Terrell Davis, HOF Candidate (2 Viewers)

[Buffaloes]

product of a system

what other RBs in that system put up the same or even close to similar numbers as Davis? why didn't other teams just run the same ZBS and enjoy the same successes?

Portis was significantly better at the same point in their careers without a HOF QB.

Portis' 1st two seasons: 29 games, 3099 rushing yards, 3777 YFS, 31 TDs, 5.5 YPC, 8 fumbles

Davis' 1st two seasons: 30 games, 2655 rushing yards, 3332 YFS, 23 TDs, 4.6 YPC, 10 fumbles

However, when you take Portis out of that system, his numbers plummet:

Portis' 1st two seasons in Wash: 31 games, 2831 rushing yards, 3282 YFS, 18 TDs, 4.1 YPC, 8 fumbles

Portis was amazing in the ZBS no doubt. I think he would have been the only Bronco RB post Davis to approach Davis' numbers and I think if he had stayed in Denver he could have surpassed some of the regular-season numbers. What set Davis apart from any player, Bronco or no Bronco, was his post-season success. Most dominant post season RB to play, but that is not as impressive to HOF voters as a decade of pretty good with an All Pro season sprinkled in.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

product of a system

what other RBs in that system put up the same or even close to similar numbers as Davis? why didn't other teams just run the same ZBS and enjoy the same successes?

Portis was significantly better at the same point in their careers without a HOF QB.

Portis' 1st two seasons: 29 games, 3099 rushing yards, 3777 YFS, 31 TDs, 5.5 YPC, 8 fumbles

Davis' 1st two seasons: 30 games, 2655 rushing yards, 3332 YFS, 23 TDs, 4.6 YPC, 10 fumbles

However, when you take Portis out of that system, his numbers plummet:

Portis' 1st two seasons in Wash: 31 games, 2831 rushing yards, 3282 YFS, 18 TDs, 4.1 YPC, 8 fumbles

Portis was amazing in the ZBS no doubt. I think he would have been the only Bronco RB post Davis to approach Davis' numbers and I think if he had stayed in Denver he could have surpassed some of the regular-season numbers. What set Davis apart from any player, Bronco or no Bronco, was his post-season success. Most dominant post season RB to play, but that is not as impressive to HOF voters as a decade of pretty good with an All Pro season sprinkled in.

I think Foster is a product of the ZBS

 

[Faust]

Terrell Davis waits for a Hall of Fame spot with a compelling resume

Excerpt:

So, do I think Davis deserves to be in the Hall of Fame? Of course.

Do I think he will eventually be elected to the Hall of Fame? I do. It just may not be at the pace either he or his vast legion of supporters would like.

Yes, Davis did play 78 regular-season games in an injury-shortened career. But there are already six running backs in the Hall of Fame who played fewer games than that and the rest of his body of work positions him as one of the best of the Super Bowl era in the biggest moments.

Davis’ 97.5 yards rushing per game in the regular season is the fourth-highest total in league history among running backs who had rushing attempts in at least 75 games, while his 142.5 yards rushing per game in the postseason is the highest average per game in league history for running backs who had rushing attempts in at least five playoff games. He averaged 5.6 yards per carry in the postseason and his team won seven consecutive postseason games in which he rushed for at least 100 yards.

Overall his teams won 91.7 percent of regular-season and postseason games combined when he rushed for at least 100 yards.

And the only two players in league history to average more than 100 yards rushing per game over their careers in regular-season and postseason games combined are Davis and Jim Brown.

The two players in league history who have won the rushing title and the Super Bowl in the same season are Davis and Emmitt Smith. And 12 players have won the league MVP award and the Super Bowl MVP award over the course of their careers and just three of the 12 are not quarterbacks -- Davis, Smith and Marcus Allen.

So, glance at those sentences and see the company Davis keeps, see the Hall of Famers Brown, Allen and Smith. It’s why it may not be as quick as folks want it, may not be without the sometimes arduous march of Hall of Fame time.