Running Game

Thats kind of the point, on a 1 yard play you dont go down on a shoestring attempt of a tackle. It's just pessimism on my part, right now everything looks bad and everyone sucks. All seriousness, Clinton does not have it anymore, and i think last years fast start was more on the Oline healthy and clicking.

Okay. Lets think about this. We are on the 1 yard line. Clinton gets tackled. O-line obviously wasn't blocking well. Obviously they were in the backfield. Think about it a shoe string tackle on the 1 yard line. Which means he was hardly back to the line of scrimmage before he was getting tackled. The guy would have to be in the backfield. That's why we need to run up the middle. That was a bad play call. We need our power running game back. Or is our o-line that soft? I would say yes.

[quote=djnemo65;598818]

If you can't run the ball you don't win. I refuse to believe we can't run the ball all of a sudden. We're the same god damn team we were last year. We can run the ball, the problem is when you call running plays. Zorn is shit. Watching this game makes me sick.

Zero rushing yards at halftime? Against the Lions?

We have five RB's on the roster. Why sign Alridge if you don't trust him to add speed to a running back core that has no speed and Marcus Mason must be used if Portis is not healthy which is almost every important third down conversion. Zorn knew Portis wasn't healthy and instead of playing the other healthy backs in the running game we force passes to Moss which leads to an INT.

I think this isn't all the o-lines fault. Call me crazy but Portis is a bit of a sass-monster, and I love his swagger when he's pulling out 180 yard games, but not when he tries to turn the corner on short yardage plays. He just needs to cut up field on those short yardage plays and lower is head. Now hear is where I'll probably make some enemies. The biggest knock on Mason is that he doesn't block or catch particularly well for a runner, but there is no denying he can run. I love his upfield running style, where you see him wait for a whole and then explode through it. Don't get me started on Betts, he's done, but I would like to see Mason get some touches. Let the criticism begin...

1) Passing game doesn't scare anyone and therefore does no favors to the running game.

2) Run blocking ain't very good

3) Play calling is boring and predictable

4) RBs are average. We don't have a home run hitter, the backs are non-existent in the passing game and we are one of the few remaining teams to use a feature-back vs. RB platoon. Not that we have anyone worth a damn playing behind Portis.

I think this isn't all the o-lines fault. Call me crazy but Portis is a bit of a sass-monster, and I love his swagger when he's pulling out 180 yard games, but not when he tries to turn the corner on short yardage plays. He just needs to cut up field on those short yardage plays and lower is head. Now hear is where I'll probably make some enemies. The biggest knock on Mason is that he doesn't block or catch particularly well for a runner, but there is no denying he can run. I love his upfield running style, where you see him wait for a whole and then explode through it. Don't get me started on Betts, he's done, but I would like to see Mason get some touches. Let the criticism begin...

We only throw to backs as a last resort, so it's not important that Mason can't catch.

I felt coming into the season that our run game would be the key to the season. With a good run game or effective run game it would open up some things downfield for JC and company. Without a run game it would be tough for JC to have a very good year.

So far, our RB's consistently get hit behind the LOS and we have a hard time getting that push up front. Amazingly, JC has been ok w/ the pass game w/ virtually no run game to speak of. Now keep in mind we've played two horrible defenses as well.

Pass protection seems to be pretty good too imo.

With all of that CP isn't the homerun RB that he used to be. He's an all around very good back but not a game changer. When is the last "wow" run you saw from CP? We're paying gobs of $ to a guy that we could get similar production from players that make less money. We don't have any options w/ CP. We're married to him for better or worse. I'm a CP fan too. I love how he plays, but i'm a Skins fan foremost. I'm thinking about a year or two down the road.

The blocking has been mediocre at best (short yardage though has been brutal). The bigger issue is the offense hasn't been on the field long enough to establish the run.
Thats because they cannot convert 3rd downs and the D cannot stop 3rd down conversions.

I'm a big Portis fan...BUT...he is not hitting the holes like he used to. Sometimes he hits the hole at full speed, other times it looks like he loses his balance and is falling into the hole. On the fourth and one play, he was falling into the hole without any contact. NOW, is this because he has lost a step or he is dealing with injuries we don't know about. He seems often injured and he is getting close to that age where running backs tend to fade. Prime example was the tiptoe burglar, Shawn Alexander. I would like to see Mason or Alridge get some touches. Betts is actually 2 years older than Portis.

Hey you should coach the skins with that creative thinking

lol! our new goal line O play caller!