Reconstructing Ricky vs. Ronnie

By Hugo Guzman  |   Tuesday, May 29, 2007  |  Comments( 33 )

Miami Dolphins
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For all intents and purposes, Ricky Williams' tenure with the Miami Dolphins has come to an end. But many fans still ruminate on the idea of what could have been, had the former Texas Longhorn stayed clean and returned to Miami. Furthermore, most fans and media pundits are quick to expound upon the many ways in which Williams is superior to the Dolphins' current starting running back, Ronnie Brown.

According to them, Williams is shiftier, tougher, has more breakaway ability and is simply better than Brown.

But it's hard not to wonder about this widely held assertion and the nature of the comparison in general, given the fairly unimpressive overall history of the Miami's rushing attack. Perhaps some of these perceptions do not match reality, and perhaps Dolphins fans were spoiled by Williams' immaculate, 1,853-yard 2002 campaign.

Let's start with the comparisons.

Fans and pundits alike love to allude to the idea that Williams is simply more talented than Brown, but if you compare the first two seasons of their respective careers, a somewhat different conclusion emerges.

Despite having significantly fewer total carries (448 to 501), Brown bested Williams in virtually every significant statistical category. He accumulated more yardage, sported a vastly superior yards per carry average, fumbled the ball less often, and had just one fewer touchdown. In addition, Brown's longest runs from scrimmage (65 and 47 yards) dwarf Williams' (26 and 25 yards). Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Brown proved to be more durable than Williams, missing just three games in his first two seasons (Williams missed 10).

So essentially, it is Brown who has proven to be more shiftier, tougher and more of a breakaway threat. Nevertheless, the negative comparisons still persists.

Clearly, Williams' breakout season in 2002 has left a lasting impression on Miami's fans. So much so, in fact, that many seem willing to overlook a comprehensively pedestrian 2003 campaign that saw Williams gain just 1,372 yards on 392 carries (3.5 yards per rush). Williams' supporters will point out that his struggles in '03 can be traced to a vastly undermanned offensive line, but somehow, Brown doesn't get the same pass. Something just doesn't add up here.

Perhaps the answer lies with Dan Marino. Yes, Dan Marino. But what does a retired Hall of Fame quarterback have to do with the Dolphins' running attack, you ask? It's simple: Like Marino, Williams' epic production casts a large shadow over his successors. Granted, Williams had just one spectacular season while Marino turned in nearly two decades of brilliance, but the idea is the same.

Remember that prior to Williams' big 2002 campaign, the Dolphins had suffered through roughly three decades worth of decidedly mediocre rushing. When you consider that Delvin Williams had held Miami's single-season rushing record - a measly 1,258 yards in 1978 - for nearly 25 years, the longstanding ineptitude of Miami's ground game becomes quite apparent.

And yet Brown's 2006 effort, in which he was on pace for well over 1,200 yards prior to missing three games with a hand injury, is dismissed as a lackluster effort.

Now, by no means has Brown's production to this point been acceptable. After all, rushing for barely 1,000 yards and just five touchdowns isn't going to cut it for the former second overall pick. However, Brown -- going into his third year -- is just now reaching the prime of his career, so fans should think twice before writing him off as an also-ran or second-rate runner.

Original Miami Dolphins insight, courtesy of RealFootball365.com

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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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CommentsComments: 33  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
bc85		09:00 AM
05/29/2007
Delvin William's season was not just a palty 1258 yards - it was done in a 14 game season when a 1000 yards meant something....
No.2
Anthony		09:06 AM
05/29/2007
I've always rated Brown above Williams. I never had to worry about Ronnie retiring on a whim and flying off to ... wherever! I've...
No.3
Dave		10:12 AM
05/29/2007
bc85 got it right. Ricky was a force to be reckoned with back in 02, but because of inept coaching, we missed the playoffs. And...
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