Fun 'n Run

[BossHog]

All the newspaper articles today are about Dockery playing more on Sunday. Fiore's banged up and SOS wants to keep some 'key positions' fresher.

I can't possibly impress upon you just how big Derrick Dockery is. I hope that we take advantage of the size and run straight up the middle where Ted Washington is supposed to be. The Pats will be game-planning blitzes etc. to pressure & neutralize Ramsey, and having a huge running gameplan would really throw a cog in the works.

[redskincity]

You are on target. I would really like to see SOS give the ball to our RBs alot more. Don't get me wrong I am very estatic about our offence but think our RBs are a little to fresh at post game. We'll see what happens.

[#1SKINFAN]

It is due for trung to break a long one. That mama jama is fast boy. Boss I know you saw him in camp.
Redskins 35

Patriots7

Ramsey 349 30 of 42 Coles 127 Trung/Ladell 203

[BossHog]

He definitely is that (fast)... but Betts was really effective last week and I think we need to try and run between the tackles.

I'm not saying the potential for Trung doesn't INCREASE if we run up the middle well, just that I expect to see his opportunities stem from good straight ahead running and the Patriots trying to crowd the box. With their injuries, they will have to do everything they can to get the front 7 extra run support.

Last week when I was watching the Pats game, the commentators made sure they pointed out that there was a decrease in weight of 60 lbs from Ted Washington to his replacement. That's a lot of extra space. It's one thing to replace a DT in a 4-3, it's altogether more difficult to replace the nose in a 3-4.

[Texas Hog]

Good Fiore hasn't shown me much....other than stupid penalties.

Time for a little thunder and lighting...I think a nice mix of up the middle with Betts and off tackle and sweeps with Trung will cause havok with the patsies 3-4.

If we can establish any running game at all, it'll be a long day for the NE D. If they crowd the box to try and stop it, we go play action and hit Coles, Gardner and Jacobs deep, baby! Oh yea! I see bombs raining down at FEDX on Sunday! Go Skins!

[RedskinsFreak]

The run needs to be maintained.

Through 3 weeks, there are only 2 teams in the NFL that have two RBs with 150+ yards -- Denver (Portis & Anderson) and Washington (Canidate & Betts).

Keeping the balance is what opens up BOTH aspects of the game. Just keep 'em guessing!

[#1SKINFAN]

I wouldn't mind seeing Sultan in there a few snaps to see waht he can do to a first string NFL defence. They also need to start throwing to the flats to the speedy backs they have. They haven't thrown to the backs that much this year

[Texas Hog]

couldn't agree more #1, I want to see Morton, Trung and others catch a few out of the backfield of even split out for that matter

many other teams use split TEs and RBs, why aren't we? particularly with our speed at RB? anyone?

[BossHog]

many other teams use split TEs and RBs, why aren't we? particularly with our speed at RB? anyone

... because Ramsey's thrown the ball for 350 yards two weeks in a row... it's not like we're having trouble moving the ball. Why fix it if it ain't broke? Our offense has been very impressive, and while I'm not in the coaches' heads... I'd say that's the main reason.

... as for Sultan, I totally disagree. Send him to the practice squad... if he gets 'stolen' he gets stolen. Betts and Canidate are both doing fine... why keep a guy on the active roster that's listed as inactive every week.

Heck, Watson's still unemployed, so if they're worried about an injury scenario... he's still available and obviously could make it to the practice squad without being claimed.

[Texas Hog]

He's thrown for 350 yards for two weeks in a row because we've been down by 17 and 18 points respectively. Our opponents have been playing soft prevent defenses that allow us to pick up big chunks of yardage with a philosophy of bend but don't break. I remember this stupid philosophy way to well from the past many years under Turner's BS regime.

Although I think both games were gutsy performances from P-Ram and our receiving corps, I don't feel like our offense is just clicking along without problems. Otherwise I don't think we'd have been down in each game fighting for our lives to pull out the game. The only difference I've seen is that at least this year we're fighting to come back and believe that we can actually do it......maybe that partially started in the Carolina game last year.

If our offense was clicking without problems, we wouldn't have lost to the G-strings at home.....and we wouldn't be playing one-half terribly and one-half balls-to-the-wall.....understanding of course that the many penalties have played a role as well.

[RedskinsFreak]

Heck, Watson's still unemployed, so if they're worried about an injury scenario... he's still available and obviously could make it to the practice squad without being claimed.

I'm not certain, but something about him being on the active roster all of last season leads me to believe he would be ineligible for the practice squad.

[BossHog]

He's thrown for 350 yards for two weeks in a row because we've been down by 17 and 18 points respectively. Our opponents have been playing soft prevent defenses that allow us to pick up big chunks of yardage with a philosophy of bend but don't break. I remember this stupid philosophy way to well from the past many years under Turner's BS regime.

