Jon Gruden, Derek Carr believe Marshawn Lynch is Hall of Fame bound

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ALAMEDA -- Marshawn Lynch was vintage Beast Mode in Sunday’s 45-42 overtime win over the Cleveland Browns.

The veteran Raiders running back ran with extreme violence, totaling 130 yards on 20 carries, plus 27 more on three receptions. An even 100 rushing yards were earned after first contact, as Lynch broke one tackle after another on a series of tough runs.

Raiders coach Jon Gruden came away impressed by Sunday’s effort, and Lynch’s rushing overall this season. Watching Lynch work firsthand has convinced Gruden that his running back deserves a gold jacket.

“If that’s not a Hall of Fame back, I don’t know what is,” Gruden said in his Monday press conference. “Honestly. What he did yesterday, what he’s done since he’s been here is incredible. He wants the ball more and more and more. We got a good back over there in Doug Martin, who is ready to roll. Doug can’t get on the field. This guy does not want to come off the field. He picked up six or seven blitzes yesterday, too, that no one is talking about. But some of the runs, good night!

"Why would you have a quick whistle with Marshawn Lynch? I don’t understand how you can blow a whistle like they did yesterday, but some of the runs he’s making, some of the finishes and determination he is putting on tape, is unbelievable. I don’t see many guys in football running like this.”

Lynch forced 11 missed tackles against Cleveland, according to analytics site Pro Football Focus, and has 22 missed tackles on the season. He ranks third in the NFL with 3.74 yards averaged after contact.

That’s how Lynch has run most of his career, and he stands as maybe the toughest runner of his generation. He currently ranks 28th on the NFL's all-time list with 10,303 rushing yards, which is No. 3 among active players.

Lynch is going strong at age 32, running with the same intensity used in his younger years. He has a Super Bowl ring from his days with Seattle, and he might have had two if the Seahawks would’ve given him the ball instead of passing on the 1-yard line against the Patriots.

Whether that earns Lynch a bust in Canton, Ohio will be determined down the line, but there’s no doubting his impact on the Raiders and the NFL as a whole during his playing days. He’s never truly down, and he ranks high among the NFL’s most entertaining players.

“For him to consistently run the way that he does, give the effort that he does -- he’s a Hall of Famer,” Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said. “The guy is one of the best running backs to ever play this game. You can’t tell a football story without Marshawn Lynch.”

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