Portis: 'We Have Enough Talent to Win'

WshSkins22 · Post by **WshSkins22** » Thu May 19, 2005 4:20 pm

Portis: 'We Have Enough Talent to Win'
By Gary Fitzgerald
Redskins.com
May 18, 2005

Running back Clinton Portis is entering his second season in Washington after rushing for 1,315 yards on 343 carries last season. He chatted with Redskins.com following Tuesday's OTA session at Redskins Park:
Q: It's early, but what are your thoughts on the team right now?
A: "I think it is going to be real exciting this year. Last year, we endured a 6-10 season--that was my first losing season ever. It was rough but you have to be down to come back up. I think last year we had enough close games where we could have easily been 13-3 or 12-4, but it didn't go our way. A lot of things did not go our way."

Clinton Portis
Q: How much did injuries play a part in last season?
A: "We were missing key guys. We were missing LaVar (Arrington). Everybody is coming back this year and it's a new year. Everyone is zero and zero and there are no Super Bowl champs right now. We all have the same opportunity and I think that we have enough talent to win and enough guys that are capable of getting us into the NFC championship game and hopefully the Super Bowl. We have to take it one game at a time."

Q: Do you expect to see more stretch running plays in the ground game this year?
A: "You know, coach just made a point where we averaged five yards a carry on a stretch play last year. If I had known that, that would have been the only call we would have been making in the games. I think we are changing a lot of things up. We are going to get this right. We are tweaking things."

Q: When you look at the offense during practice at OTAs, which players stand out to you?
A: "I think (Chris) ey is going to be a big part of this game plan. You have Santana Moss and David Patten. You have Robert Royal coming on strong. You have a lot of weapons. Hopefully, Taylor Jacobs is going to explode onto the scene like everyone knows he can and become the player that they thought he was when they drafted him. We have a lot of weapons that people have not seen and we are waiting to show them."

Q: Do you think the team will be better with all of the additions?
A: "It is not just the addition of guys like Santana Moss and David Patten and Casey Rabach. Last year, I think you had a whole team trying to learn a new system. Week in and week out, we were changing our system and we didn't know what to expect. This year we have more guys comfortable with the system and more guys who know the system. Last year, we had a lot of penalties. We had a lot of off-sides that could have been prevented. They were more of thinking penalties. This year, we will be able to go out and just play, which will make us a better team."

I hope hes right...

Gibbs' Hog · Post by **Gibbs' Hog** » Thu May 19, 2005 4:23 pm

How 'bout CP talkin about Taylor Jacobs "exploding onto the scene" - that's awesome. It's good to see that CP's got such a positive attitude; and smart too - taking things one game at a time, tweaking and adjusting things...I'm liking the attitude out there!

Punu · Post by **Punu** » Thu May 19, 2005 4:35 pm

Gibbs' Hog I agree with you 110%
attitude is great and what we need!
We got the key player to have a great attitude...
Now who's gonnna be the loud mouth taking over for smoot?
Moss?

hatsOFF2gibbs · Post by **hatsOFF2gibbs** » Thu May 19, 2005 4:41 pm

I think that we have enough talent to win and enough guys that are capable of getting us into the NFC championship game and hopefully the Super Bowl. We have to take it one game at a time

Is he serious? He thinks we can make it that far??? Man, hopefully he's right because I'm just hoping for playoffs!

I think (Chris) ey is going to be a big part of this game plan

That's what I like to hear! Cool

ey's a stud! Did he drop any passes that were actually catchable last year? Don't think so!

Hopefully, Taylor Jacobs is going to explode onto the scene

If he doesn't explode, I hope McCants does!

Last year, we had a lot of penalties. We had a lot of off-sides that could have been prevented.

I don't really remember us having too many penalites. I guess I was used to SSpurrier's year when there were flags on the field EVERY single play. I thought we had improved A LOT on penalties......right?

BTW, here's the link:
http://www.redskins.com/news/newsDetail.jsp?id=3122

WshSkins22 · Post by **WshSkins22** » Thu May 19, 2005 4:52 pm

U dont remember us having penalties... remember the eagles game when wewere on the goal line and we had those false starts?

skins81 · Post by **skins81** » Thu May 19, 2005 5:41 pm

hatsOFF2gibbs wrote:I don't really remember us having too many penalites.

Come on now. [-X

REDEEMEDSKIN · Post by **REDEEMEDSKIN** » Thu May 19, 2005 5:42 pm

Portis' interview confirms that Joe & the gang mean business, even during the "voluntary" sessions. We're gonna be good this year.

Tug_72 · Post by **Tug_72** » Thu May 19, 2005 5:43 pm

I agree with CP. He is right on. I see this offense doing some special things this season. With an incredible defense, we will be one hell of a team!

GO SKINS!!!

hatsOFF2gibbs · Post by **hatsOFF2gibbs** » Thu May 19, 2005 5:49 pm

WshSkins22 wrote:U dont remember us having penalties... remember the eagles game when wewere on the goal line and we had those false starts?

Oh yeah, I remember those now! When we would be right at the goal line and then we'd end up going back like 25 yards. Sorry about that, I had a brain fart.
But you must admit, we did a hell lot better than before the JGibbs regime. Compared to previous years, last year WAS an improvement on penalites. Hopefully this year will again be another improvement!

SkinsHead56 · Post by **SkinsHead56** » Thu May 19, 2005 6:52 pm

hatsOFF2gibbs wrote:
I think that we have enough talent to win and enough guys that are capable of getting us into the NFC championship game and hopefully the Super Bowl. We have to take it one game at a time
Is he serious? He thinks we can make it that far??? Man, hopefully he's right because I'm just hoping for playoffs!

