Great post, very similar backs. I love homegrown guys so FM is my sentimental pick... Penny for penny pound for pound I think he was a better ground and pound back as well. That said CM was apparantly a better all purpose back than FM. I say "apparantly" because they played in two different systems...but CM's ability to catch the ball out of the backfield made him a more valuable Jet, (at the time and in that system) and probably the better back of the two. Jets won quite a few games without Freeman....Jets teams of that era would have been lost if teams didn't have to scheme around Curtis. Who had the better career as a Jet? I say wash... Who was a more valuable Jet? Curtis Martin.
This is true, and I think a product of the respective eras. There's no way in the age of free agency Johnny Hector hangs around the Jets his whole career. Same for a lot of other guys, so when comparing anyone from then to now it's important to understand that you can't keep a line or a WR corps or whatever together like you could back then. Freeman was actually the guy who fought for free agency and put his name on the case, but by the time the case was won Freeman had retired and never got to be a free agent.
McNeil was fun to watch. He's not the best RB the Jet's have had but he's still one of my favorites. Martin was more consistent/tough but McNeil did have a lot of beautiful runs by making defenders miss. Martin was more productive as a Jet but McNeil was still cool to watch. === Martin's career in NE was very short (but very productive). Majority of his HOF work was done in a Jets uniform.
I loved Freeman, but Curtis was better. So dependable, and a complete RB as far as running, receiving, and blocking.
I saw Freeman's entire career(I can remember games as far back as his rookie year), I was a kid growing up watching his career and I have great memories as a child of Freeman. Those 80s teams and players are guys I would give the edge to if things were even b/c of the innocence of being a fan as a child. Freeman had more physical talent but his body never allowed him to fulfill that talent. If I knew both were healthy and playing 16 games I take Freeman but this is based on production not projections and Curtis easily wins head to head vs. Freeman.
Freeman is probably the reason I'm a Jets fan. I still have my youth McNeil Jersey. Curtis was amazing though, but I think I'm gonna give the nod to Freeman.
As much as I liked Freeman..I gotta go with Curtis. Curtis did it all, RAN, BLOCKED, CAUGHT the ball....he did it all year in & year out
I know right, it's not like he was on the Titan or something. While on this subject who is this Vinny Testaverde character that I see get mentioned from time to time?
^^ This ^^ McNeil was more of a natural than Martin. Martin was never a creator, 1 maybe 2 moves per run...McNeil OTH was an absolute handful for defenses and had more breakaway speed...
