Shanahan Dodging the Heat

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

IMO there are different types of "contact".

Portis has no problem with taking a few steps and plowing into a line where the other players pretty much have no momentum, its not really your typical high impact contact.

He doesnt have a problem blocking a much larger guy who is coming off a block and trying to get to hit someone other than portis. Its alot easier to be the hitter than the hitted.

Portis does shy away from contact in the open field where you can have those bone and brain jarring speed momentum blindside hits.

That and his concussion last year, maybe he is thinking he wants to preserve enough of portis to try and get another contract in the nfl after his skins contract expires?

This sounds about right, although in that long Fred Davis catch and run against the Texans, he nailed a guy in the open field. But then again that guy was probably back pedaling or something and not coming at him at full speed.

I still think it is more of a balance issue with him, rather than him shying away from contact (unlike McNabb's scrambles when you can clearly see the "sideline, sideline, sideline!" look on his face, which is about right since he's a QB).