The Running Game

[BrennanFan]

Being a new fan...just had questions about the offense in general and the running game specifically. Granted, I haven't watched many games and the games I watched I didn't really pay that much attention. But to me it just seemed like something was wrong with Portis. I remember him being a stud in Denver but haven't thought he has performed up to that level. He's been a good back just not 150 yds and 2 TD's a game. Wasn't that expected with the run oriented Gibbs coaching? What are your opinions on what the run game will look like with Zorn's West Coast being installed? How long was he in Seattle and would they try to use Portis like S. Alexander? I think that would be a mistake considering Clinton is more of a complete back.

[guess88]

No one really knows if Zorn's going to run the same offense as Seattle, but there will most likely be many similarities. If it is more spread out, and the line stays healthy, CP should have his best year as a Skin.

Denver ran a zone blocking scheme, which CP obviously excelled in, but he had to adjust to a completely different style of running here. He honestly wasn't the type of back Gibbs should've had in his offense, but to give Portis credit, he bulked up his second year and became a tough, bruising type of runner, with some speed. I still consider it a miracle he managed to top 1,000 yards last season playing behind a make shift o-line pretty much the whole season, and I still don't know what took them so long to learn CP was a receiving threat, cause I thought he did a lot of that in Denver.

But yeah.. CP is a far better back than Alexander is, and if that chump can rack up an 1800 yard season, CP should top 2,000.

BTW - since you're new here, it wouldn't hurt you to look up some of the older threads. There's been so much written about CP's productivity on here, it could fill a magazine.

[shally]

No one really knows if Zorn's going to run the same offense as Seattle, but there will most likely be many similarities. If it is more spread out, and the line stays healthy, CP should have his best year as a Skin.

Denver ran a zone blocking scheme, which CP obviously excelled in, but he had to adjust to a completely different style of running here. He honestly wasn't the type of back Gibbs should've had in his offense, but to give Portis credit, he bulked up his second year and became a tough, bruising type of runner, with some speed. I still consider it a miracle he managed to top 1,000 yards last season playing behind a make shift o-line pretty much the whole season, and I still don't know what took them so long to learn CP was a receiving threat, cause I thought he did a lot of that in Denver.

But yeah.. CP is a far better back than Alexander is, and if that chump can rack up an 1800 yard season, CP should top 2,000.

BTW - since you're new here, it wouldn't hurt you to look up some of the older threads. There's been so much written about CP's productivity on here, it could fill a magazine.

i think there is something that should be read into the fact that the team added NO ONE at rb or fb in either the draft or as UDFA.. that tells me they think they have more than enough runners with the 2 FB's and the 5 runners they now have..

[joethefan]

This scheme just may benefit Clinton more from an all purpose yards standpoint....I just need him to come to camp ready to roll and not wait until the 5-6 game to get his legs....Zorn can't afford to wait that long....

If we can control the clock with the running game then that'll make it much easier for Jason and the offense. This scheme should help us to get better in the red zone, thus leading to our scoring percentage going up, which was a real struggle last year.

What he was able to accomplish with that line was amazing last year. IMO 1,600 yards in the nfc west = 1,400 in the east. The east is the hardest division in football against the run...

[smoak]

ZClinton Portis needs to rededicate himself to football and stop blaming everyone else for his lack of production. I truly believe he has the talent and on-field desire to be the best Redskins RB of my time (if not ALL time), but he needs to wake up and apply that same drive to off field work. The season doesn't start in September.... it starts in January.

[flave1969]

ZClinton Portis needs to rededicate himself to football and stop blaming everyone else for his lack of production. I truly believe he has the talent and on-field desire to be the best Redskins RB of my time (if not ALL time), but he needs to wake up and apply that same drive to off field work. The season doesn't start in September.... it starts in January.


Please show me where he has blamed anyone but himself for his production. My memory may be sketchy but I don't remember hearing him criticise his line, coaches, medical men etc, etc.

[Red Bear]

Please show me where he has blamed anyone but himself for his production. My memory may be sketchy but I don't remember hearing him criticise his line, coaches, medical men etc, etc.

i believe he may have mentioned something during the season about fabini and wade saying they had the backside covered and then they consistently got blown up, may have been on players club. but still, the way he said it wasnt malicious and he never did really blame anyone for his production

[hail2skins]

ZClinton Portis needs to rededicate himself to football and stop blaming everyone else for his lack of production. I truly believe he has the talent and on-field desire to be the best Redskins RB of my time (if not ALL time), but he needs to wake up and apply that same drive to off field work. The season doesn't start in September.... it starts in January.I'm sorry but I have never heard Clinton blame anyone for his production on the field. All I recall him saying is what he has to do better.

To answer the question that was asked, in Denver Clinton ran behind a line that did more zone blocking. He could hit a whole or bounce it outside. When Gibbs came back, he used Clinton on stretch plays where he could cut back to a hole or follow his blockers straight on. It wasn't his style but he adjusted to it.

Zorn plans to keep the running game intact but also plans to get Clinton more involved in the passing game which is where most of the changes to the offense will take place.

Here are his stats: (year, team, attemps, rushing yards)

2002 Den 273, 1508
2003 Den 290, 1591
2004 Was 343, 1315
2005 Was 352, 1516
2006 Was 127, 523
2007 Was 325, 1262

He's really only had one bad year and that was due to injury. He had more yards in Denver but gets more touches in Washington.

