Which of the NFL Records in this poll do you feel will NEVER be broken in NFL history forever?
1) Jim Brown - Career average 5.22 yards per rushing attempt
2) Jim Marshall - Most consecutive games played (282)
3) Paul Hornung - Most points In A Season (176)
4) Gale Sayers - Highest Career KR Average (30.56)
5) Gary Anderson - The 100% perfect season - PATS/FGS - (to beat attempts made by Gary)
6) Dan Marino - Career Passing Yardage (61,361)
7) Dan Marino - Most Passing Yards In A Season (5,084)
8) Johnny Unitas - Most Consecutive Games Throwing A TD Pass (47)
9) New England Patriots - 21 Game Winning Streak
10) John Elway - 148 Career Quarterback Wins
Wow. Thanks. Every now and then someone starts a thread that really gets me thinking. This is one of those. I approached it by trying to rank order the chances that a record will go.
First of all, we're asked to say if these are records that will "never" be broken. Not, if it's "unlikely" or even "highly unlikely" that they will be broken, but that they will "never" be broken. That's a high burden to prove.
I came to the conclusion that seven of the records might fall (even if chances are slim that they will) and that three would never fall.
6) and 7): I think Marino's records will be surpassed by some combination of Favre and Manning, so they will probably fall. 75% chance on 6) and 50-50 chance on 7).
8): Could I see a healthy QB throwing a TD every game for three straight years and beating the 47 of Unitas? Yes, I think that could happen. Maybe a 10% chance that this happens.
9): I think some other team will eventually string together two great seasons, including a SB win, and challenge the 21 game record. So, there's a reasonable chance that this will fall. I'd say there's a 10% chance that this happens sometime over the next umpteen years.
10) Could another QB, playing for the "right" team, string together enough big seasons to win 149 games? Yes, I think that could happen. Elway didn't play all that long ago. I think this is a 5% chance.
5) Is it possible that another kicker could be perfect over the course of one season? Yes, I'd have to think that's possible. I think this is very unlikely, tho. A 1% chance.
1) Is it possible that a RB will someday eclipse Brown's per carry record? Yes, I think I'd have to say there is. Sayres and the Juice came close. A guy like Reggie Bush might do it if he stays healthy. Maybe another 1% chance.
3) Given today's diverse offenses with multiple weapons on the field, is it possible that a player will average the 11 points a game that it would take to tie Jim Hornung's record? I just don't think so. That's two TD's per game, every game, every week, for a position player or, for example, two FG's and five PAT's a game for a kicker (or three FG's and two PAT's or some other combination that is unlikely every week). So, I don't think this record falls. 0%
2) 282 consecutive games is nearly 18 seasons without missing a game. In today's NFL with the violence of the play on the field, I just don't see that happening. 0%
4) A 30.56 yard KR average (presumably over a material number of return attempts over a significant number of seasons)? With today's scientific Special Teams Play, I don't see it. Assuming that the average kick reaches the three or four yard line, that would require an average return to the 34 or 35. I think the Average starting point after a Kickoff is around the 23, so I don't think this one falls. 0%