As a player, Tiki without question. Favorite to root for was Joe Morris with Bradshaw/Jacobs a close tie for second just because of what they meant to the team.
with Ron Johnson for whom I had a poster on my wall while growing up. He was part of those loveable losing teams but there was something about the beauty of his game during those brutal years that struck me.
Tiki's final few seasons were spectacular in so many ways, he really did round himself into a terrific all around back. A few more years at that pace and he would have had HOF type numbers.
Bradshaw personifies everything I love in a back. Sure, he struggled with the foot problems but that never took away from his toughness and grit. He always seemed to get everything and more out of a play. I loved that little man's blood and guts attitude. He's probably my guy if push cones to shove.
I bet I had that same Ron Johnson poster on my wall. I had one of him and also one of Spider Lockhart, my two favorite players at the time.
Seriously though Rodney Hampton is my all time favorite. A true workhorse mired on some teams that would basically sucks without his consistency and durability. Tiki Barber would truly be my choice hands down if he wasn't such a scumbag.
His arrival marked the beginning of the modern era Giants... They were a laughingstock through the 70s. That changed the day the Giants got a real back.
how come no mention on my fathers friend ken strong who i think is in canton hof only other runner from gients in hof is gifford who is my favorite and i still wear his number 16 jersey at times
the one guy i thought would be real good that never panned out was Joe Montgomery, tough inside runner, good vision. Think injury derailed him. Tiki was the best runner in the game at his peak. A joy to watch.
Converted more big third downs than anyone. Would take a dump off pass that was going nowhere and make something out of it. Tiki knew how to use blockers better than any other Giants RB, but Meggett could make things happen on his own better than any Giants RB I have seen.
When Dayne was drafted. He was probably better than Dayne and in particular in short yardage and inside the tackle. Of course he never really did much....
Barber & Gifford didn't play short yardage downs, but Gifford was a threat to throw the option pass.
Tiki converted over 60% of his 3rd/4th and short, and almost 70% of his any down and short carries.
Tiki Barber was my favorite. I liked the way he played. He appeared to me to be a sportsmen. Always played hard, and it looked like he acknowledged the opposing players for tackling him. Didn't talk smack as far as I could see. It really hurt when it turned out what turd he really was off the field.
Have to go with Bradshaw, his pure toughness and playmaking are so difficult to replicate with any other back. Tiki was supremely talented but I think wasted it.
The play I will remember most about Brandon Jacobs is when he trucked Charles Woodson in the 2007 NFC Championship game. That's an all-time favourite play/moment for me.
But AB is my guy if I had to pick ONE Giants RB for all time in my life of watching them. 3 plays come to mind:
1 - 2007 vs Buffalo when he busted that long TD run in the rain/snow to clinch the win and the playoffs.
2 - 2011 vs the Jets when he ran over their safety en-route to a TD.
3 - 2011 vs the Packers in the playoffs, a very unheralded play IMO. He caught a simple pass in the flat at the end of the first half, then amazingly turned it into a long catch and run for a first down, while also getting out of bounds and putting the Giants in a position to attempt a legitimate Hail Mary. Such a smart but also athletic play and sums up AB as a football player. We all know what happened next - Nicks in the end-zone on an amazing end of the half Hail Mary Touchdown.. And the rest of that game was history.
Rob Carpenter carrying the GIANTS into the playoffs on his back after fifteen-plus years of lousy football.
Rodney Hampton gaining yard after yard in the honest, old fashioned run-it-down-their-throat way as the heart of the offense on some pretty mediocre teams.
Brandon Jacobs trucking the Redskins safety, knocking a dogging 'backer flat on his back, firing the ball at the Cowboys' scoreboard after scoring a TD, being a cheerleader on the sidelines, and numerous other similar actions.
i would have said tiki but the manner of his exit and vitriol for the team afterwards means he soured his legacy with the giants for me he could have played several years more and that was a factor too
Tiki converted over 60% of his 3rd/4th and short, and almost 70% of his any down and short carries.
Brandon Jacobs ran most of the short yardage, especially at the goal line.
+1
I only started suffering around '75, but that was long enough. The '81 season was fantastic.
Jacobs was loves for his trucking but he's the most overrated Giant back by a long shot. For every truck there was two soft failed 3rd and shorts.
I agree. Jacobs has just as much bad as he did good. I recall a back that was hurt a lot, fumbled and tried to run like a scat back, pouted when he lost the starting job. Didn't see how good it was in NY till he went to SF. Jacobs is just "Meh" to me.
Hampton was such a complete back. I liked him so much I actually wanted him to take the 49ers offer so he could play on a good team.
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One of my favorite Giants to watch, but such a condescending boob-head off the field
I loved Hampton when I was a kid... he was really the NYG RB I have my first real memories of watching on a weekly basis. All of us were big fans of both Jacobs and Bradshaw but I can't answer this question with anyone other than Tiki.
In his last years he was out there hustling on special teams.
Are you really 'around' 120 years bold? Isn't that some kind of a record for longevity?
Or did you mean that you weighed 40 lbs. at the time Leemans arrived (1936)?
Honorable mention to Maurice Carthon (The battering ram) - for his blocking efforts.
In the 80's Parcells used to give out game balls and one week Joe Morris received one. With the award came the use of a car for the week ... Morris didn't miss a beat. He took the keys and threw them right to Carthon.
Tiki's final few seasons were spectacular in so many ways, he really did round himself into a terrific all around back. A few more years at that pace and he would have had HOF type numbers.
Bradshaw personifies everything I love in a back. Sure, he struggled with the foot problems but that never took away from his toughness and grit. He always seemed to get everything and more out of a play. I loved that little man's blood and guts attitude. He's probably my guy if push cones to shove.
I bet I had that same Ron Johnson poster on my wall. I had one of him and also one of Spider Lockhart, my two favorite players at the time.
Tiki was pretty good.. but I think my all time favorite..
The man who ran like he was angry at the grass
Ahmad Bradshaw
Rumble young man Rumble - ( New Window )
Seriously though Rodney Hampton is my all time favorite. A true workhorse mired on some teams that would basically sucks without his consistency and durability. Tiki Barber would truly be my choice hands down if he wasn't such a scumbag.
As an adult it was definitely Tiki. He is probably the Giants first offensive super star in the modern era. He was just awesome to watch