Is Emmitt Smith’s rushing record beatable? Ever?
By Lisa Horne Live by the pass, die by the pass.
This mantra is held dear to the hearts of most hard-core football fans. Without the running game, you can’t win consistently. Sure, chicks dig the long ball, but the run is the soul of the offense. And no one had more heart or soul than Emmitt Smith, the Dallas Cowboys (and 2003-2004 Arizona Cardinals) running back and owner of the all-time NFL rushing record with 18,355 yards.
Smith holds the Cadillac of NFL records.
For sure, Smith keeps pretty impressive company. Walter Payton, who is second (16,726 yards) on the all-time rushing list, was Smith’s childhood hero. “Sweetness” had an aggressive running style that defined intestinal fortitude. He figured it hurts less when you initiate the contact. While Smith wasn’t as physical as Payton, he used his balance and vision to overcome the trees standing in his way.
Then there was Barry Sanders, third on the list with 15,269 yards, and most likely the model for video-game football. You knew he would make a move, but whatever it was, you guessed wrong. He defied laws of gravity and physics with his twists, turns and sick jukes; Sanders’ moves were weekly highlight reels. He was one of the greatest backs ever in terms of pure feel of the game.
But both Sanders and Payton did not possess the one trait that could have made them numero uno on the list — endurance. Neither of them could last 15 years in the NFL as a back, and most future backs never will, making Smith’s record one that will not be broken for a very long time.
Smith lasted longer, avoided the big injuries, endured more punishment and had an award-packed 1993 season that will likely never be equaled. He became the first player to win the Super Bowl championship, NFL MVP award, Super Bowl MVP award and NFL rushing title in the same year.
Smith’s longevity alone is worthy of praise — the average shelf life of an NFL running back is five years. And Smith wasn’t just any back, he was the good-for-three-yards-at-any-time back. Smith was the run-between-the-tackles and push-it-up-the-field lifesaver. This bruising, jarring visionary played hard for 15 years. His balance, vision, slashing running style and endurance made him the eighth wonder of the world.
In 1993, the Cowboys were playing their last game of the regular season against the Giants. The NFC title, a bye week and home-field advantage were on the line, and the Cowboys looked to Smith to carry them to a 16-13 win in OT. Smith, with a separated shoulder for more than half the game, finished with 32 carries for 168 yards and 10 catches for 61 yards. Warrior, stud, game changer.
Think turf toe would keep Smith out of a game? A deep thigh bruise? No. He’d gut check his injury and play, running between 300-pound tackles and using his superior vision to squeeze out that first down.
Someone once said, “Three things can happen when you put the ball in the air, and two of them are bad.”
Emmitt Smith would agree.
LINK
FOXSports.com
Is Emmitt Smith’s rushing record beatable? Ever?
Is Emmitt Smith’s rushing record beatable? Ever?
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