Stump Sees 1,800 Yds For Clinton Portis in 2008....

[ragemdw]

I felt this way when Saunders got here, but this is assuming perfect health with a less than minimal role for Betts. We need Betts to help keep Portis healthy later in the season. He started taking over games late in the season this year as part of the 4 game stretch. I would like to see something similar next year.

Portis spent so much time in blocking under Gibbs. YES HE IS GREAT AT IT!!

We need betts to learn that fearless blocking. We need him to do that so Portis can get his hands on the ball more. Also that blocking is what probably kills Portis. A smaller guy trying to hit big lineman and kamazaze linebackers. That will wear you down. A big hit on a run you can shake off after you just gained 15 yds.

[wildbill1952]

"Hope is a wonderful thing. Perhaps the best of things."

In keeping with the line from the Shawshank Redemption, I hope Portis gets 2000 all-purpose yards. I hope the line stays healthy all year. I hope the O-Line gets a push on 3rd-and-1, 4th-and-1 and on first-and-goal inside the 5. I hope the O-Line sets a new record for the least number of sacks, beating the 91 Skins by having 8 or fewer sacks allowed all year. I hope the big WR we get turns out to be great. I hope Campbell has time to throw and has a breakout year. I hope Zorn's first year is one of incredible success.

All of these hopes for the football season depend on a very old O-Line. I hope they have one or two good years left. So does the guy picking our draft picks.

[sens11]

"Hope is a wonderful thing. Perhaps the best of things."

In keeping with the line from the Shawshank Redemption, I hope Portis gets 2000 all-purpose yards. I hope the line stays healthy all year. I hope the O-Line gets a push on 3rd-and-1, 4th-and-1 and on first-and-goal inside the 5. I hope the O-Line sets a new record for the least number of sacks, beating the 91 Skins by having 8 or fewer sacks allowed all year. I hope the big WR we get turns out to be great. I hope Campbell has time to throw and has a breakout year. I hope Zorn's first year is one of incredible success.

All of these hopes for the football season depend on a very old O-Line. I hope they have one or two good years left. So does the guy picking our draft picks.

Good post. But 1 question.

Shouldn't you have to not "hope" with our new coach and new system?

[Geoff_K]

I think .. Dream On is a good response to that.

[Rob Mexico]

Hope is something the world lives on. With out hope there is nothing.

HAIL!

[gortiz]

']

Stump Mitchell said. "Running behind that offensive line' date=' he should average four-and-a-half to five yards per carry.[/quote']

i don't know about you guys but i think this type of confidence is going to really benefit CP, man I could see him going nuts. Not to knock byner, I don't know if I ever heard him call out specific statical goals like this ... good grief. :point2sky

[gortiz]

']In Stump's defense though....I'm SURE he meant All-Purpose Yds.....

i'm not so sure ...

CP's high in attempts is 352. Multiply that by 5 and you get 1760.

Also, CP's been talking alot about Sean Alexander getting 1800 yards "in this offense." I think 1800 rushing yards is a real goal - realistic not sure, he has a smaller frame then Sean and guys like LJ - BUT - Curtis Martin at age 31 on a 5'11, 210 lb frame logged in 371 attempts, and had 1700 rushing yards. CP is only 27.

Yeah, I'm being a homer here, but I really think he is alot more capable then +1500 plus yards. I bet he has a goal of 1800 rushing yards 250-300 receiving yards.

[turbodiesel#44]

Wait a minute...Is 1800 total yards eclipsing something that CP hasn't been close to accomplishing before? Hell he had 1651 last year. Is increasing his yards by 150 a year that much different?

That alone could be all we need, considering how tight most of our games were. I hope we step up other aspects of our game too. If we really need a major advancement in any offensive area, it is our passing game.

[Rob Mexico]

I can't wait. I really think Clinton can go nuts on people. He is my favorite player on the team. I wish it was at least July....

HAIL!

