Portis/Riggins comparison

[holcknowsbest]

last week Riggo talked about how portis had to switch his style of running much like he did when he became a redskin....i didnt say it, he did. i just wanted some feed back on it. i think he is right to an extent, hes become a much more physical runner here in washington. i personally love it.

also i have a couple other points about portis, 1 this guy will retire the franchises all time leading rusher and he had been all that anyone could ask for. i dont think there is a running back in the league that i would rather have, he runs hard, holds on to the football, stays relatively healthy, can make plays in the passing game(as we are starting to find out), and its well known about his blocking....i mean this guy is a stone cold beast, ask demarcus ware or any number of blitzing linebackers who got stoned.

my last comment is based on what DOC Walker had to say, "Portis doesnt seem to have that break away speed." last time i saw portis in a foot race, it was with a 205 pound 4.3 safety that wears number 30 and it was too close to call...CP has plenty of speed and there have been a few runs this year where he breaks the line of scrimmage and looks like everyone else is in slow motion....he has plenty of speed D-O-C but i am curious to see what the fans think

[Soup's Uncle]

I think he's still got tons of speed. Portis is a "do it all" kind of back. Blocks, catches (will start to do more and more) and runs hard. Love it.

[MTK]

Meh, Portis is nothing more than a 3rd down back.

Quick, name that tune!

[Redskins_P]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Meh, Portis is nothing more than a 3rd down back.

Quick, name that tune!

Offiss??

You also forgot that he's a "system" back.

Gotta love the haters....

[Hog1]

Originally Posted by Redskins_P

Offiss??

You also forgot that he's a "system" back.

Gotta love the haters....

Just got a new deal?

[Redskins_P]

Originally Posted by Hog1

Just got a new deal?

Huh?

[Hog1]

Originally Posted by Redskins_P

Huh?

NO ,
satire from the other post

[htownskinfan]

Portis is a great back and i love him,but it does look like he's lost a step from his Denver days,theres been 3 or 4 times this yr when he's broken into the secondary for what looks like it should be a td or a very long gainer then it doesnt happen.Now dont jump my shit,i'm not knocking portis,it just looks like he's not as fast as he used to be IMO,Betts looks faster at times

[johnerotten]

portis is like a jack rabbitt when compared to riggins.riggins was never really fast,just really hard to tackle.i think that clinton portis is the best blocking/catching the blitz back in the league's history to me.

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by johnerotten

portis is like a jack rabbitt when compared to riggins.riggins was never really fast,just really hard to tackle.i think that clinton portis is the best blocking/catching the blitz back in the league's history to me.

Riggins was actually very fast for a 250 lb back. He was a state champion in the 100 yard dash in high school. Once he got a head of steam, he could pull away from many DBs that he outweighed by 50 lbs. Just look at the TD run against Miami in Super Bowl XVII or the 60 yard TD at Dallas in the last game of the '79 season. I find this comparison very interesting, because both Portis and Riggo give the best of both worlds. I would designate Riggins as a power-back with deceptive speed and Portis as a speed back with deceptive power. Can't go wrong with either guy - both True Redskins as Joe Gibbs used to say.

[Redskins_P]

Originally Posted by SouperMeister

I find this comparison very interesting, because both Portis and Riggo give the best of both worlds. I would designate Riggins as a power-back with deceptive speed and Portis as a speed back with deceptive power. Can't go wrong with either guy - both True Redskins as Joe Gibbs used to say.

I completely agree. I couldn't have said it better myself.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by SouperMeister

Riggins was actually very fast for a 250 lb back. He was a state champion in the 100 yard dash in high school. Once he got a head of steam, he could pull away from many DBs that he outweighed by 50 lbs. Just look at the TD run against Miami in Super Bowl XVII or the 60 yard TD at Dallas in the last game of the '79 season. I find this comparison very interesting, because both Portis and Riggo give the best of both worlds. I would designate Riggins as a power-back with deceptive speed and Portis as a speed back with deceptive power. Can't go wrong with either guy - both True Redskins as Joe Gibbs used to say.

That's a great way to put it.

When you see old clips of Riggo, I'm always shocked at how he could run away from the D in the open field. The guy was definitely very fast for a man his size. Stephen Davis was the same kind of back when he was in his prime, but Riggo had more power.

[MTK]

And by the way he's off to the best start of his career, including those glorious Denver days. He's on pace for a career year.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

He's on pace for a career year.

I might have called that one.

The biggest key is that our running game is doing more and more zone stuff, which is basically a better system for the running back. Portis doesn't have particularly great vision, and it hurt him when the holes were shifting so much. Zone blocking simplifies the reads for the running back, and it's allowing Portis' athleticism to simply take over games.

The zone schemes are also taking Pete Kendall from a placefiller to a dominating force, and Heyer from one who can't run block to a pretty darn good run blocker. It's hurt Randy Thomas thus far, but I think he's starting to come on.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

I might have called that one.

The biggest key is that our running game is doing more and more zone stuff, which is basically a better system for the running back. Portis doesn't have particularly great vision, and it hurt him when the holes were shifting so much. Zone blocking simplifies the reads for the running back, and it's allowing Portis' athleticism to simply take over games.

The zone schemes are also taking Pete Kendall from a placefiller to a dominating force, and Heyer from one who can't run block to a pretty darn good run blocker. It's hurt Randy Thomas thus far, but I think he's starting to come on.

So what's up with the inability to run to the right with Heyer in there? Or is Thomas more to blame?