Like opinions, it seems everyone in today's NFL has one. Big ones. Little ones. Shifty ones. Powerful ones.
It truly is a good time to be a standout running back in the National Football League.
When the Denver Broncos face the Chiefs today at Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium, the game will feature the latest in a series of matchups of premier running backs -- Denver's Clinton Portis and Kansas City's Priest Holmes.
Already, Holmes, a former Raven, has gone against his protege, Baltimore's Jamal Lewis. Edgerrin James of Indianapolis has faced Eddie George of Tennessee and Fred Taylor of Jacksonville.
While much was made of last week's meeting between resplendent -- and recalcitrant -- wide receivers Randy Moss of Minnesota and San Francisco's Terrell Owens, when it comes to running backs, every week is a virtual meeting of Who's Who in the NFL. Today it's Portis and Holmes. The Broncos already have faced Corey Dillon with Cincinnati, LaDainian Tomlinson with San Diego, and Charlie Garner with Oakland.
"I just wish there weren't so many great ones in our division," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said, sighing.
"It seems like every time we get a game plan, we're saying, 'Ahh, man, we got a great back, we got a great back,' " Ravens linebacker Peter Boulware added. "Every week, one is popping up. It's the nature of the NFL, especially in the AFC.
"The competition is so fierce, so stiff; if you asked me to pick who the best one is, I couldn't. There are too many good ones."
Last week, a poll by CBS Sportsline.com asked fans to vote on who is the best back in the AFC -- Lewis, who set an NFL single-game record of 295 yards rushing against Cleveland in Week 2, Dillon, James, Portis, Tomlinson or Miami's Ricky Williams.
There wasn't an option for write-in candidates such as George (9,187 career rushing yards), Taylor (5,119 in just 60 games), or Garner, who had 1,903 yards total offense in 2002.
And of course, it completely excluded the NFC, with talents such as Marshall Faulk of St. Louis, Seattle's Shaun Alexander, Ahman Green of Green Bay and New Orleans' Deuce McAllister.
"All those guys can hurt you at any time because they're fast; they're powerful," Chiefs defensive end Vonnie Holliday said. "They can cut back; they catch the ball out of the backfield well. They all do so many good things."
About 30 minutes after the Broncos' 31-10 rout of Oakland on Sept. 22, Raiders running back Tyrone Wheatley sat stuffed into his cubicle in the visiting locker room, still clad in his uniform, unwilling -- or perhaps unable -- to wash away the pain.
However, despite what had just occurred, the nine-year veteran perked up noticeably when asked about the preponderance of great runners throughout the NFL.
"Trust me, everyone's not talented and skillful enough to do those things, but guys all around the league are right now. The NFL is stacked with some backs. If you get a guy now with 1,100 yards, he's sitting at the back of the pack."
Broncos defensive coordinator Larry Coyer sighed. He has to game-plan for Holmes, Tomlinson and Garner in the AFC West, has faced Dillon, and still has Lewis, James and Green to come this season.
"They certainly make it tough on you," Coyer said. "There's always been great running backs, but now it seems there's a bunch of marvelous athletes -- the guys who are 200 pounds, right at 6 feet, who can fly -- they're all about the same and they're all phenomenal athletes."
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