[BigMike619]

Wait a minute...Is 1800 total yards eclipsing something that CP hasn't been close to accomplishing before? Hell he had 1651 last year. Is increasing his yards by 150 a year that much different?

The real question is whether or not there will be a bigger tweak in the difference in his rushing yards vs. his receiving yards.

Take a look at the stats..

http://www.nfl.com/players/clintonportis/profile?id=POR792942'

Since CP got here, he's gone:

2007: 1651 total yards

2006: Injured; only played 8 games

2005: 1732 total yards

2004: 1550 total yards

great stats sens11. I think just seeing the number makes people excited. But yeah, increasing by 150 isnt that much once you break it down. I would personally like to hear 2000 or like Steven Jackson said "2500". THATS a bold prediction!!

[Wyvern]

Maybe it's the spring season -- the trees are beginning to blossom, and signalling that the long winter is starting to end. Anyhow, the Redskins' 2008 flavor of Kool-Aid beckons.

While I'm not drinking it yet -- for some strange reason, I do think that Portis could have a great season this year. For one thing, Zorn appears to be more flexible on exploring new concepts on offense than Gibbs was.

Moreover, Portis is still a great talent -- even though we have to acknowledge that at 27 he is getting close to the sunset of his career. He's a cagey vet, and knows what he needs to do. He's in great physical shape, and he's shown me that he can catch a pass (especially Collin's passes). He'll be a great fit for a WCO, ---as will Betts. Nice tandem to support our our QB and passing game.

And I'm hoping that if Portis goes back to a more WCO running back role, he won't have to run with that that "power-back" forward lean style he had in 2007. (That 2007 style seemed to throw him off-balance and make him a lot easier to bring down.) I'm hoping that he runs --just a teeny notch-- more upright, and I suspect his better balance will allow him to show us those Barry Sanders moves I've seen flashes of. (Hey, Madden pointed out the similarities first!!)

[posse87]

Maybe it's the spring season -- the trees are beginning to blossom, and signalling that the long winter is starting to end. Anyhow, the Redskins' 2008 flavor of Kool-Aid beckons.

While I'm not drinking it yet -- for some strange reason, I do think that Portis could have a great season this year. For one thing, Zorn appears to be more flexible on exploring new concepts on offense than Gibbs was.

Moreover, Portis is still a great talent -- even though we have to acknowledge that at 27 he is getting close to the sunset of his career. He's a cagey vet, and knows what he needs to do. He's in great physical shape, and he's shown me that he can catch a pass (especially Collin's passes). He'll be a great fit for a WCO, ---as will Betts. Nice tandem to support our our QB and passing game.

And I'm hoping that if Portis goes back to a more WCO running back role, he won't have to run with that that "power-back" forward lean style he had in 2007. (That 2007 style seemed to throw him off-balance and make him a lot easier to bring down.) I'm hoping that he runs --just a teeny notch-- more upright, and I suspect his better balance will allow him to show us those Barry Sanders moves I've seen flashes of. (Hey, Madden pointed out the similarities first!!)

Interestingly enough, Clayton said that Portis is know for being lazy in the offseason and not taking care of his body with proper diet and exercise. I hope his tune changes as he is turning 27 and has at most 2 to 3 productive years left.

[posse87]

great stats sens11. I think just seeing the number makes people excited. But yeah, increasing by 150 isnt that much once you break it down. I would personally like to hear 2000 or like Steven Jackson said "2500". THATS a bold prediction!!

As soon as one predicts stats like that, one gets a nagging injury that limits his effectiveness and statistics.

[JimmyConway]

Once I heard Zorn was hired and would be implementing the WCO, my initial reaction was 'Portis is going to have a career year!' Stump's hiring only reassures that sentiment. Johnnie Clayton already told us that CP is 15 lbs lighter so I'm assuming he'll have that quick step back that appeared nonexistent during the Gibbs power-back years. Although CP appears to be heading toward the end of his career I don't and wouldn't doubt him this year.

HTTR