Ricky Williams: Hall of Fame?

I still wonder what he could have done if he hadn't got injured in season 2. He was averaging 100 rushing and 40 yards receiving per game but got injured in game 10. Those numbers put him on pace to challenge yards record.

 

Let's not forget his rushing 109 times for 526 yards and 2 TDs in Toronto. It is, of course, the PRO Football HOF. It is not the NFL Hall of Fame.

 

1) Not really. Even with that lofty start of 140 yds/gm, he would have needed to kick it up and average 170 down the stretch to match Faulk. Would have had a hard time being top five all-time or even beating Edge that season.

2) A list of players who were "on pace" for such a record halfway through the season would number in the dozens.

 

If you let a CHUMP like Howie Long in the HOF, you can make room for Ricky Williams.
Most carries in NFL history over a 2-year stretch.
Tremendous production for bad coaches.
Hit 10K despite losing chunks of his career to indifference or drugs, and despite barely caring.
You think how great he could have been if he were all in.

 

Then you're only looking at the stats. Alexander was viewed as soft by many while Campbell was probably one of the two or three most revered running backs of all-time. And halls of fame will always favor the older player, the prior era, whether it's fair or not.

If Adrian Peterson can't properly rehabilitate from these latest injuries, he will fall in line with the Earl Campbell comparison. But I doubt he'd make the Pro Football Hall of Fame without at least one or two more really good seasons.

 

Shaun Alexander and Earl Campbell? Campbell broke more tackles on that one legendary run than Alexander did in his entire career. Granted, Alexander is going to be able to walk when he's 50 and bully for him, but I don't know if two running backs have been farther apart in style.

 

Alexander is so polarizing amongst Seahawk fans. For the numbers he put up he was never universally embraced. I fall on Alexander being on the soft side as well. The left side of that offensive line was so dominant. Letting Hutchinson go was the beginning of the end for those Seahwawk teams. Alexander was a good back but I don't see him as one of the greats. THe comparison to Campbell is just silly, the are complete opposites in the way that they ran.

 

Chris Henry: Hall of Fame?

He totally would have broken Jerry Rice's records if he made better life (and death) decisions.

 

Agree it was dumb. But he was pretty physical early in his career. He just got worn down.

If you're going to give a guy almost 1,100 touches over three years, you better make it all count.

He was only a starter for seven years and he's 33rd on the all-time list for touches. (Campbell is 35th; Ricky Williams is 23rd.)

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/touches_career.htm

 

Maybe I am remembering too much of the later Alexander.

 

You can see how awesome that line was. Note the Eagles highlight at 3:51 where the left side of that line blows up two linebackers on a sweep.