Jump to content
Washington Football Team Logo
Extremeskins

why do redskins fan say Davis is better then Portis


Atown

Recommended Posts

this is all moot. Davis is 31 years old and is nowhere near his prime. He had one 1,400 yard season in Carolina and then has been injured or in and out of their lineup. Based on the dollars they are paying him that is fine. However, the Redskins were negotiating a deal where Davis wanted $10 million in guaranteed money from the team.

If we had resigned Davis to that type of deal or a richer one, this team's cap would be in real trouble, given that we would now have to be looking for a new back.

Portis is 24 years old and will be in the NFL long after Davis is retired.

As far as the "Portis did it against an injured....Giants defense last year" argument goes, it is just so much BS.

Just admit Portis busted you guys on that day. Just as Barber busted us this year in the first game.

Why make excuses for it?

The fact is Portis is on pace to BREAK Davis' single season yardage record here and yet people are still saying Davis was so much better? Based on what?

Davis had a better quarterback in Brad Johnson throwing the ball in 1999 when he had 18 touchdowns rushing making his first pro bowl than Portis has had here in 2004 and 2005.

In 1999, Johnson made the pro bowl himself and threw for 4,000 plus yards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stephen Davis was the last back to carry this team to the playoffs. Until someone else does, the comparisons are inevtiable. It is hard to forget the 100 yard first half performance against Detroit in the wildcard game. He was seriously injured and played a great game against a team that had whipped us in the regular season.

After his 17 tds in 99 he hasnt really showed us anything else. This year portis is in the pace to have about 11 tds which would tie davis 2nd best season.
Portis is playing great this year, no doubt about it.

I think you misrepresent Davis though. He had 11 TDs in 2000, which is more than Portis has produced for us in a season. Heck, Davis has 12 TDs THIS year. In 2001, Steve Spurrier emphasized the passing game. Spurrier didn't use Davis effectively. In 2002, Davis was utilized and put up impressive numbers for the Panthers. He carried THAT team all the way to the Super Bowl. Portis has yet to play in a Super Bowl.

I know you are young and don't remember how Davis ran, but he was really a very good runner in his prime. He does hold the Washington Redskins single season rushing record. Until Portis gets us to the playoffs and holds records for us, the comparison will continue.

Davis got the team into the endzone alot more than what Portis is doing for us now. He got the tough yards more often than not on 3rd and short... and overall in his prime, he would have been a better fit for the Joe Gibbs style offense.

Portis has yet to better Davis in his 2000 or 2001 seasons... he MIGHT do that this year. We'll see.

This is true. As a matter of fact, he still gets in the endzone. He has 12 TDs this year. Even as an old man, he is still poductive.
Thats what full backs are for
Interstingly enough, Davis was a converted fullback.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Davis at 25 would have been a better fit for the 2004 offense under Joe Gibbs than Portis, just like Brad Johnson would have been a better fit at QB than Mark Brunell.

But those players were not available to Joe Gibbs. He wasn't responsible for their departures.

And the Redskins in 2001 and 2003 had no idea that Joe Gibbs would be coming back to coach the Redskins.

Davis was let go because Spurrier's system supposedly called for a quicker running back who contributed more in the passing game, although we never did find a franchise runner while Spurrier was here.

Let's remember that before Gibbs came back our running back was Trung Canidate.

That's how far from having a legitimate NFL talent we were.

Let's not re-write history to make ourselves feel better.

Gibbs inherited the following on offense:

1. An erratic 25 year old qb in Patrick Ramsey that lacked pocket presence, mobility and who seemed to make the killer mistakes at crucial times.

2. Trung Canidate as the starting running back. Where is he now?

3. Laveranues Coles as the #1 WR with a degenerative toe condition that has slowly eroded his big play ability. In 2005, he is averaging the same 10.5 yards per catch he was here in 2004. So much for going back to being a deep threat.

4. Rod Gardner as the #2 receiver. Gardner went to the Panthers and started the season on the bench as the #3 receiver. He shows no signs of returning to be the 71 catch - 1006 yard player he was in 2002.

5. Tight End/H-Back. There were no capable receiving ends on this club in 2003. Now the Redskins have one of the most productive TEs/HBs in the game in Cooley.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So i guess joe gibbs is wrong huh? when gibbs said hes the best rb he coached in his career he was jokeing right? when he said portis matched riggins best year, with a bad oline and no passing game he just said it to make portis sound better right?

