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How did the great Walter Payton run? I’m curious to see this great running back play in one full regular game. I was in 5th grade when the Bears won the Super Bowl in 1986, so I don’t really remember all that much about him, especially comparing him to the players of today.
If you see Payton run now, it’s just a highlight clip. I’d like to see an entire game where he ran for over 175 yards. He did that 11 times in his career. But where can I get my hands on an entire game with Walter Payton?
Amazon has the entire 1985-1986 season on DVD. Not just highlights, All full games. He ran over 175 yards in one game that season, against the Green Bay Packers. He got one touchdown, and the bears won. Seems like a good game to watch.
Every once in a while, Comcast will run complete old Bears games in its Chicago sports On Demand section. I also think the Chicago Museum of Broadcasting had some complete games in its archive but not sure if you can get your hands on that stuff now.
I remember he ran pretty hard, but he also had some really quick fake-out moves. It’s hard to find anyone in the NFL right now with a similar running style because Payton was so unique. I don’t think there’s any current RB that is nearly as shifty as Payton. Adrian Peterson is probably the closest current RB. Both were the strongest RBs of their time by miles. Though AP has more of a bruising running style.
One thing about Payton that sticks in my mind is that when he was tackled after a play, he would ALWAYS put the ball directly above his helmet in order to get better ball placement. I very often think about that when I’m watching the end of the play. You’d be surprised at the very high percentage of players that don’t employ that technique.
WHAT You may have been 11 years old, but you never watched the Bears on TV? I mean, I know you’re a Cubs0baseball fan, but when the Bears were the greatest team in the NFL I would think that everyone in Chicago would be watching … even if just to see “Sweetness”! I mean, if the Lions ever did ANYTHING for more than 47 seconds I might tune in. Think Mark Prior but playing football, that was Walter: a magician, a miracle worker, the best. No other words can describe it. I’m truly sorry you never saw it. I won’t even go into how he intimidated his opponents with his magic eyes.