Re: Portis vs. Betts
 

Since I don't have a magic ball. I'm hoping both have a REALLY STRONG SEASON.

CP needs to make this a statement season,being this COULD be his last IMO! LB coming off a GREAT year, needs to hold on to the football, and I believe he will.

What a great position to be in at RB if both can stay healthy. Let's not forget about the addition of Blaylock, nice depth at RB and Teams.

Re: Portis vs. Betts
 

I hope that we limit Portis's carries the first 1/2 of the season, lower then he has ever had.

I would be thrilled to see Portis enter the next offseason injury-free...

Re: Portis vs. Betts
 

[quote=Mattyk72;323530]Seems strange to predict injuries... but hey whatever gets you through the offseason I guess.

I think CP will come back strong this year. I think he'll be determined to get back on track, and Saunders will ease his workload by giving Betts more work.[/quote]

I also think that CP will come on strong this year, but I have disagree.

It isn't strange to predict injuries.

I can say right now that I expect Shawn Springs to get hurt some time during the year. Outside of the Skins, I expect that Donavan McNabb goes down at some point this year.

Do I think that Portis will avoid the injury bug all year? No. As a matter of fact, I think that it should be easy to predict that. He is coming off of shoulder surgery and is the kind of guy who loves to slam his shoulders into other guys without regard for his own health. That is why I love him, but that is what scares me. I see him playing most of the games, but playing a hurt a lot and missing a couple. With some luck, next year he will be full strength for the whole season IMHO.

Re: Portis vs. Betts
 

Just joined the board. Good to be here.

CP is one of the five best backs in the league IMO. He was a slasher in Denver, and then he basically reinvented himself when he arrived in Washington. He became a power back who still has the speed to get to the outside. Clinton will have a monster season this year. I'm guessing he and Ladell will be used much like Holmes and Johnson were. Clinton gets two series, then Ladell gets one.

Alot of what happens with CP and LB will depend on Jason Campbell. People talk about how great Betts was last year, but the running game didn't really take off until Gibbs put Campbell in. Nobody respected Brunell's ability to push the ball downfield, and as a result neither Portis nor Betts really put up great numbers behind him. (Except for CP's dominance against Jacksonville.) Campbell comes in, they're going deep four or five times a game, and all of a sudden Betts is running wild. I get goosebumps when I think of the kind of numbers a healthy Clinton Portis could have put up in the 2nd half last year. Here's to him doing it in 07.

Re: Portis vs. Betts
 

[quote=81+83+84=Posse;323719]Just joined the board. Good to be here.

CP is one of the five best backs in the league IMO. He was a slasher in Denver, and then he basically reinvented himself when he arrived in Washington. He became a power back who still has the speed to get to the outside. Clinton will have a monster season this year. I'm guessing he and Ladell will be used much like Holmes and Johnson were. Clinton gets two series, then Ladell gets one.

Alot of what happens with CP and LB will depend on Jason Campbell. People talk about how great Betts was last year, but the running game didn't really take off until Gibbs put Campbell in. Nobody respected Brunell's ability to push the ball downfield, and as a result neither Portis nor Betts really put up great numbers behind him. (Except for CP's dominance against Jacksonville.) Campbell comes in, they're going deep four or five times a game, and all of a sudden Betts is running wild. I get goosebumps when I think of the kind of numbers a healthy Clinton Portis could have put up in the 2nd half last year. Here's to him doing it in 07.[/quote]


Welcome to the board... very cool name... you must have been on this type of thing before.

Re: Portis vs. Betts
 

Fact: regardless of rushing yardage last season, the few games that CP did play in, he was in the top three in the league in scoring and they almos all came on the big play. He is still the man. Betts has had 1 count it 1 healthy season. He is nothing more than a breath of fresh air for CP until he can prove that he can do it week in and week out, season in and season out.

Re: Portis vs. Betts
 

Yeah, it is a total crap shoot. I hope I am wrong about CP and the week 10-11 thing, but I just see him getting brutally punished this season. I mean we do play 9 playoff teams this year, and the prognosticators aren't showing any love. I just got a look at Lindy's Pro Football preseason issue.. WE get 3rd in the division. Street and Smith also has us 3rd. Sporting News and Athlons both have us last. I sure hope Saunders offense clicks with our guys, so we can show all these sportswriters up.

