Dorsett Has Some Catching Up to Do

It wasn’t long ago that Tony Dorsett had visions of someday overtaking Walter Payton to become the National Football League’s all-time ground gainer.

“If Walter doesn’t push it out there too far, I might get a shot at it before it’s all over,” Dorsett said.

After Sunday, you could say the vision is dimming. Payton, playing on the best Chicago team in his career, cruised to an eased-up 132 yards as the Bears demolished Dallas, 44-0. Dorsett, playing for a Dallas franchise that might be in decline, struggled to get 44 yards.

Payton’s career total is 14,392 yards. That puts him almost 4,000 yards ahead of Dorsett, whose total is 10,467.

The fact that Dorsett came into the league two years later than Payton would appear to give him a chance to catch up, but there’s a problem. Payton is younger than Dorsett.

Coming out of Jackson State, Payton joined the Bears at age 21. Dorsett was 23 when he came out of Pittsburgh to join the Cowboys. Dorsett actually is 3 1/2 months older.

Standing between Dorsett and Payton are Jim Brown, O.J. Simpson, Franco Harris and John Riggins.

Says Dorsett: “I think there is a very good chance that I might catch up with with the rest of them. But, right now, I’d better just say goodby to Walter.”

Trivia Time: The Chicago Bears are 11-0 after Sunday’s win. When was the last time an NFL team started out 11-0? (Answer below.)

Add Payton: “I’ve never been on an 11-0 team, not even in sandlot football,” he said.

Looking to the playoffs, he said: “Our object now is to get somebody in Soldier Field when the temperature is 15 degrees and the wind-chill factor is 20 below and see what they are made of.”

Shudder, shudder.

Said Chicago defensive tackle Dan Hampton, explaining the fury of the Bears’ defense: “It’s something I call the ‘piranha effect.’ If we smell blood, we go into a frenzy. We go after their ballcarriers and go after their receivers.”

Wait a Minute: In a story on Brian McClure, the record-breaking passer at Bowling Green, the New York Times said: “As the pro teams and combines continue their reports, there will be one recurring reservation. The scouts will wonder if McClure can compete on the higher level.”

What’s to wonder? Here are some quarterbacks who have made it to the NFL from even lower-rated schools:

Ron Jaworski (Youngstown State), Phil Simms (Morehead State), Ken O’Brien (UC Davis), Neil Lomax (Portland State), Dieter Brock (Jacksonville State), Bill Kenney (Northern Colorado), Dave Krieg (Milton), Jim Zorn (Cal Poly Pomona), Jeff Kemp (Dartmouth) and Bob Holly (Princeton).

As for all-time quarterbacks, the man with the most Super Bowl rings, Terry Bradshaw, came from Louisiana Tech.

Following his two blocked field goals and three pass deflections Sunday against San Diego, would you say Denver safety Dennis Smith is a pretty good leaper?

Not bad. At Santa Monica High School in 1977, he won the California state high jump title with a leap of 7-2.

Trivia Answer: The Miami Dolphins in 1984. They were 11-0 until the San Diego Chargers beat them, 34-28, in overtime. The Raiders later beat them, 45-34. That was their last loss until the Super Bowl where they lost to San Francisco, 38-16.

Quotebook

Former Green Bay Packers receiver Max McGee, on Vince Lombardi: “When he said sit down, I didn’t even bother to look for a chair.”