Those great old Cleveland Browns teams of Paul Brown were set up much like this Rams team. Precision offense with Otto Graham, Dante Lavelli, Max Speedie, and the alltime great Marion Motley. My dad once told me Motley was the greatest football he ever saw. I used to look at him cross eyed back in the 60’s when he said that. Then later I heard Paul Zimmerman say the same thing. Motley was a beast who did it all. Much like Gurley, Motley wasn’t a slippery back, he was a hybrid power back who was devastating on a screen pass and superhuman as a pass blocker.
But the biggest similarity in these 2 teams is Bill Willis and Aaron Donald. Willis was an undersized DT who dominated with speed, quickness, and uncanny strength. There isn’t much film on Willis, but what there is reminds me of Donald. Those old Browns teams were the first real dynasty of the NFL. And the key to them were Brown, Graham, Motley, and Willis. Much like the Rams, McVay, Goff, Gurley, and Donald.
Someone should right a story about this. I think it would be interesting to dig into the history and comparisons on different levels.
~ max ~
“The consciousness of good intentions disdains ambiguity.” - Alexander Hamilton