Thank you for posting that Atown. I think Gibbs knows better than anyone here how valuable Portis is to this team. Every time I see Portis block, he just eats up his man. He's a stud in many different facets of the game, not just running the ball.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

last time i checked john riggins was better then davis

I know you never saw Riggins play. Heck, I never did either. At your age, I wonder if you remember Davis in his prime?

Perhaps you like Portis best because he is the only 'skins back you have really watched. What do you think?

I was never big on Stephen Davis. When he was here, he was a fumbler.
Who are you big on? It seems you mostly dislike people, from what I've noticed.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I loved Stepehen Davis, as you can probably gather by the above posts. I still have a poster of #48 running tough for the Burgundy and Gold. He and Darrell Green were my two favorite players when they were playing.

Don't get the wrong idea, though. I think Portis is a great back and a good fit for this team. He is a good receiver, blocker, and all around player. Heck, he even made a game saving tackle this year. Plus, Gibbs believes in the guy - and Gibbs knows best. I am on record about this, as many of you know.

But, Stephen Davis turned in many memorable performances in Burgundy in Gold. He will always have a place in my heart. Thinking of that wild card game in Detroit still makes me tear up. Davis was playing hurt (pretty badly) and racked up over 100 yards in the first half. I know the thread starter doesn't remember this (sorry if I was a bit harsh about that earlier, bud), but the whole team was wearing t-shirts that read "Believe in Stephen." It was our best season in in over 10 years, and it was Stephen Davis who carried the team. (Yeah, yeah. Brad did a bit too).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Eventhough I love Davis, I cannot disregard the fact that Portis has over 2300 yds. despite seing 8 and 9 man fronts constantly because of the lack of a consistent passing game. The offense is so predictable at times that its scary. Bottom line is for a guy to gain that many yards under these circumstances shows what kind of back he is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you are paying a guy like we're paying Portis, he should be able to do it all. Davis could do it all. You didn't have to bring in another back in short yardage situations, because the team had confidence that on 3rd and short, he'd make the yardage. Or that in a goal line situation, he'd punch it in. And from time to time, he'd break a long run.

This team doesn't have that same confidence in Portis. And for the rep he brings as a homerun hitter, Portis doesn't break the long ones like he should.

If he'd break the long run more than once a year, I could forgive him for being a sub par short yardage back.

Davis could not do it all. He rarely ever made it past the second level withouth getting caught from behind. How many other backs do you know who's bad season is 1300 yards? He is like 24. You can look forward to many 1400 plus yards seasons with Portis in the future, not to mention his blocking, effort, and patience.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Davis could not do it all. He rarely ever made it past the second level withouth getting caught from behind. How many other backs do you know who's bad season is 1300 yards? He is like 24. You can look forward to many 1400 plus yards seasons with Portis in the future, not to mention his blocking, effort, and patience.

That's not accurate at all. In fact, It would be interesting to see how many 20+ yard runs Davis had in 1999.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never heard anyone suggest S.Davis is better than C.Portis. I didn't think S.Davis was better than his predecessor Terry Allen who played behind far worse olines (spare the stats please).

Why do you think that? I don't remember Terry Allen doing well, but it was a long time ago.

Davis does hold the team's single season rushing record, right?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Davis was good for us back then.

CP is a good fit for this offense. The fact that he doesn't have a gain of 20+ a game means he is horrible for this offense? When he gets the chance he breaks them. He still has the finesse moves (1st TD in St. Louis). He has rushed for over 1,000 yards in both seasons he has been with us. I do agree he needs to get in the endzone more, but that is simply play calling.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why do you think that? I don't remember Terry Allen doing well, but it was a long time ago.

Davis does hold the team's single season rushing record, right?

Terry Allen (1353 yds) held the Redskins single season rushing record until Davis broke it. He made the pro bowl in 1996, and scored 21 touchdowns that year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's not accurate at all. In fact, It would be interesting to see how many 20+ yard runs Davis had in 1999.

