OT: Forget AP Chris Johnson is the BEST MOST COMPLETE back in the NFL right now

[Shane]

Yeah, I guess. But AP is better built to sustain big hits. And I thought he'd be oft' injured in the NFL, but he's a little tank out there. If I had to pick one that I think would get injured on any given hit, it would be CJ.

I can see the logic but AP has already missed time in the league already IIRC due to injury. CJ has not. So regardless of build I would say you have to give CJ the benefit of the doubt till he shows otherwise. At a minimum I would call that a draw. JMO.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Oh, I completely disagree with that. CJ has ridiculous lateral moves...ridiculous. Better than ANYONE in this league since Barry Sanders. Yes, I just went there. Dude can move 3 yards to the right or left and cut upfield like nobody's business. If the linebackers come on a jailbreak, I'd take CJ every single time over AP to escape. AP's moves? Overrated. He's fast and strong, but his moves are Anquan Boldin style "moves," which means taking a shot, bouncing off it and rolling on for a TD.

Blocking = CJ > AP
Speed = CJ >AP
Power = AP > CJ
Acceleration CJ > AP
Pass catching CJ > AP
Durability/Strenth AP > CJ
Ball security CJ > AP
Vision at the line AP > CJ
Open field vision AP >/= CJ


I take CJ every time...and frankly I'm shocked because I did NOT think he'd be this solid all-around. I thought he'd be a speedy back that wouldn't take the NFL pounding. I was wrong...dude is nails.

 

[Lorenzo]

Cards should have drafted AD, coming from a neutral fan here. but you can't be critical of the cards for taking the best player for their team at the time. I know the cowboys had this happen to them with randy moss...they wanted him but lacked a pass rush so they went with greg ellis...that combined with irvin's drug problems in the recent past.

back to the topic...chris johnson is the best running back this year from a production standpoint. but I wouldn't go so far to say that he is better than AD. I would say that chris is faster and more explosive(just a tad). but AD is clearly much tougher to bring down on square contact. They are both great. then stephen jackson is right there in the mix too, but plays on a terrible team. One guy I love to watch is D..Williams as well. that guy sort of has some barry sanders emmitt combo in him.

 

[Perfectionist]

Hopefully we can handle Johnson much like we did Jackson last week. Keep him bottled up most of the time (he will definitley get yards) and not let him run wild all game. This is one game where we need to get out to a fast start and get the lead, then make Young try to beat us with his arm.

 

[AsUdUdE]

I think it depends on the kind of system for these backs... don't get me wrong both are special players, but both benifit from being in offenses that fit what they do best...

AP has a RIDICULOUS Oline.. he thrives on that.. tht said give him just a small opening and he will run around and over players... in a "traditional offense" AP is the better option...

That said, just my opinion... Johnson is a more dangerous back in general... He catches the ball, can get the extra yard, blocks like a freakin TE, and can outrun every player on the field at any moment...

For the Cardinals if we had our choice of them, in my mind it would be Chris Johnson without a doubt, and our offense would average 35-40 PPG and punt about 5% of the time if that..

They are both awesome, but Johnson is more complete...

 

[jaguarpaw81]

I can see the logic but AP has already missed time in the league already IIRC due to injury. CJ has not. So regardless of build I would say you have to give CJ the benefit of the doubt till he shows otherwise. At a minimum I would call that a draw. JMO.

I beg to differ there. Tennessee's season ended last year and they looked like garbage once CJ got hurt. The Titans had just spanked the Steelers, so I cant help but think that had he not gotten hurt, we would have likely played Tennessee in the SB.

 

[Pariah]

Would you rather have AP and no levi, some un-named player who also could be a bust. Or would you Stick with Levi and Beanie?

I'd rather have AP and some other, unnamed player. Yeah, the other player could turn out to be a bust, but he could also turn out to be slightly below-average, average, slightly above-average or spectacular. I'll take the field on that one instead of average to slightly above average Levi.

I think we make that same superbowl run w/o levi, and we win it with AP.

I just think anyway you cut it, it was a mistake to pass on Peterson in order to reach to fill a need.

JMHO

 

[Pariah]

I'm surprised bucky isn't pissed we don't have him

I know you're half-kidding, but the reason you don't hear people gripping about that is AP was identified as a special back before he stepped foot on the NFL field. CJ was identified as really really fast, but there were question marks as to his ability to be a full-time back. Even last year people were saying he needed a guy like lendale white with him to make the backfield work.

All that said, CJ is incredible. I think it's a legit conversation and there's no right or wrong answer when trying to figure out who's better right now, CJ or AP?

I think AP still gets the edge in my book. He breaks tackles better and more of a monster at the point of contact (granted, CJ wouldn't be there for some of that contact, but still...)

 

[Shane]

I'd rather have AP and some other, unnamed player. Yeah, the other player could turn out to be a bust, but he could also turn out to be slightly below-average, average, slightly above-average or spectacular. I'll take the field on that one instead of average to slightly above average Levi.

I think we make that same superbowl run w/o levi, and we win it with AP.

I just think anyway you cut it, it was a mistake to pass on Peterson in order to reach to fill a need.

JMHO

Not me my friend. I"ll take Levi who has shown he can play in this league and well enough not to hurt us during a HUGE SB run and Chris Wells who is 3.5 years younger than Peterson and has the same type of talent.

Could we have done as well with a different RT and AP at running back? Maybe but no way to truly tell.

As of right now I think we are better set up especially with years of production ahead of us with Wells in the backfield as compared to AP. Also love Well's contract 100 times more than AP's.