Читать книгу The 50 Greatest Players in Chicago Bears History - Robert W. Cohen - Страница 12

Payton scored the first touchdown of his career when he ran the ball in from 4 yards out during a 46–13 loss to Miami on November 2, 1975.

Payton went over 100 yards rushing for the first time as a pro during a 31–3 loss to the 49ers on November 16, 1975, finishing the game with 23 carries for 105 yards.

Payton amassed 300 yards of total offense in the 1975 regular-season finale, rushing for 134 yards and one touchdown, making five receptions for 62 yards, and returning two kickoffs for 104 yards during a 42–17 rout of the New Orleans Saints.

Payton led the Bears to a 19–12 win over the 49ers on September 19, 1976, by rushing for 148 yards and two touchdowns, the longest of which covered 20 yards.

Payton carried the ball 27 times for a season-high 183 yards during a 34–7 win over the Seattle Seahawks on December 5, 1976.

Payton led the Bears to a 30–20 win over Detroit in the 1977 regular-season opener by rushing for 160 yards and two touchdowns, with his longest run of the day being a 73-yard scamper.

Payton rushed for 205 yards and two touchdowns during a convincing 26–0 victory over the Packers on October 30, 1977.

Payton proved to be the difference in a 28–27 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on November 13, 1977, rushing for 192 yards and three touchdowns, with his most memorable run of the day coming on a 32-yard gain in which he bowled over several would-be tacklers before finally being brought down from behind by the ankles.

Payton turned in arguably the greatest performance of his career on November 20, 1977, when, despite displaying severe flu symptoms entering the contest, he ran for a franchise-record 275 yards and one touchdown during a 10–7 win over the Minnesota Vikings.

Payton helped the Bears celebrate Thanksgiving in 1977 by rushing for 137 yards and scoring two touchdowns during a 31–14 win over the Detroit Lions, with one of his TDs coming on a 75-yard pass from Bob Avellini.

Payton led the Bears to a 21–10 win over the Packers on December 11, 1977, by rushing for 163 yards and two touchdowns.

Although the Bears lost to the Broncos by a score of 16–7 on October 16, 1978, Payton rushed for a season-high 157 yards during the contest, gaining nearly half of those on a 76-yard run.

Payton starred during a 26–7 victory over the Vikings on September 9, 1979, rushing for 182 yards and two touchdowns, which came on runs of 43 and 26 yards.

Payton gave the Bears a 7–0 win over Buffalo on October 7, 1979, by scoring the game’s only touchdown on a short run in the fourth quarter, concluding the contest with 155 yards rushing.

Payton accounted for all three touchdowns the Bears scored during a 30–27 loss to Minnesota on October 21, 1979, scoring twice himself and throwing a 54-yard TD pass to Brian Baschnagel.

Payton led the Bears to a 28–27 win over the 49ers on October 28, 1979, by rushing for 162 yards and three touchdowns.

Payton amassed 200 yards of total offense during a 42–6 mauling of the Cardinals in the final game of the 1979 regular season, rushing for 157 yards and three touchdowns, and making three receptions for 43 yards.

Payton contributed to a 22–3 victory over the New Orleans Saints on September 14, 1980, by rushing for 183 yards and one touchdown, which came on a 69-yard run.

Payton helped lead the Bears to a 61–7 thrashing of the Packers on December 7, 1980, by rushing for 130 yards and three touchdowns.

Although the Bears lost to Dallas by a score of 10–9 on Thanksgiving Day 1981, Payton rushed for a season-high 179 yards during the contest.

Payton once again starred in defeat on September 18, 1983, rushing for 161 yards and one touchdown, and completing a pair of TD passes to Willie Gault during a 34–31 overtime loss to New Orleans, with the longest of his TD tosses covering 56 yards.

Payton earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors by rushing for 179 yards and one TD during a 27–0 win over Denver on September 9, 1984, with his TD run covering 72 yards.

Payton led the Bears to a 20–7 win over New Orleans on October 7, 1984, by rushing for 154 yards and one TD, supplanting Jim Brown in the process as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher.

Although the Bears suffered a 20–14 defeat at the hands of the Green Bay Packers on December 9, 1984, Payton rushed for a season-high 175 yards and one touchdown during the contest.

Payton led the Bears to their ninth straight victory without a loss the following season by rushing for a season-high 192 yards and one TD during a 16–10 win over the Packers on November 3, 1985, with his outstanding performance earning him NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Payton earned that distinction for the third and final time in his career by rushing for 177 yards and one touchdown during a 13–10 overtime victory over Philadelphia on September 14, 1986.