The accuracy is that Davis does not have breakaway speed. He is not a home run hitter. He pulls people and is a good smash mouth runner. he does have good speed for a 230 lb back, but not breakaway speed. He was always caught from behind. I know Portis has not broken many and I hope that picks up, but I think that is more of a result of our coaching staff not always calling to his strengths (perimeter/ cutback plays). Portis is playing in a Davis suited offense (a lot of between the tackles plays) and is putting up numbers this year that are as good as Davis ever put up. We aren't even fully utilyzing the kid. What did he do in the Rams game when we gave him the perimeter? TD. If you have Santana Moss on your team you want to chuck some deep balls to him or at least try, and this is analagous to what you want to do with Portis...give him more perimeter to run in. His numbers will only get better as he becomes accustomed to our offense and the coaches utilyze his strengths more. I think it is funny how some people here talk about Davis taking us to the playoffs...WOW. What glory days. Davis took the skins to the playoffs one year. Portis will break all Washington's rushing records eventually. We may as well enjoy it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stephen Davis is a power back. Clinton is a speed back. Don't compare them. However, Portis unlike some of you have been saying CAN pick up the few yards on 3rd Down and the reason Sellers gets so many TD's is because nobody keys out on him and it has worked many times not because we have no confidence in Portis.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The accuracy is that Davis does not have breakaway speed. He is not a home run hitter. He pulls people and is a good smash mouth runner. he does have good speed for a 230 lb back, but not breakaway speed. He was always caught from behind. I know Portis has not broken many and I hope that picks up, but I think that is more of a result of our coaching staff not always calling to his strengths (perimeter/ cutback plays). Portis is playing in a Davis suited offense (a lot of between the tackles plays) and is putting up numbers this year that are as good as Davis ever put up. We aren't even fully utilyzing the kid. What did he do in the Rams game when we gave him the perimeter? TD. If you have Santana Moss on your team you want to chuck some deep balls to him or at least try, and this is analagous to what you want to do with Portis...give him more perimeter to run in. His numbers will only get better as he becomes accustomed to our offense and the coaches utilyze his strengths more. I think it is funny how some people here talk about Davis taking us to the playoffs...WOW. What glory days. Davis took the skins to the playoffs one year. Portis will break all Washington's rushing records eventually. We may as well enjoy it.

Despite Davis not having blinding speed, I would wager that he had more runs over 20 yards in 1999 than Portis has had in his current stay with the Redskins (almost two years now)... and Portis is supposed to be a homerun hitter with breakaway speed.

And I'll say it again, if Portis can't run between the tackles in the NFL... he's not worth the big paycheck we gave him. He should be able to run inside and out as the highest paid back in the league. Snyder didn't pay all that money for a one trick pony.

Portis is still a good back, but he's got alot to improve on if he is going to be considered elite. He's young, so maybe he'll come around. I'm hoping for it, but IMO he's been a bit of a let down thus far.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Despite Davis not having blinding speed, I would wager that he had more runs over 20 yards in 1999 than Portis has had in his current stay with the Redskins (almost two years now)... and Portis is supposed to be a homerun hitter with breakaway speed.

And I'll say it again, if Portis can't run between the tackles in the NFL... he's not worth the big paycheck we gave him. He should be able to run inside and out as the highest paid back in the league. Snyder didn't pay all that money for a one trick pony.

Portis is still a good back, but he's got alot to improve on if he is going to be considered elite. He's young, so maybe he'll come around. I'm hoping for it, but IMO he's been a bit of a let down thus far.

Who said Portis can't run in between the tackles in the NFL. His yards per carry is 4.3, Davis only exceeded that once in his stay in Washington in 1999. Portis is not utilyzed to his full potential in this offense, and is STILL putting up a season that tops what Davis did in all but one year in 1999. Portis has not had the long breakaway runs we all want to see so he his getting those yards somewhere. A lot of it has come between the tackles. So he isn't doing what he is best at (perimeter/zone) and he is still putting up a season comparable to all of Davis' except 1999.

YEAR TEAM G ATT YDS AVG LNG TD FD FUM LOST

1996 WAS 12 23 139 6.0 39 2 7 0 0

1997 WAS 14 141 567 4.0 18 3 31 0 0

1998 WAS 16 34 109 3.2 12 0 6 0 0

1999 WAS 14 290 1405 4.8 76 17 85 3 1

2000 WAS 15 332 1318 4.0 50 11 71 3 3

2001 WAS 16 356 1432 4.0 32 5 74 6 3

2002 WAS 12 207 820 4.0 33 7 47 4 4

Link to comment
Share on other sites

and as a running back that could be utilyzed better he is still flirting with breaking the single season rushing record at Washington. Why has he been disappointing. Last year the whole offense was disappointing and Portis still rushed for 1300 yards despite the other team stacking the box. Look at his play when he does not get the ball. His blocking effort and unselfishness. I begin to wonder why some skins fans can't ever be satisfied. Lets remember the glory days when Davis took us to the playoffs one year. Whoopty doo!Joe Gibbs could have gone after a bruiser back but he didn't, he wanted Portis.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...