[skin4ever]

if you want to learn about CP watch him this season. NOt being a smart allec, but i think the passing of ST lit a fire under him. He changed his runnning style, cutting more and falling forward. I think he internalized some of what ST brought to the game and that has changed him. I hope this is his most explosive season, especially with defenses having to react to a whole lot of recieving weapons.

[redwolf1218]

if you want to learn about CP watch him this season. NOt being a smart allec, but i think the passing of ST lit a fire under him. He changed his runnning style, cutting more and falling forward. I think he internalized some of what ST brought to the game and that has changed him. I hope this is his most explosive season, especially with defenses having to react to a whole lot of recieving weapons.

i'm hoping he will emerge as more of a threat in the passing game like a Marshall Faulk or like Roger Craig in the old days in San Fran.

[bergiemoore]

Being a new fan...just had questions about the offense in general and the running game specifically. Granted, I haven't watched many games and the games I watched I didn't really pay that much attention. But to me it just seemed like something was wrong with Portis. I remember him being a stud in Denver but haven't thought he has performed up to that level. He's been a good back just not 150 yds and 2 TD's a game. Wasn't that expected with the run oriented Gibbs coaching? What are your opinions on what the run game will look like with Zorn's West Coast being installed? How long was he in Seattle and would they try to use Portis like S. Alexander? I think that would be a mistake considering Clinton is more of a complete back.

Portis started the 2007 season admittedly out of shape, but began to show flashes of his former self later in the season.

However, most important to Portis' production was the OLine. In 06, the OLine was one of the best in the NFL. That offseason, Dockery(LG) got an obscene amount of money to play with the Bills. As the year wore on, the starting OLine was reduced to 2 starters from '06 (Samuels and Rabach), a 34 year-old left guard picked up in a trade with the Jets after the 1st pre-season game(Kendal), a career RT that was converted to RG (Fabini), another career RT picked up from the infamous Houston Texans OLine in 06(Wade) and who was eventually replaced by a UDFA out of Maryland (Heyer). So, with a right side of the line being held together with baling wire and duct tape, Portis carried the ball more than any other back in 07, and caught for a career record 40+ receptions.

Add to this equation the coaches' seeming allergic reaction to the forward pass or a bona fide #1 receiver, and you have a recipe for disaster.

IMHO, Portis is a beast to have accomplished what he did last season despite the circumstances.

Hopefully, with a more spread out offense, at least 2 receivers with hamstrings still in tact, and a second tight end that is a real receiving threat, teams will not be able to focus all their attention on Portis. Last year, he was effectively taken out of a couple of games, and the Skins were unable to compensate.

[Keino]

ZClinton Portis needs to rededicate himself to football and stop blaming everyone else for his lack of production. I truly believe he has the talent and on-field desire to be the best Redskins RB of my time (if not ALL time), but he needs to wake up and apply that same drive to off field work. The season doesn't start in September.... it starts in January.

I 100% disagree with this post. There is not a more dedicated Redskin than Portis. His lack of production is clearly about how he was used, and the number of injuries to the guys in front of him creating the holes.

I do think that Portis by putting on the extra weight a few years ago, in anticipation of being a Joe Gibbs back, struggled with his balance. I think a Portis who drops some weight (as he has indicated he will be doing this year) is going to regain some of that balance and ultimately his big play ability.

[SkinsfaninNJ]

ZClinton Portis needs to rededicate himself to football and stop blaming everyone else for his lack of production. I truly believe he has the talent and on-field desire to be the best Redskins RB of my time (if not ALL time), but he needs to wake up and apply that same drive to off field work. The season doesn't start in September.... it starts in January.

He had a rough start to his Redskins career if I recall correctly. Its not important enough for me to go back and look it up, but I remember in 2004 a brush up with Buges and a time or two where he criticized the play calling. Now, for anyone who remembers our 2004 offense, he had a point. But since 2004, I can only recall him being a great Redskin. But he does need to be in top shape by game one.

[smoak]

He had a rough start to his Redskins career if I recall correctly. Its not important enough for me to go back and look it up, but I remember in 2004 a brush up with Buges and a time or two where he criticized the play calling. Now, for anyone who remembers our 2004 offense, he had a point. But since 2004, I can only recall him being a great Redskin. But he does need to be in top shape by game one.

Sorry, I didn't articulate my point clearly (a function of an error I am repeating... posting & working at the same time). I don't think Portis makes the excuses publicly (although your recollection of 2004 is very good as that is the only time I remember him complaining except about preseason), but rather people make excuses for him... It has ranged from blaming the o-line, to the run blocking scheme, to the playcalling, to Gibbs, to Gibbs son, to the economy, to the war on terror....

I'll say it again, I LOVE Portis and the way he plays the game. What I question is his preparation in the offseason, and while I have no evidence, I just don't think he seems to be in top shape. I've seen him get winded after a long run and literally slow down!?? That shouldn't happen with a pro athlete... But I'm not trying to prove an argument b/c I admit this is my opinion. I wouldn't trade Clinton for any back in the league not named Tomlinson, but I wish I had the feeling that he worked harder to prepare for the season.