Pretend you are the Skins' GM...

From a tape-watching perspective, it's obvious to me that Torain has some of the worst vision I've ever seen in a running back for the Washington Redskins. That hasn't prevented him from breaking tackles and ripping off yards when the blocking is there (and even sometimes when its not there), but as you all know, that's only part of the story.

From a tape-watching perspective, it's obvious to me that Torain has some of the worst vision I've ever seen in a running back for the Washington Redskins. That hasn't prevented him from breaking tackles and ripping off yards when the blocking is there (and even sometimes when its not there), but as you all know, that's only part of the story.LOL on "vocal minority".

IMO the field vision problem isn't so much of a vision problem, but more of a learning the system and the speed of the NFL game. As you mention, the raw talent is there (breaking tackles/ripping off yards). As the OL becomes more stable/consistent and he gets coached up, he'll be able to read and anticipate where the running lanes will be and eliminate the neg runs. Obviously a bit of cautious optimism here, but certainly worth it based on the flashes we saw last year.....or I could be completely wrong, RT stinks up the joint, and we trade him away for a conditional 6th rd pick in 2015. :)

LOL on "vocal minority".

IMO the field vision problem isn't so much of a vision problem, but more of a learning the system and the speed of the NFL game. As you mention, the raw talent is there (breaking tackles/ripping off yards). As the OL becomes more stable/consistent and he gets coached up, he'll be able to read and anticipate where the running lanes will be and eliminate the neg runs. Obviously a bit of cautious optimism here, but certainly worth it based on the flashes we saw last year.....or I could be completely wrong, RT stinks up the joint, and we trade him away for a conditional 6th rd pick in 2015. :)Okay. Sounds like common ground. Or something close to it.

LOL on "vocal minority".

IMO the field vision problem isn't so much of a vision problem, but more of a learning the system and the speed of the NFL game. As you mention, the raw talent is there (breaking tackles/ripping off yards). As the OL becomes more stable/consistent and he gets coached up, he'll be able to read and anticipate where the running lanes will be and eliminate the neg runs. Obviously a bit of cautious optimism here, but certainly worth it based on the flashes we saw last year.....or I could be completely wrong, RT stinks up the joint, and we trade him away for a conditional 6th rd pick in 2015. :)

To me that's the question, can he be "coached up". Let's not forget, he wasn't a rookie. He's been through camps and in games before. GTripp was making the same arguments about his vision last year and, even though I am not a "tape watcher", I looked at how he performed on his runs. Often (it seemed to me) his neg. runs were b/c the line was just blown up and he was being hit early.

At the same time, and, again, as I watched it, Torrain missed seemingly obvious open lanes that would have gotten positive yards. More telling, once he was past the line of scrimmage and beyond the initial blocking scheme, it appeared he consistently made bad cuts which limited his runs. Either he had really bad instincts or was just not seeing what was happening more than a yard in front of him. It appearred to me that he left a lot of yards on the field.

He seems to have good burst and strength to get the positive yards necessary to move the chains (there you go GTripp). In turn this forces the D to tighten up and open up the passing lanes. It seems to me, and I may be wrong, but in a Kyle Shanny offense - the run exists to keep the D honest, not be the game winner. Torrain does that and does it well. You cannot ignore him, back off the line and/or play straight pass D. B/c the more spread the field, the easier it is for a back - even if they have bad vision - to hit a hole any hole, for positive yards. Given his burst and strength, if he hits a decent hole hard, he will rip a 10 yard run and chew up the clock.

If it is not a vision problem, however, and just a 'getting up to speed/better O-Line problem', then look out b/c with healthy and with good decision making, he will be a serious top 5 in the league stud.

Now, please feel free to rip apart my uneducated, ill-informed, non-notebook recorded observations and opinions.

If it is not a vision problem, however, and just a 'getting up to speed/better O-Line problem', then look out b/c with healthy and with good decision making, he will be a serious top 5 in the league stud.

Now, please feel free to rip apart my uneducated, ill-informed, non-notebook recorded observations and opinions.Yeah, I've got nothing. Good post.

Its better to watch him run in a tackle then to watch CP trip over his own two feet when he was wide open.

Okay. Sounds like common ground. Or something close to it.I always like to review areas where we disagree cause I know you watch the tape too. I like to see a different informed perspective, keeps me on my toes. :food-smil

EDIT: It sure is nice to argue about football again.

To me that's the question, can he be "coached up". Let's not forget, he wasn't a rookie. He's been through camps and in games before. He only played in 2 games in 2008 (total of 16 carries). He's esentially going into his soph season.

good summary/post, with RT it all boils down to health and reading the plays better with a year in the O under his belt. He does and yep, he'll be a top 15 back. He doesn't, and he won't be worth a conditional 6th in 2015.

I'm the Skins GM?
I'm sending Vinnie Cerrato a....letter bomb...............

Outing Alert!!!


Hog 1 is actually Ted Kaczynski posting from a Federal pen in Colorado...