Run Blocking & Wide Receivers

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

I just watched Portis' first run as a Redskin in the film room (great addition BTW). Anyone else notice how Thrash took out 2 guys with a block (one on the block and another because of the block obstructing a path to Portis) and Gardner took out another? That shows me how important WR blocking is to the run game. Bugel has said how important wideouts are to the running game and often complimented Coles and Gardner for their outstanding ability to stuff corners. Which brings me to the (loaded) question - how will the new wideouts affect our running game?

PS - I'm aware that the additions of Rabach and Jansen will improve the O-line's run-blocking.

[BigSKINBauer]

yeah great observation, without that takedown that would not be possible.
I have worried about our smurfs blocking the defense and I wonder if they will be able to do it. I am sure patten will give it his all as he seems team orriented, jacobs I think can do it, and thrash will as we can see but moss might be just to little. I hope that he gives it his all, i think i have heard that he tries but i have also heard he isn't to physical. As they called him sideline santana for running out of bounds every time he was threatened. I just hope it works out. WR blocks are great for over 20 yard runs and we only had one 25+ run with portis (surprising to me) ironically it is the play we are talking about.

[Daseal]

Portis isn't exactly a big guy but I've seen him make some huge blocks. The year before we traded for him I saw him jack up a linebacker blitzing full speed off the corner. That was by far the most impressive block I've ever seen by a RB. Unfortunately, I don't remember who was blitzing now. That really impressed me about Portis.

However, I'm sure the coaching staff looked at the small build of our receivers and that's why I'm feeling more and more confident that we'll see a big change in the offense this year. I think he's going to run a lot more 3 receiver sets and use the raw speed we have at receiver to clear some of those DBs out. If Portis breaks it to the side most of these WR can hold up a DB long enough to let the speed of Portis work it's magic. When you have a back like Portis you need blocking from the WRs, but not as much as for most backs. I think we're going to use the speed to help clear the box out for Portis and let him try to beat people in the secondary one on one.

[aprius]

Dyson and Gardener are very good blockers.
Thrash is good.
The rest are question marks.
Patten is known as a good ST guy but I dont know if that is for blocking or his speed and return ability.
I hope we keep Gardener and Dyson and dump McCants and Thrash.
With Dyson and Gardener we have 2 big men that can block and spread the field out and that are good route runners.
With Moss, Patten, Brown and Jacobs we have guys that can create separation, catch up to any pass and motor down the field.
Good balance of brawn and speed.
If you double team one guy you will be beat by another.
No win propsition for everybody else.
It gives me alot more confidence in our passing game.
Last year everyone knew if you shut down Coles the Skins were in trouble.
This year try to shut down Patten, Moss, Dyson, Gardener, Brown and Jacobs....go ahead just double team all 5....Portis and Betts will run over you....And I hate to mention Cooley...and Nemo and Baber and White and...oops! I forgot the defense....But no other team will...

[jermus22]

The following is our current list of wide receivers on the roster:

Rod Gardner
James Thrash
Taylor Jacobs
Darnerian McCants
Antonio Brown
Santana Moss
David Patten
Kevin Dyson
Nathan Black
Jimmy Farris
Steven Harris
Pedro Holiday
Rich Parson

We'll probably end up keeping five wideouts for the active roster and possibly one for the practice squad. It's fairly safe to eliminate Black, Farris, Harris, Holiday, and Parson from the list since they have virtually no experience (then again, the same could be said of Thrash when he started out). That leaves us with eight wideouts competing for the five spots on the roster. Here are my picks for our depth chart at WR:

Santana Moss (will be dangerous if he stays healthy)
David Patten (all-around solid player who provides leadership)
Taylor Jacobs (will pass Patten on the depth chart by season's end)
James Thrash (special teams ace, team player, great leader)
Antonio Brown (speed demon will make plays in the return game)

Odd men out:
Rod Gardner (not a team player; wants out of organization)
McCants (poor work ethic; won't help on special teams)
Dyson (injury prone;older than other prospective wideouts; could help another team)

[81forHOF]

Keep McCants - we need a big boy!

[skinsguy]

Wide receivers blocking has always been a key to the Redskins' running game. I'm curious to see how Moss will block...

[Redskins8588]

Originally Posted by Daseal

Portis isn't exactly a big guy but I've seen him make some huge blocks. The year before we traded for him I saw him jack up a linebacker blitzing full speed off the corner. That was by far the most impressive block I've ever seen by a RB. Unfortunately, I don't remember who was blitzing now. That really impressed me about Portis.

However, I'm sure the coaching staff looked at the small build of our receivers and that's why I'm feeling more and more confident that we'll see a big change in the offense this year. I think he's going to run a lot more 3 receiver sets and use the raw speed we have at receiver to clear some of those DBs out. If Portis breaks it to the side most of these WR can hold up a DB long enough to let the speed of Portis work it's magic. When you have a back like Portis you need blocking from the WRs, but not as much as for most backs. I think we're going to use the speed to help clear the box out for Portis and let him try to beat people in the secondary one on one.

If you watch the first time we played the giants last season, Portis had 2 awsome blocks. One was when Brunell was scrambling Portis took out 2 guys, then Coles cought a WR screen and Portis came out of nowhere a made a hugh block...

I am really impressed on how well Portis does block when he has to very few RB's can actually do that well in the NFL...

[Daseal]

Redskins - I'm aware Portis had some big blocks, but none compare to the one I saw in Denver. That one just stuck in my head

[RedskinsNo.1]

i'm sure moss will do fine when blocking he seemed to do a good job for curtis martin at the jets whenever i've seen them

[sportscurmudgeon]

Just a few comments here:

Based on past performances, Moss is a good blocker even though he is not very big.

Patten didn't seem to have much blocking responsibility at New England so I don't know if he is a good blocker or not.

Thrash blocks well in the running game.

I've never seen Taylor Jacobs throw a block so I have no idea if he even knows how.

McCants has the tools to block well but doesn't seem to want to.

Gardner is a waste of skin.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

Originally Posted by Daseal

Redskins - I'm aware Portis had some big blocks, but none compare to the one I saw in Denver. That one just stuck in my head

If you get a chance to, check out one of those "season" highlight films. He straight up LAYS OUT a linebacker.

[Daseal]

Seen it. Is it so unfathomable that he had a better block in Denver? It's just one instance stuck in my head where he literally picks up a guy larger than him on contact, then keeps pushing him around the QB.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

I'm not saying that. I'm just saying his other one was completely bad ass.

[Redskins8588]

Originally Posted by Daseal

Seen it. Is it so unfathomable that he had a better block in Denver? It's just one instance stuck in my head where he literally picks up a guy larger than him on contact, then keeps pushing him around the QB.

I am just glad that we finally have a RB that can block and pick up a blitz and is not afraid to pop a guy in the mouth...