Clinton Portis

[dmek25]

while I'm not happy with the loss, this really bothers me. why does it seem like Portis is always on the bench in crunch time? i have no problem with calling a run at the end of a game. i do have a problem with our back up carrying it. the one thing Portis has shown here is the ability to get into the end zone. it seemed like for alot of the second half, Portis was on the sideline. the man is too good, and makes too much, to be a spectator

[MTK]

I don't have a big problem with it. Betts has been a very productive runner for us and he has to be able to get it done in big spots just like Portis.

[Monkeydad]

He WAS hurt in the 2nd qtr, knee or leg it looked like, but he did come back in the second half.

Maybe it was his drops and fumbles.

Betts is a good shot to score too, it's not like we had a scrub trying to push into the end zone. I would've liked to see Sellers with a run on that last goal-line push, but if Betts HAD scored, you'd all be praising him and asking for him to start over Portis.

We can't go back in time. Gibbs has taken us to 4 Super Bowls and at the time, he trusted his players to execute. They didn't.

[mredskins]

Regardless of who was running the ball at the end of the game it would have not mattered the line fall apart on the last two plays.

[Southpaw]

Gibbs stated Betts was in because he was in on the entire last drive, so it just made sense to leave him in to finish the drive. The problem is, Portis has a nose for the endzone and Betts seems like he's effing scared of scoring touchdowns. Gibbs also stated that those last two runs are their best running play. The second issue is, those are Portis' best runs. Betts is most effective running inside, so I don't understand the call to run Betts wide.

The supposed "power back" got stoned by Antonio Pierce(who didn't even wrap him up initially) on third down, and then TRIPPED on fourth and the game. That was frustrating as hell to watch. Of course the game shouldn't have come down to that, but watching Campbell lead them down to the one yard line, and then Betts falling down with the game on the line pissed me off.

[jbcjr14]

If you really want to break down some things CP's fumble and his dropped pass (easily would have been a 1st down) really hurt this football team yesterday. I don't think he played well at all outside the crushing block on Pierce and a couple good runs. Let us not forget he also got a delay of game for spinning the damn ball after a 10 yard run...idiot!

[WillH]

Im sorry, there is NO WAY Betts is even nearly as good as CP at finding the goal line. I agree that it seemed ridiculous to me that he wasn't in there on those last two plays. Obviously there was something coach saw that I didn't, but it still made me wanna tear my hair out.

[skinsnut]

I have to question why BETTS and PORTIS and taking equal time this year.
Yes, Betts had a good year last year....and Portis had a better one the year before....the reason?

Good Running Backs get better as the game progresses, the more touches they get, the better feel they get as to where the holes will open up.
At this point I doubt the benefit of "keeping them fresh" exceeds the benefit of "improved Yards Per Carry" as the game progresses.

I say...keep Portis in 75% of the time and only put Betts in when he needs a break.

And, BTW....it was INSANE or STUPID to not have your best running back in with 4 plays to go at the FREAKING 1 yard line with the game on the line....running BETTS wide is stupid....it NEVER WORKS....NEVER!
(especially on the left where they are expecting it due to our line issues)
DUH!

Its the annual time of year to place or hopes on DALLAS losing before the Super Bowl....this is still a 7-9 Redskins team...ugh.

[ronnieo]

I agree, Portis is the guy near the goal line. It wold be nice to hammer Sellers in there from a yard out also. Running the ball to the left was very predictable and they certainly knew it was coming. Portis defintely gets better as the game pregresses. The way the NFC looks right now we are right in the thick of things with two games against the cowboys. A lot of football left to be played but 3 and 0 would have been nice.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by jbcjr14

If you really want to break down some things CP's fumble and his dropped pass (easily would have been a 1st down) really hurt this football team yesterday. I don't think he played well at all outside the crushing block on Pierce and a couple good runs. Let us not forget he also got a delay of game for spinning the damn ball after a 10 yard run...idiot!

It was a 5 yard penalty for spiking the ball

[Southpaw]

Originally Posted by jbcjr14

If you really want to break down some things CP's fumble and his dropped pass (easily would have been a 1st down) really hurt this football team yesterday. I don't think he played well at all outside the crushing block on Pierce and a couple good runs. Let us not forget he also got a delay of game for spinning the damn ball after a 10 yard run...idiot!

What does Portis dropping a pass, or muffing a handoff have to do with Betts being unable to get into the endzone, or tripping over his one lineman with the game on the line? Of course those plays hurt(like several others from several other players), but the point is, Portis finds the endzone, and Betts doesn't.

Betts runs well when there's a hole. If there's no hole for him to run through, he's ineffective. Portis can at least attempt to make something out of nothing, which is a skill the Betts completely lacks.

[dgack]

I'll tell you why CP isn't in there on goal line carries, because Joe's inclined to call the same basic play -- run it up the gut. And remember back to '05 when we'd see CP get stuffed 3 times at the goal line on 3 attempts, and then we'd end up kicking it?

Sellers should have been in on those plays and not as a receiver, either.

[dmek25]

Originally Posted by jbcjr14

If you really want to break down some things CP's fumble and his dropped pass (easily would have been a 1st down) really hurt this football team yesterday. I don't think he played well at all outside the crushing block on Pierce and a couple good runs. Let us not forget he also got a delay of game for spinning the damn ball after a 10 yard run...idiot!

that fumble lies more on Campbell then Portis. its his responsibility to make sure the hand-off hits portis in the chest

[Southpaw]

Originally Posted by dgack

I'll tell you why CP isn't in there on goal line carries, because Joe's inclined to call the same basic play -- run it up the gut. And remember back to '05 when we'd see CP get stuffed 3 times at the goal line on 3 attempts, and then we'd end up kicking it?

Sellers should have been in on those plays and not as a receiver, either.

The problem is, neither of the final two runs were "up the gut". Both were wide, and the second looked like it was supposed to be off tackle, which is Portis' bread and butter.

But I agree that Sellers should have gotten the ball on a FB dive at least once. He's pushing 300 pounds... he can fall foward for a god damn yard.

[Chief X_Phackter]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

I don't have a big problem with it. Betts has been a very productive runner for us and he has to be able to get it done in big spots just like Portis.

WRONG. You put your best players in when the game is on the line, period. The fact that Betts has been a productive runner for us in the past doesn't factor into this equation. It's nice to have a productive backup, but he shouldn't be in there in that situation. To have Portis on the sideline as much as he was is ridiculous.