In essence, you're correct, but that doesn't really explain the whole story. The Redskins' offense is ranked NUMBER ONE in the NFL at 406 total yards per game. Coming from behind, or leading... doesn't matter.... when you've got more yards than anyone else... your offense is not struggling. I'm not saying that they haven't benefitted from SOME 'prevent' yardage, but it's not all because of that.

You're not going to drive the ball on every series... that's unrealistic. We're averaging 23 points per game, which is not bad, and should win you a lot of games if your defense is playing well.

Like I said, I agree with a lot of what you are saying, but the thread was about why we're NOT throwing to the RBs, and if my answer is 'because we haven't needed too' and your answer is 'because we've been behind and throwing against prevent defenses'... whichever you wanna choose... that's why we're not throwing to the RBs.

Personally, I think Patrick has been so hot, that unless that RB is the primary target, he isn't getting the ball. The primary target is. Oh sure there have been second reads and third reads, but a lot of the time, P-Ram's hitting the hot guy.

I think we'll see a LOT more shorter passes this week as the Redskins try to expose the Pats injury problems at LB.


Oh and just so i don't double post... RedskinsFreak... I'm sure your totally right about Watson. I was just venting. I like Sultan and all, but I think this keeping him on the active roster only then to to make him inactive each week is stupid. We just gave Wilbert Brown to the Patriots because we have a roster that MANDATES we dump a guy as soon as a TE gets hurt. Considering the two TE's respective injury histories... not too smart. Obviously, we have already seen the ramifications.

If Sultan was on the PS, we wouldn't have had to drop Brown to bring up Ware. We could have had 3 TE's on the roster. Not that Brown is all that great a player, but there's no need to give the opposition a guy who was playing for you last week for crying out loud. Keeping only 2 TEs may not have been as risky as only keeping 2 QBs, but IMO, it's already been a decision that has caused more harm than good.As I mentioned earlier, it's not like the two TEs we kept are iron men.

Well at least if Betts, Canidate AND Morton go down... we'll have a first year unproven player that we can put in there.

K... I'm done ranting.... sorry.

[Texas Hog]

good points.....just would like to see P-Ram dump it off or swing it out to the backs as primary targets while our speed extends the d to see what Trung and Morton can do in the open field...that's all.

[learnnew]

do you guys think we'll see balls thrown to trung tomorrow? betts and morton have got balls, but trung has the best breakaway speed (well at least close to morton if not more: does anyone know morton's 40yd speed?). he hasn't caught even a single ball (i don't think P-Ram has thrown to him in the first place).

mark maske said in his chat that teams are trying to blitz when trung is in the backfield 'cause his blocking is a bit suspect. is this why he's not been able to get in passing situations?

skins 27 pats 20

[skinsfaninroanoke]

I suspect we will see more running unless we get behind because runs, good runs, will keep the blitz at bay better than any blocking scheme.

It is rather disconcerting to blitz and have the RB go right past the blitzers for big gains because that is the side of the field that emptied out to blitz.

I expect to see some good pitches today - NE being a 3-4 will blitz a bunch. Pitches really hurt a blitz when they are timed right.

[BossHog]

I read somewhere this morning that LB corps was so banged up for the Pats that Bellycheck was actually considering going to a 4-3 today.

I don't know if that was posturing or gamesmanship, but considering their injury list, it might make sense.

It would sure throw a cog in what the Redskins probably practiced for all week.

[hailskins666]

It would sure throw a cog in what the Redskins probably practiced for all week.

yea but at least thats sort of back to basics, its way better than practcing for a 4-3 all week and have a 3-4 show up on game day.

[BossHog]

I also heard that injuries to the o-line might force Wilbert Brown into immediate action.

I hope the coaching staff take advantage of it... he's a decent back-up but has proven that he's not an every down player yet.

[ideagirl]

OK, Boss, glad to hear Dockery is a goliath! I am still steamed about loosing Stephen Davis (good for him that the Panthers are smart enough to utilize him). I mean, after 3+ seasons of rushing over 1,200 years or more, Spurrier needs a reality check and therapy to get him comfortable with the premise of "running the ball" in the NFL. (don't get me started about the importance of the running game), but Canidate and Betts are proving to be worthy replacements. Let's see if the O-line can process the count, stand still long enough to avoid the flag (albeit color coordinated with our uniforms), and then actually part the Red Sea for our RB's. Boy, I miss Bostic, Jacoby and THE HOGS!!!! I am hopeful that the Ref's in practices this past week shall cure us of "Yellowflagitis".

IdeaGirl
Skins 24 Pats 17

[skinsfaninroanoke]

Glad to see that my prediction came true, but the real good stuff came off the rg/rt and lg/lt gaps and around the ends. Nice running, could have done without the heart attack fumble but nice anyway. Can't blame that on Trung entirely as he was free and that was a heck of a well placed punch from behind to knock that ball loose. Maybe he will keep it gripped tighter from now on even if he thinks he is breaking it.