The Underrated Greatness Of Emmitt Smith - Part 5
In Part 5 of this series, I'll be covering 2002, the year Emmitt broke the NFL all-time rushing record, and in my opinion his toughest year as a Cowboy - for many reasons that have nothing to do with production. I'll also even talk a little bit about his 2 years with the Cardinals.
Before the season even started, Emmitt had to deal with the stories hanging over his head about being his last year as a Cowboy, no matter how many yards he got, that he was too old and expensive to keep in 2003. There was also the story of Emmitt's playing time decreasing after he broke the NFL all-time rushing record. With him being so close to an unparalleled achievement, having yet to gain a single yard, the timing of these stories couldn't have been worse. The worst part about it was that those stories picked up momentum after nobody from the front office came out and denied them, which left a dark cloud over the pursuit of the record. Cowboys fans everywhere, especially people in Dallas, should not only have been proud of Emmitt, but also supportive without hesitation, because he was the only real thing the Cowboys and their fans had to cheer for that year. That wasn't the case because people were too busy trying to put Emmitt out to pasture to treasure what they witnessed. Him still being a Cowboy after all those years had to count for something. That was the thanks Emmitt got after after all he did for the Cowboys.
Emmitt carried much more than the football in 2002. He was still carrying the team on his back, but now he was also carrying the team's marketing campaign, which was built around him breaking the record. The record chase came at a good time for the Cowboys because it was tough to sell tickets for any kind of entertainment, let alone a football game, in a bad economy. It also didn't help that the Cowboys hadn't been a playoff team for a few years. The season ticket campaign focused on Emmitt. Letters and brochures emphasized the "once in a lifetime opportunity to witness NFL history", and the season tickets had a different picture of Emmitt every week.
The media relations department's thinking was that they wanted to remind people that they had a chance to witness a significant piece of history. The NFL all-time rushing record was/is a milestone worthy of a season-long celebration, a celebration of Emmitt's career up to that point. It wasn't about when he broke the record, the team he broke it against, or if he broke it at all. It's dangerous to build your whole marketing campaign around one player, but at the same time, the pursuit of the rushing record was too big to ignore. That's a big part of why the team was encouraging fans to be at the games that season, even if they didn't go to the game when Emmitt broke the record. The St. Louis Cardinals did the same thing in 1998 when Mark McGwire broke the single season home run record. The Cardinals set attendance records that season, a year they didn't make the playoffs. The team wasn't good, but the fans still wanted to be there. They knew it was a good chance that they wouldn't be there for the record-breaking home run, but they could still say, "I was there for #23." or "I saw his first home run of the season." People like to keep track of things like that.
2002 - Emmitt's Toughest Season As A Cowboy
Carrying a team and its whole marketing campaign on your back is plenty hard enough, but when the team is as bad as the 2002 Cowboys were, it's even more of an uphill battle if you are the team's most dependable weapon. Just to put this in perspective, let me paint a picture for you.
Here is a defensive coordinator's mindset going against the Cowboys in 2002:
Neither of their quarterbacks worry me. Quincy Carter is erratic. Chad Hutchinson is greener than a cucumber. There is no hint whatsoever of a receiving threat at tight end.
The receivers are not much better. They have a rookie (Antonio Bryant) that's talented, but undisciplined with a selfish streak. Joey Galloway has no stomach for routes over the middle, and the rest of them are forgettable. They all run undependable pass routes.
The offensive line is pitiful, the fullback is horrible, and the kicking game is a disaster. What's left? Their only proven source of ball movement and most dependable weapon is Emmitt Smith. I'll design my defense to stop him. At the first sign of trouble, their play caller gives up on Emmitt. That plays right into my strategy since the Cowboys can't beat me passing. Stop Emmitt, and the game is ours.
That same strategy could have also been used in 2000 and 2001 to beat the Cowboys. The biggest difference in 2002 from the 2 previous seasons, is that the Cowboys replaced Jack Reilly with Bruce Coslet at offensive coordinator. Even with that change, a lot of the reasons I listed in Part 4 for the running game struggles were the same.
Here are the reasons the Cowboys' running game struggled in 2002:
1.) New Offense
2.) New Blocking Scheme
3.) No Respect For The Passing Game
4.) Too Many 8-Man Fronts
5.) Too Many Mental Mistakes
6.) Terrible Blocking
7.) Injuries
8.) Constant Shuffling Of The Offensive Line (a result of injuries)
9.) Defenses used run blitzes and stunts to plug up the middle and force Emmitt to the outside.