Yeah, sometimes I think we as fans over estimate our insight and understanding of the game. CP lives it, he's with the coaches and the team every day, he hears the talk in the locker room. I'm sure he has a far better picture of what this team can be if they play TEAM ball.

CP - Now solidly my favorite Offensive player.

Fios · Post by **Fios** » Thu May 19, 2005 8:11 pm

My god football cannot start soon enough.

washington53 · Post by **washington53** » Thu May 19, 2005 8:12 pm

Well i really hope we can make that far and get to the superbowl..
Im happy about the way he talked about Chriss Cool

ey, and Taylor Jacobs.
This is kinda off topic but a ot of people have been talkin about the pressure Ramsey has... But

ejay183 · Post by **ejay183** » Thu May 19, 2005 8:38 pm

Good to hear from Clinton Portis, who I have followed since Miami and wore #28, the positive energy is needed in that lockerroom and hopefully next season will be better

SkinFan 0-16 or 16-0 · Thu May 19, 2005 8:45 pm

CP is really starting to step into the leader role. I never had any doubt on the field, but now that I see this it just makes that Champ for Portis trade seem so great.

I've seen Bronco Boards starting to call Champ, Chump. and talking about how he should give money back.

CP is a player we should build our offense around.

nxtseantaylor · Post by **nxtseantaylor** » Thu May 19, 2005 10:01 pm

hell yeah offense is goin to kick ass tis year, wit additions of MOSS, PATTERN, AND EVERYONE ELSE, WE GOIN TO BE A HELL OF TEAM TO GO AGAINST!!!!!!!!!!

MyrtleBeachRedskin · Post by **MyrtleBeachRedskin** » Fri May 20, 2005 8:33 am

Im going to buy a portis jersey today. The kid sounds like he really is a strong team player. Less counter tre and more stretch running plays equals a happy redskin fan.

spudstr04 · Post by **spudstr04** » Fri May 20, 2005 10:55 am

This is why I love Clinton, he's optimistic and honest...he believes in Gibbs...he's young and hopefully he'll be our rb for the rest of his career....

runbillo · Post by **runbillo** » Fri May 20, 2005 1:05 pm

Greetings from NYC: The positve attuide displayed by CP will be the main reason for our teams turnaround this year. Are you listining Mr Coles, Mr Gardner and to some extent Mr LA? I cannot wait till opening day

frankcal20 · Post by **frankcal20** » Fri May 20, 2005 3:25 pm

Your right runbillo. LaVar is sometime pesamistic and he's concerned about media and how much TV time he gets. He needs to get healthy and get back on the field consitantly.

crazyhorse1 · Post by **crazyhorse1** » Fri May 20, 2005 6:08 pm

My greatest hope for the season is that I'll be proven a complete jerk in three instances:

1) That Taylor Jacobs is as good as Portis thinks he is, which would make me wrong in bitching about losing Mike Williams.

2) That Robert Royal is coming on so strong that we don't need that pass catching TE I've been screaming about.

3) That our multiple DE's and slew of rushing linebackers/situational DE's make up for the big pass rushing DE I wanted.

My greatest fear is that I'm right and we'll get out butts kicked again.

crazyhorse1 · Post by **crazyhorse1** » Fri May 20, 2005 6:17 pm

As long as I'm hoping:

1) Demetric has sculpted a new body and is ready to shake hands with his potential.
2) Dockery has found clarity.
3) Samuels has decided to make another comeback.
4) Brunell buys a motorcycle.
5) Arrington, Moss, and S. Taylor shut up and play
6) Jansen and Noble can come back from injuries
7) More playing time for Warner

Nemo an installation as short yardage back
9) Experimentation with White

fredp45 · Post by **fredp45** » Sat May 21, 2005 8:56 am

Here are the reasons our offense will be better this year...

1) better line play...Jansen and Rabach are so much better than Brown and Raymer it isn't funny. Dockery will be a year older, (I'm not totally sold on this guy yet). Samuels and Thomas are very good players, don't underestimate them. It may take 4-6 game for these guys to come together but they'll be a solid line by mid-year;

2) The wr's are quicker and will separate and "look" open to Ramsey -- unlike last year when none of our guys ever looked open - except for Cool

ey around the goalline. A QB must see someone, anyone, open on passing plays...every completion can't be through a very small window. We'll see less INT's from Ramsey due to this too;

3) Gibbs and his Offensive coaches will learn after one year what the new NFL is all about...I watched Gibbs the first time around, he's one very smart guy...he will figure it out;

4) Of course, Portis year 2 with a better line - but Gibbs now knows he can trust Betts...that will help keep Portis fresh and healthy... We may also have a short yardage back this year in Nemo;

and -- maybe most importantly --

5)Ramsey is the starter and will work as the starter the entire training camp...He'll have better protection, we'll run the ball better setting up the pass much more effectively, and he'll look downfield and see guys open for a change...

While I could certainly be called a homer (and have been before) -- how many of these 5 things are long shots, really?
The O Line will be better just by adding jansen and rabach...
The WR's are quicker than last year -- who can doubt that?
Gibbs has learned something about the NFL today...
Our RBs are good, Portis is very good and Betts can be counted on when called. ok..maybe we still need a short yardage back...
Ramsey will have more time, a good running game, Wrs who at least look open, starter day 1, not 1/2 way through the year.

I don't see much to hope for, just reality.

It'll be fun!

skinsfan1 · Post by **skinsfan1** » Sat May 21, 2005 10:50 am

great post fred.

ejay183 · Post by **ejay183** » Sat May 21, 2005 11:19 am

I hope all the things you stated are true

portis26 · Post by **portis26** » Sat May 21, 2005 11:25 am

All that stuff sounds logical to me.