One of the detractions about Emmitt, and will also be for Zeke, is the offensive line he ran behind.
However, to that I say Bull Nuggets.
Now remember the first SB. Think back to the highlights. You see Emmitt run one in from about 14 out. He gets his first contact by a linebacker who tried to wrap him up a step or so past the hole. Emmitt grabbed his wrist and kept him from getting his arm around Emmitt's waist.
I had never seen a RB do that before.
But consider all the RB's you've seen and how many would have been stopped in the hole. Or how many times Emmitt broke tackles, spun out of contact and went for a long run, or TD.
I admire Sanders, and his speed and agility was mind blowing. But Emmitt didn't have that speed and received more contact and posted better numbers. And Emmitt did not get hurt.
We all know the story of the shoulder. He finished the game, and was the reason they went to the SB that year. Jimmy rode that horse on almost every play for the rest of that game.
Toughness, vision, deceptive speed, elusive, threat in the passing game, great blocker, solid teammate, and class act. The only minus I see in Emmitt was his weird attitude about giving autographs to kids.
There is no way this guy is not top five, and frankly I think top three.
Brown at 1, no problem.
Peyton at 2, no problem.
Anyone but Emmitt at 3, we have a problem.
And on game day, you can bet your rear end the defense didn't think Emmitt was # freakin' 11.