10.) There seemed to be more emphasis on evaluating players than winning games.
11.) Reluctance At Times To Use The Running Game
Once again, Emmitt had nowhere to run in 2002. Physically, I thought he looked as good as he did 10 years earlier, it was the offensive line that wasn't getting it done, which was the biggest reason for Emmitt's struggles. The line didn't play well as a unit, even when it was healthy, and there were some noticeable individual flaws with them: Flozell Adams (LT) was playing too high, Larry Allen (LG) wasn't finishing people off the way he used to, rookie center Andre Gurode looked lost in the middle, and Kelvin Garmon (RG) and Solomon Page (RT) were repeatedly getting beat on stunts that they should have been able to handle with no problem. By the 3rd game of the season, which was a loss in Philadelphia, things went from bad to worse. Larry Allen missed the game with a bad ankle, Kelvin Garmon left the game with a leg injury, Solomon Page moved over to RG, and Javiar Collins, who was a converted defensive lineman, moved to RT, giving the Cowboys a patchwork offensive line. Emmitt still managed to get 4.7 yards on 11 carries. The Cowboys went through one 4-game stretch where they didn't use the same 5 starters at the same position on the offensive line. At that time, Flozell Adams was the only lineman on the field who went into training camp as a starter. They used a total of 9 different starting combinations in 11 games. Emmitt had to get a lot of his yards on his own, making it that much more impressive that he averaged 3.8 yards per carry in 2002.
Even in his 13th season, Emmitt still had that burst that allowed him to glide through the hole and make defenders miss. If it was nothing there, he stuck his head into the line and carried people, it still took more than one man to bring him down, and he was still a strong pass protector. Even at 33, Emmitt should have still been dominating and routinely putting up 100-yard games, but there was a breakdown that kept him from breaking loose on almost every play. A big part of that was the offensive line (when it was healthy) underachieving. Emmitt also had to change his running style the last couple of years he was a Cowboy. His strength was running between the tackles, but because of the struggles in the middle of the offensive line, he had to change his style and develop himself as an outside runner......not a burner, but being more patient and waiting for the line to establish their blocks.
As far back as 2000, defenses were stacking the line against Emmitt because the receivers were hopeless, and he still got 1,203 yards. In 2001, there was still only Emmitt, because the quarterbacks were a mess and the passing game was a disaster. He still got 1,021 yards, even though he missed 2 games, against a stacked deck for the season. Even in 2002, Emmitt wasn't exactly running on fumes. He was much better than he was able to show, but the lack of a passing game made it hard to get a credible evaluation of how much he had left in the tank. His numbers were down, and he didn't get 1,000 yards, but look at the team around him. Like I said earlier, he played with 2 inexperienced quarterbacks, a bad offensive line, and another new offense. He never complained or pointed fingers at anybody. Emmitt was still an All-Pro running back capable of carrying a team to the playoffs with all the elements around him. He would have been a clear upgrade over the starting running back for at least 11 teams that year. The problem was that the salary cap kept most teams from surrounding their running backs with Pro Bowl-caliber linemen, quarterbacks, and receivers. Teams needed a running back who could create big plays without great blocking.
Emmitt was an exceptional talent on an ordinary team, which is the biggest reason those last few hundred yards to break the rushing record were so hard to come by. Running backs don't break records like that on their own. They need an effective offensive line to open holes for them and an effective quarterback to keep the defense from keying on them. Emmitt had neither of those, and that's why it took so long for him to break the record. At 33 years old and after everything he had accomplished, there had to be a willingness other than records to keep Emmitt going. The first thing to go because of age is not your legs or physical agility, it's your willingness to take the hit to gain yards, hit the hole hard, knowing you might only get 3 yards, but have to pay a price to get those yards. Of course, Emmitt still had that willingness. And let's not forget that running back is the hardest position in football to stay healthy, especially in the NFL.
Emmitt would have been better off playing for a team that was built to get the most from his talent. He deserved to build on his record with a team that could give him a chance to play for another Super Bowl ring. He was still a long way from being washed up. It was the lack of talent around Emmitt that put too much of a strain on him at that point in his career. The fact that he had gotten older and had played a significant amount of football emphasized the fact that he needed more help around him than before. He might not have been putting up MVP numbers, but he was still more than productive enough to prove that he wasn't just holding on for the rushing record. A lot of people have claimed to have evidence of Emmitt's decline with his yards totals going down, but his carries and touchdowns also went down. You can't use his individual numbers to try to gauge his impact. You have to look at all the elements of the situation.
