In a previous era, before running backs were devalued the way they are today, John Elway was carried to the elusive first and second Super Bowls of his Hall of Fame career by the young Hall of Fame legs of Terrell Davis.
Elway was 37 and 38 when he hoisted the Lombardi Trophy at the end of Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII following three previous losses, and he could thank Davis for his back-to-back 1750-yard and 2008-yard rushing seasons with 15 and 21 TDs, respectively.
It is unrealistic to expect MVP Aaron Rodgers at age 40, following his Achilles season in 2023, but it is not unrealistic to suggest that if Rodgers begins to find his mojo, against the Patriots on Thursday night or soon thereafter, that Breece Hall can be instrumental in carrying him back to that elusive Super Bowl.
The Beast is being unleashed.
Breece The Beast could very well be the AFC version of Christian McCaffrey. Though McCaffrey is idled with Achilles tendinitis, Breece the Beast is reminding the NFL what a dangerous weapon he is when healthy, running the ball and catching it.
Jets right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, asked where he would rate Hall among NFL running backs, said: “Top three. Not three, not two, you know what I’m saying? I think Breece is a crazy talent. Once he gets loose, nobody’s catching him in the open field. I think he does a good job setting up gaps and setting up run lanes for himself and helping us in doing that, helping our blocks by setting up the runs. And like you seen last Sunday against Tennessee, he was able to go on that wheel route catching a nice ball from Aaron.”
Hall’s 26-yard touchdown catch matched up against a linebacker was an eye-opener, and on the heels of a 76-catch sophomore season, he had 12 catches for 91 yards and a touchdown entering Thursday night.
His 591 receiving yards last season led all running backs.
“When you look at the tape, even going back to Iowa State, he always used to say he had good hands (laugh), and he showed that last week for sure,” Vera-Tucker said. “That was real cool to see. Another thing too, I think his blocking has improved.”
Hall (30 carries, 116 yards and a TD heading into Thursday) finished with 994 rushing yards last season after beginning the year on a pitch count after tearing his ACL on Week 7 of his rookie season.
“Whoever anybody puts on the top of their lists, he’s gong to be up there,” C.J. Mosley told the Post, “whether it’s one, two or three. He’s dangerous coming out of the backfield, obviously he has great speed and power, he can run between the tackles, on the outside, so he can do anything that any of the best running backs in this league can do.”
Mosley needed to add something: “Great pass protection as well.”
The 220-pound Hall has been a mentor to promising 240-pound rookie Braelon Allen.
Asked about Hall’s running style, Allen said: “Explosiveness. Elusive. Playmaker. He can hurt defenses in a variety of ways like you saw Sunday with the circus catches, looked like a receiver out there. He’s extremely hard to tackle, very fast, deceiving fast for sure. He’s got long strides, high knees.”
Allen followed Hall’s exploits at Wisconsin.
“He runs really, really hard,” defensive end Takk McKinley told the Post. “Breece is in great shape. His speed is amazing, his vision is amazing. And overall, he’s just a complete running back. He’s just someone that’s Mr. Unstoppable.”
Once receiver Mike Williams is integrated further into the offense, Garrett Wilson won’t be the only beneficiary. Hall figured to benefit with more room to run and improve on his 3.9 yards per game, down from his career 4.7 mark.
“There’s a lot of talented running backs out there, I don’t want you to discredit any of them, what they’ve done in their careers, but 20 (is) definitely a special talent,” Tyler Conklin told The Post. “Such an advantage in the pass game along with the run game, being an all-around back like that as a three-down back, he’s up there with the best of them.”
When he was drafted in the second round in 2022, Hall told us he was the best back of his class. When the 2023 season ended six yards shy of 1,000 rushing yards, Hall said: “I wasn’t really upset because everybody in the league that watches me knows that I have the potential to be probably the best back in the NFL.”
If he does, it won’t just be MetLife roaring “BREEEEECE!” It will be Aaron Rodgers as well.
