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will portis ever be the 25 carry a game guy again?


Brandon Lloyd Christmas

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Let me say this:

I am very happy winning the games and with portis only getting 15-18. I am fine with it because it is working.

But the question in the thread is if/can portis still be the workhorse, non-time sharing tailback.

I do not know how anyone at this point can say "of course he can, if the coaches let him."

If you watch the game, you can see portis taking himself out of the game time and time again. After any decent size carry he asks to come out. After any decent hit, he asks to home out.

Now this is fine because it is working and keeping him "healthy" but it should signifiy that he realizes his body cannot do what it did just a few years back.

Its really not the coaches right now, its portis taking himself out.

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If we can win games while Portis paces himself, we might as well let him share carries with Betts and stay healthy. This way, he can extend his career, and he'll be able to give us that 30-carry game we need in a couple years when we're winning our 6th Super Bowl. :1stplace:

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With JC managing games, we don't need to run CP into the ground. Now if JC goes down (please god no..) and we get MB back under center, you can expect Portis to have to carry the load again. Ala 2005...

Hopefully we dont have to feed Portis the ball 25-30 times a game on a regular basis, because if we are, something bad has happened.

Of course I could be wrong...

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Just think about what Portis could have been doing this year if the o-line hadn't sustained the injuries it has. The change in Bett's production from last year to this year is really a testament to the skills of Portis.

A large part of Betts being able to do what he did was the O-line we had last year, the makeshift line we have now has really hurt his abililty to gain yards. Portis being able to put up 4.5 yards a carry behind the same line that betts is only putting up 2.7 ypc shows what an elite back Portis is.

I think Portis can and should be a workhorse again in the offense, but I would rather wait until our O-line is mostly healthy, then we should see some amazing things.

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He has a lot of control over how much he's in the game and if he got the heart back this year like he said he did, he knows what he's doing. Betts is a capable back, he may not have the break it open for a 60 yard rush ability that Portis does, but he can run the screens, bust through for a few yards, etc.. great to see Sellers get the ball in some situations where Betts might have before as well.

I'd love to see Portis have that 150 yard game, but I'm sure he's taking care of his knee. People were all over Betts last year only now to treat him like poop since Portis is back. Both of them have the ability to help us move the chains and if we can do that consistently, we run the clock and get into scoring position. I know that everyone is going to mention him jumping his block against the Giants, but even had he not, big mike wasn't going to clear that whole side that was closing in on him.

Our backs are only going to be as good as our line. I'm sure y'all have noticed that Portis didn't have the best rushing on most carries even against the Giants and Lions. We are getting stopped near the line a lot. Hence, Saunders started calling more end-arounds and direct snaps.

So no, Betts isn't Portis, but Portis is Portis and probably knows how much Portis can handle right now.

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after watching our first four games, i dont think portis is gonna be that guy this season. i see him getting the ball around 18 times a game. i look through his game logs as a skin and i see games where he took 30+ carries and had around 22-25 on average for his first 2 years here. im worried hes just not that workhorse anymore. i really hope something can change my mind on this, but i wish he could still be that guy.

thoughts?

No, and we don't want him to be.

He isn't a huge bruising back, and he has had knee and shoulder problems which using him like Jerome Bettis and beating the bajeezus out of him will surely aggravate.

Sometimes good coaching is recognizing the limitations of your players, and their strengths, and accomadating for the former, and utilizing the latter.

We have Sellers to mash it in short, we have Betts to spell Portis, meaning Portis can do what he does best: run hard, and use his speed where applicable. He'll have energy late in games, but more importantly, later in seasons, and in playoffs, when it counts.

I've bashed Portis at times, but the real question is: does Portis want to be a 22-25 carry back if the coaches don't want him to be, and if we are winning with him getting less touches. I haven't heard him complaining. He can stay more rested, be healthier, have a longer career, and more importantly, not be completely whipped late in season.

We will be REALLY glad he isn't getting that many touches when he's still fresh for games like our last one of the season in Dallas.

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Just think about what Portis could have been doing this year if the o-line hadn't sustained the injuries it has. The change in Bett's production from last year to this year is really a testament to the skills of Portis.

A large part of Betts being able to do what he did was the O-line we had last year, the makeshift line we have now has really hurt his abililty to gain yards. Portis being able to put up 4.5 yards a carry behind the same line that betts is only putting up 2.7 ypc shows what an elite back Portis is.

I think Portis can and should be a workhorse again in the offense, but I would rather wait until our O-line is mostly healthy, then we should see some amazing things.

True in parts. Betts has also been used in a lot of short yardage situations too where he only needed to stuff it in for a yard or two, but I agree with what you say.

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Great thread......and great responses. I agree with all of them.

We don't need him to be that back....so why risk more injuries? He is pulling himself off the field, and even fumbling the ball. Best to save him for later in the season when hopefully the playoffs come.

Now next season......totally different story. If Sellers can show he can become consistent, the chances of the Skins paying Portis his ridiculous salary are small and none.

If we absolutely NEED him for 25 carries--pay him the money. But we don't. Betts/Sellers might be more than adequate.

Free up that money, and work on the line.

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In November and December with playoffs in sight he will see his carries increased. You have to give it to your best offensive player and the coaches know he is the guy. Caserly stated it well when he said he is still getting his football legs underneath him.

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after watching our first four games, i dont think portis is gonna be that guy this season. i see him getting the ball around 18 times a game. i look through his game logs as a skin and i see games where he took 30+ carries and had around 22-25 on average for his first 2 years here. im worried hes just not that workhorse anymore. i really hope something can change my mind on this, but i wish he could still be that guy.

thoughts?

We got alot of weapons. When you get the call you better make the most of it. We can spread the ball all over the field now. This isn't a negative on CP, this is a positive for the whole team. This means we're balanced, and all the superbowl teams are always balanced.

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