In Emmitt's 13 years with the Cowboys, he played for 4 head coaches, 6 offensive coordinators, and played in 5 different offensive schemes (3 after Norv Turner left). He was the only constant. In his last year as a Cowboy, the team made the switch to Bruce Coslet, whose offense was a West Coast-style offense that had a running game built on off-tackle plays that establish the outside running game. Bruce Coslet should have lasted nowhere near as long as he did, and the 2002 season alone proved that he wasn't capable of putting together a game plan to highlight the running game. He only used it reluctantly. Here is an example: In the game against the Colts, who were ranked 31st in the NFL against the run, the running backs only had 15 carries for 64 yards (Emmitt 8-22, T-Ham 7-42). The Cowboys had a capable running game and an inexperienced quarterback. Coslet didn't stick with either running back once they got going. The game was still 6-3 early in the 4th quarter, and they ended up losing 20-3. Instead of questioning the play calling, Dave Campo just took the easy way out by saying they couldn't get the running game going.
Not only was Bruce Coslet hesitant with the running game, his system operated by rotating running backs. He believed that running backs didn't need to get into the rhythm of the game to be effective, which was his reason for rotating his backs. He would use one running back for 1st and 2nd downs, another one for 3rd down, another one for short yardage, and another one for goal line situations. I believe running backs do need touches to get into a rhythm and get stronger as the game goes on, which is hard for them to do with going in and out of the game and with limited carries. This is why I believe that Blair Thomas, the No. 2 overall pick in the 1990 draft, might not have been as big of a bust with the Jets as he appeared to be. It was more like his potential was drained by the Jets' offensive system. He was one of those backs that liked to get into the rhythm of the game. He said one year that he would need 250 carries to get 1,000 yards, but in the Jets' system under Bruce Coslet, there was no way a single running back would ever get 250 carries.
If you want to make a case for Blair Thomas's struggles being a systematic problem, consider that 4 of the running backs picked in the 1990 draft after him (Emmitt Smith, Barry Foster, Rodney Hampton, Harold Green) had 1,000-yard or better seasons, and they all made the Pro Bowl in 1992. It's fair to say that those backs wouldn't have had the same success playing in Bruce Coslet's system. I think Blair Thomas was victimized most by untimely and nagging injuries, along with low confidence by constantly seeing himself referred to as a bust. The exception to the rule in Coslet's system was Corey Dillion, who emerged as the Bengals' best player when he took over for Ki-Jana Carter. Here's another damning fact about Bruce Coslet's track record: In 2002, the Cowboys failed to score more than 21 points in their first 10 games, and they were the NFL's lowest scoring offense.
Having to overcome all those elements and never complain or quit on the team says a lot about Emmitt's character. He had the burden of carrying a mediocre team for a city and franchise that are only happy with supremacy, carrying the team's marketing campaign, and people trying to run him out of town. Emmitt was in that paradox that so many great athletes have to deal with toward the end of their careers: Even as he was being celebrated for his run into history, he had teammates and coaches saying he wasn't the force he used to be, commentators wondered out loud if he was hurting the team, and fans thought his backup was better. As I pointed out in Part 4, even Emmitt's backup thought he was better than Emmitt. In other words, Troy Hambrick wanted Emmitt's job and said so out loud by saying that Emmitt should step aside. There have been feuds between teammates for as long as sports have been around, and there is added drama and hostility when you have 2 players competing for the same position. But when you have a 26-year old journeyman disrespecting a Hall Of Famer with 3 Super Bowl rings........that broke new ground. Emmitt's role changed after he broke the rushing record because the Cowboys wanted to evaluate Troy Hambrick.
In Emmitt's last home game as a Cowboy, a late December game against the Eagles, he only had 8 carries for 30 yards. The team only finished with 146 total yards on offense that night. The real head-scratcher was when the Cowboys squandered their best chance to get in the end zone. They had a 1st and goal from the 9 - Emmitt got 6 yards on a carry, only for them to call 3 straight passing plays call after that, leading to a turnover on downs. The Cowboys made a HUGE mistake in not getting Emmitt his 1,000 yards in that game. Andy Reid didn't care about stopping Emmitt from getting his milestone, but Cowboys decided to keep throwing the ball against a team they knew they couldn't beat, for reasons nobody will ever know. In the season finale, the Redskins KNEW that the Cowboys would try to get Emmitt his 1,000 yards, and they were waiting for it. The coaches cost Emmitt his milestone and streak in another testament to stupidity. It was all VERY predictible. The coaching staff shot itself in the foot again, in a sorry end to a sorry season.
