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!

[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.

[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....

[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.

[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?

[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.

[GTripp0012]

The other thing is that Cooley is a really, really good zone blocking TE. Who knew? Todd Yoder appears to be hurt by the system change (which has been gradual), but Fred Davis will likely phase him out of the offense very soon anyway.

[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?

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

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

I don't see it as an inability as much as I see it as a preference to run weakside away from Cooley.

But, I think the simple answer to your question is that our left side has been SO good that running to the right is only a formality to keep the defense honest. If we have Samuels, Kendall, and then Sellers leading up the left side in our base formation, no defense is going to beat us like that. Additionally, on non-zone type runs, we still like to pull Thomas around because he's great at pulling.

Ultimately though, the longer a play to the right takes to develop, the more likely it is that Heyer or Cooley (or Jansen) will have a LB or DB shoot through their gap and blow up the play. Because of that, all of our big plays come on the left side, which keeps the YPC down to the right.

Zorn really like to attack the weak side of the defense, which generally happens to be our offensive left. I think that's the big reason for the lack of balance between the sides.

[GTripp0012]

We are also not running between the tackles as often. This is part because of the success we've had with the stretch play, and part because when we run between the tackles, Casey Rabach ends up 4 yards in the backfield. However, when we run that stretch play and Portis cuts it back, Rabach is often right at the LB level opening a HUGE cutback lane for Portis/Betts. So by taking the pressure off the center to blow open the playside hole, we're improving the blocking at 3 positions on the OL (LG, C, RT).

[JWsleep]

I love Portis, but Riggo won us a SB with one of the greatest plays in the history of the NFL. Portis needs to get us to a ring to be in the same league as Riggo, as far as how he's perceived by skins fans. That's just the way things are in sports. CP certainly has the talent to do it and I agree that barring serious injury he'll be the franchise leader in yardage by the end of his career. Plus, he's already the single season record holder.

Whatever--they're both awesome, and let's hope CP takes us all the way!