Oakland Raiders: Five Of The Greatest Running Backs In Team History

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Sep 24, 2014; Bagshot, UNITED KINGDOM; General view of Oakland Raiders helmet and Wilson footballs at practice at Pennyhill Park Hotel in advance of the NFL International Series game against the Miami Dolphins. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

3. Mark van Eeghen (1974-1981)

Van Eeghen still ranks second among the all time Raiders running backs – though it is a very distant second to Marcus Allen.

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He was also a smashmouth football player who preferred to go through you than dance around trying to get around you. At 6’2” 223 pounds, Van Eeghen was a fireplug of a man who relished the chance to lower his shoulder – and then lower the boom – on another player.

He had three straight 1,000 rushing yard seasons for the Silver and Black. One of those seasons was capped off by a big win in Super Bowl XI over the Minnesota Vikings. Van Eeghen helped the Raiders to another Super Bowl appearance in 1980, totally 75 yards on 18 carries.

It was QB Jim Plunkett‘s 3 TD passes though, that carried the day in Oakland’s 27-10 whipping of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Next: Clem Daniels

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