The Cowboys made a mistake by not bringing Emmitt back for the 2003 season. He was valuable to the chemistry and attitude of the team, and because of the leadership role that he played. Troy Hambrick was just a player that fit in, and that's about it. The Cowboys didn't have anybody on the team that could take Emmitt's place. The money could have been worked out, and he could still contribute. Emmitt could still hit the holes, and if they didn't feel like he was the breakaway threat he used to be, they should have found somebody to compliment him. It would be different if Emmitt couldn't play. He took care of himself, was in good shape, and he was better than what the Cowboys already had. It's not like Emmitt was getting shut down, he was limited by the Cowboys' play calling.
I honestly thought Emmitt would be brought back at a reduced salary, allowing him to be the bridge to the future, but all of that changed the day Bill Parcells was hired. Emmtt was a big part of the shine returning to the Cowboys star, and he was cut to make way for a younger, cheaper running back. He had said since the 2001 season ended that he wanted to finish his career as a Cowboy and that he was willing to take a paycut to stay. Besides a paycut, Emmitt was told that he would have to come back as a backup. You can take money away from a great athlete and he might be cool with it, but not allowing him the chance to compete for his starting job is not acceptable. With all of Emmitt's credentials, there was no way his pride would allow him to accept sitting behind a player of inferior talent. I believe Jerry Jones was completely wrong with the way he treated Emmitt. Leaving Dallas was the last thing Emmitt wanted to do. Yes, he was 34 years old and his production wasn't what it was when he was the workhorse on the Super Bowl teams, but what about loyalty? What about the Cowboys pride and tradition that Jerry liked to brag about? Emmitt Smith practically gave his life to help the Cowboys win games for 13 years.
I felt like the Chiefs would have been a good fit for Emmitt since he wouldn't be back with the Cowboys. He would have been an insurance policy for them with Priest Holmes still recovering from his hip surgery, and he was threatening to hold out for a new contract. It would have been an easy transition for Emmitt since the Chiefs offense came from the old Don Coryell system, using a lot of the same language, terminology, and philosophy of Norv Turner's offense for the Cowboys. The Chiefs also had the best offensive line in the NFL at that time, and they played on grass.
The Cardinals were the best fit for what Emmitt wanted: "feature back" status, a healthy dose of carries, a chance to reach 20,000 yards. For what the Cardinals wanted, Emmitt was perfect. They signed him for more than what he could do on the field. Emmitt was signed by the Cardinals to be a mentor to the younger players, to help teach them how to win and help change the organization's losing culture, and to help sell tickets. Like I mentioned earlier, Emmitt's decline had more to do with the team's incompetence than his declining skills. Despite not having a passing attack to open up some running room for him, playing with the 3rd worst pass offense in 2002, Emmitt still managed to average 4.2 yards per carry. Apparently Dave McGinnis and running backs coach Johnny Roland felt the same way I did when they studied film of Emmitt from 2002 before the Cardinals signed him. They both saw the same thing I saw, a running back that was repeatedly stuck in traffic.
Here is a quote from Johnny Roland:
"When Dave asked me if we should sign Emmitt, I told him 'He gained 975 yards behind a terrible line, with no quarterback, and with defenses playing eight-man fronts all the time. Of course we should.'"
In all honesty, I don't think Emmitt did too bad of a job playing for the Cardinals either, especially given that situation and what he had to work with. Out of the top 15 all-time rushers at that time, 5 of them ended up with new teams, and every ending was ugly. O.J. Simpson spent 2 injury-riddled seasons with the 49ers in 1978 and 1979. Franco Harris had 68 forgettable carries for the Seahawks in 1984. Tony Dorsett, who like Emmitt was 34 when he left the Cowboys, had the best season out of the 5 running backs when he went to the Broncos in 1988 and had a 703-yard season. Eric Dickerson, playing for the Raiders in 1992 and the Falcons in 1993, rushed for only 820 yards over those 2 years. Thurman Thomas had 28 carries for the Dolphins in 2000 before blowing out his knee and retiring. In 2003 it looked like Emmitt was headed down that same path. He was having a so-so year until he got injured against the Cowboys and had to miss 6 games before coming back as a backup. In 2004, Emmitt's last season in the NFL, Dennis Green took over as head coach and put Emmitt back in the starting lineup. He responded with 937 yards rushing and 9 touchdowns, easily the most successful out of those star running backs who switched teams at the end of their career. Not bad for a 35-year old running back, and being part of an offense that was ranked 26th in the NFL.
I'll pick up Part 6 with the impact that Emmitt had with his teams on every level he played at.
