3rd and short, let pass???

[stroupjr]

Don't get me wrong. If someone gave me the chance to be 3-1 to start the season, I would take it no questions asked.

However, what is up with 3rd down and short situations, and we pass the ball? 3rd and 1/3rd and 2, we are running passing plays with stupid short one receiver patterns, in some cases out of the shotgun. Are you kidding me? Especially with the success that we were having running the ball.

I know this was a close game and we stayed in the game the entire time, but I think we had some terrible play calls.

More frustration for me. No pressure on the qb, no sacks, no #56. I think GW needs to check his ego at the door (like he tells the players). Enough is enough.

Again, I am w/ the Skins all of the way, but I think we let on slip away with this one. Maybe this makes up for the one's that we stole.

[Lead Blocker]

The 3rd and short calls disturbed me as well. I can only guess it was because Betts was out, but Portis was having success so I am at a loss.

I think I saw #56 on the field for one play. The only play when surprisingly the defense force Plummer out of the pocket and he threw an errant pass. The one getting pressure... LaVar if I am right.

That too is disturbing. IF that was LaVar, Gregg really needs to cut this crap and play him because now it is causing us wins. Today was W. Holdman's most productive game and he still blew the key tackle on the TD run.

[Guest sith lord]

I agree. The announcers made a great point when they said, "You pay all this money for Clinton and when it's 3rd and short, you pass"? And at the time, the Redskins were establishing the run.

[phishhead]

Yeah, the playcalling in this game was a bit confusing. Sometimes being aggressive on third and short is good, but when you have a guy like Portis, who in this game was averaging almost 6 yards a carry at one point, and he doesn't get the ball on third and one in the rainy conditions we had today, you have to question what the hell is going on with the offensive playcalling.

[TheLongshot]

Well, I think there was a lot Gibbs showing respect for Denver's run defense, but I do think they should have run more often than they did.

Jason

[REDKORN]

It was the same thing agains the Seahawks. 3rd and short, and the pass. I also have a problem with pass routes that cut short of the 1st down marker. Where is Cooley early in the game. Oh yeah, blocking. I like that play action bootlet. :helmet:

[Peregrine]

I agree with the first 3 games passing on 3rd and short. They were stopping our run enough, and we had been running to much anway, passing when you run 30 times fools the defense.

But in this game, the redskins passed more than they rushed, and portis averaged 5 yards a carry, so.... why not run the ball when you CAN run it on a team?

[stroupjr]

It was the same thing agains the Seahawks. 3rd and short, and the pass. I also have a problem with pass routes that cut short of the 1st down marker. Where is Cooley early in the game. Oh yeah, blocking. I like that play action bootlet. :helmet:

I agree. All year we have been passing in 3rd and short situations. I'm baffled by this.

[GhostRider]

Well, we always get stuffed on our short runs. This team could really use a Gerald Riggs type back, neither Portis or Betts are capable of pushing the pile.

[chomerics]

It's simple, you do the OPPOSITE of what the other coach thinks you are going to do. On third and short, you pass. On third and long, you run. . . Having watched Charlie Weis run the Pats offense for 5 years, I can tell you this is what he always did. It drove me up a wall at first, but over time, it worked out quie a bit.

You see, the good coaches. . . Well, the REAL good coaches know the game REALLY well. They know what the opposing defenses are, when they use them, how they audible out and everything. Now, on third and one, they are expecting to see a certain defense, if they see that defense, they will try to attack the weakness.

That is how you play offense, that is how you win ballgames. Does it work every time? Hell no, but is stopps the OPPOSING coach from knowing exactly what YOU will do. In otherwords, throwing on third and short is a GREAT call.

[Mister Happy]

They were putting 8 and 9 guys in the box all game - daring us to pass. That's why we passed so much.

[stroupjr]

I can see changing it up once in a while to keep the defense on their toes and making them guess, but in most cases we should take advantange of our line and pick up the few yards on the ground most of the time. We have a better percentage so far this year picking up 3rd and long plays then 3rd and short. It is simple, 3rd and short run the ball even if they know it is coming. Not every time, but most of the time. I will take my chances getting the first down this way instead of the guys on our team trying to throw it. With another offense (like the Pats) maybe throwing it is better for them, but not for us.

[RedskinzOwnU]

I'd say we throw on third and short because:

1) we almost never convert runs on 3rd and short or on the goalline

2) we usually convert short passes, especially on 3rd and short and the goalline

3) see points 1 & 2

I don't think this was, or should be, a controversial decision

I trust our passing game to get short yards far more than I trust our run game

[stevenaa]

Maybe because we watched Portis not make these short runs last year.

[dahogs]

First of all, though the Redskins keep insisting that Portis IS a power back, it simply isn't true and the sooner they admit it - the better. Though they haven't publicly admitted it, not putting Portis on the field in 3rd and short is an admission of sorts that he indeed is not the consistent answer in short yardage situations.

So, what to do? Well, I'd rather take my chances on Betts, but even better in my opinion...Cooley lined up as a fullback. You know the guy's going to fight for the yardage, and he's a beast to bring down.

It's worth a shot.

[DCSKINZ80]

We should've converted on those 3rd and shorts. Those were drive killers. All that work and then come up with 3 points and a blocked field goal attempt.

[laurent]

The Broncos were keying on the run early and as a result we had some success with bootlegs and play action on third down. We got a bit too pass happy and probably should have mixed it up a bit more when the Broncos adjusted.

In the end though I think you can't argue with what we did considering that we had a shot to win this game.