quote:
He only had 3 1000 yard seasons only 1 over 1100. Was the first to get 1000/1000 rushing/receiving and that’s only been done 2 other times since so bonus for that. But overall a classic Hall of Very Good player from team that won multiple Super Bowls.

This shows a severe lack of understanding of the west coast offense. Craig was a more than capable runner but in that offense he wasn’t asked to run for 3 yards and a cloud of dust and grind out 1500 yard seasons. The offense was built around the short yardage timing routes and he was an integral part of catching passes out of the backfield. He is the blue print of the modern running back. The HOF isn’t simply the best at a certain position. It recognizes players whose play revolutionized the game and moved it forward. In an era that was dominated by backs grinding it out with 25 or 30 carries a game, his style of play set in motion the way the position is played today

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Posted by H-Town Tiger

Member since Nov 2003

61077 posts

Posted on 8/10/26 at 12:28 pm to Blizzard of Chizz

quote:
his shows a severe lack of understanding of the west coast offense.

I understand what the WCO was all about, but it’s the Hall of Fame not the Hall of the WCO. I’m not expecting him to have Payton Dickerson type rushing yardage given his role in the offense but it’s one factor.

Here’s a simple question for you, with his numbers does he get in if he plays for say the Vikings? I saw him play he was a very good player, not HOF in my opinion but not outrageous that he’s in by any means. Just eyeballing it he was top 12-15 all time in scrimmage yards when he retired a spot behind Otis Anderson who retired a year before Craig.

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Posted by Blizzard of Chizz

Member since Apr 2012

21582 posts

Posted on 8/10/26 at 2:46 pm to H-Town Tiger

quote:
Here’s a simple question for you, with his numbers does he get in if he plays for say the Vikings?

It is not a Hall of Numbers. The Pro Football Hall of Fame has always valued guys who moved the game forward or revolutionized their position in such a way that the league was forced to adapt and change. As I stated before, he is the prototype of what the position has evolved into. He wasn’t asked to get his yards between the tackles 30 times a game. His catches out of the backfield purposely supplemented part of the 49ers run game. He was also good enough in the run game that teams had to respect him as a runner and a receiver.

You do realize having a guy like that in the backfield changed the way defenses played the game right? He paved the way for tons of guys that came after him because teams saw the value in the way he played the position.

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Posted by Globetrotter747

Member since Sep 2017

5882 posts

Posted on 8/10/26 at 4:34 pm to Blizzard of Chizz

quote:
You do realize having a guy like that in the backfield changed the way defenses played the game right? He paved the way for tons of guys that came after him because teams saw the value in the way he played the position.

I don’t know that Craig was a revolutionary talent so much as the 49ers had a revolutionary scheme under Bill Walsh.

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Posted by SoFla Tideroller