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yukmunky · 09-08-2005, 09:23 AM

Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith are my two favorite backs ever and to me there is no question Walter is the better back. It is not even close in my mind. Emmitt was a great back, but he also capitalized on a very great opporunity he was given. Walter Payton really had no such great opportunity of playing behind the best line in the league and along side of 2 other future HOF'ers(name a great offensive player that Walter teamed up with, bet you can't). In spite of that, Payton rushed for 1,852 yards in a 14-game season. Emmitt never managed that in a 16 game season. Give Payton all those 1-yd opportunities that Emmitt had and there'd be an endless highlight reel of Payton's signature dive over the top. Emmitt was no better at punching in the ball than Walter(both were great), was no better at blocking than Walter (a strong suit for both), nor was he a better receiver(Payton had 4 seasons of 2,000 combined yardage to Emmitt's 2). Walter Payton even passed for 8 TD's in his career. And if it were all about rings then Terry Bradshaw would need to be on that list because he is the only QB with 4 of them.

09-08-2005, 09:23 AM	#9
yukmunky Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 22	RE:ESPN's TOP 10 football Players Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith are my two favorite backs ever and to me there is no question Walter is the better back. It is not even close in my mind. Emmitt was a great back, but he also capitalized on a very great opporunity he was given. Walter Payton really had no such great opportunity of playing behind the best line in the league and along side of 2 other future HOF'ers(name a great offensive player that Walter teamed up with, bet you can't). In spite of that, Payton rushed for 1,852 yards in a 14-game season. Emmitt never managed that in a 16 game season. Give Payton all those 1-yd opportunities that Emmitt had and there'd be an endless highlight reel of Payton's signature dive over the top. Emmitt was no better at punching in the ball than Walter(both were great), was no better at blocking than Walter (a strong suit for both), nor was he a better receiver(Payton had 4 seasons of 2,000 combined yardage to Emmitt's 2). Walter Payton even passed for 8 TD's in his career. And if it were all about rings then Terry Bradshaw would need to be on that list because he is the only QB with 4 of them.