Re: Portis vs. Betts
 

[quote=EARTHQUAKE2689;323523]why is that a big if.[/quote]

Cause his knee is already bothering him and it's not even training camp. I don't think CP is going to play all 16 games and that is why I am sooooo glad we hung on to Betts.

Re: Portis vs. Betts
 

[quote=81+83+84=Posse;323719]Just joined the board. Good to be here.

CP is one of the five best backs in the league IMO. He was a slasher in Denver, and then he basically reinvented himself when he arrived in Washington. He became a power back who still has the speed to get to the outside. Clinton will have a monster season this year. I'm guessing he and Ladell will be used much like Holmes and Johnson were. Clinton gets two series, then Ladell gets one.

Alot of what happens with CP and LB will depend on Jason Campbell. People talk about how great Betts was last year, but the running game didn't really take off until Gibbs put Campbell in. Nobody respected Brunell's ability to push the ball downfield, and as a result neither Portis nor Betts really put up great numbers behind him. (Except for CP's dominance against Jacksonville.) Campbell comes in, they're going deep four or five times a game, and all of a sudden Betts is running wild. I get goosebumps when I think of the kind of numbers a healthy Clinton Portis could have put up in the 2nd half last year. Here's to him doing it in 07.[/quote]

Welcome to the board and you bring up a great point. Did anyone else notice that once JC took over the running game just totally took off? I think some of it was better blocking but I would bet that we no longer had 9 guys lurking around the LOS. I can remember very well the 1st games against Dallas, NYG and Philly and we just could not back guys off the line. The defenses just did not respect our deep passing game and would just dare us to throw it deep. I think if CP had been healthy he would have just exploded towards the end of last year.

Re: Portis vs. Betts
 

Did I miss something? When did Portis become brittle?

I guess that everyone has forgotten that a freak hand injury ended Portis' season. I don't label someone as injury prone when they were extremely productive with a bad shoulder and were shut down because their hand was broken.

Clinton Portis is by far the best runningback on the team. He runs harder than Betts and he holds onto the ball.

Case closed.

Re: Portis vs. Betts
 

I always liked how Betts ran but he just seems to be one of those guys that will never get his big chance.

Re: Portis vs. Betts
 

[quote=Grim21Reaper;323893]Did I miss something? When did Portis become brittle?

I guess that everyone has forgotten that a freak hand injury ended Portis' season. I don't label someone as injury prone when they were extremely productive with a bad shoulder and were shut down because their hand was broken.

Clinton Portis is by far the best runningback on the team. He runs harder than Betts and he holds onto the ball.

Case closed.[/quote]


Thank you Grim.

Re: Portis vs. Betts
 

Portis is definitely the number one back and should get majority of the carries and touchdowns. But Sanders needs to find a way to allow Betts to contribute to the offense. He is a very good back and can exploit the opponent in ways Portis cannot. Betts is a better receiver than Portis and runs some of the power running plays better than Portis.

Re: Portis vs. Betts
 

Hopefully they complement each other, Betts is quicker to the hole and hits it with more power, Portis is more of a finesse type back, and a home run hitter, Portis needs to shed some weight and get back the agility he has lost since he decieded to bulk up he will never be a power back.

I could see at some point Betts becoming a first and second down back depending on what we do first down, and allow Portis to be more of a third down back, although he would be more than your usual third down type back because his running abilities are better than the usual 3rd down speedster. Perhaps the sharing of the work load will serve to keep the both of them healthy, remember Betts has had a history of injuries before last season, which is IMO opinion the only thing that has held him back from being a top back in the league.

All said and done, I feel Betts will get more yards I believe the coaches will stick with Portis early, but Betts will eventually force their hand for his ability to move the chains on a cinsistant basis.

Re: Portis vs. Betts
 

Although i hate the problem of having countless number of threads about which of our talented RBs is better, it is still a very good problem to have.