Where is the running game?

[El Mexican]

My 8-week recap after watching this team get rolled over by Dallas:
without a decent running game there's no way in hell we're competitive.

We're at 114 yards on average per game, but that number is deceiving.
Take away the game we beat the Rams (200+ rushing yards) and the average plummets.

AT THIS JUNCTURE, NO WASHINGTON PLAYER HAS RUSHED FOR MORE THAN 100 YARDS IN A GAME.

Injuries hit every team, so please don't try to justify our mediocrity with that argument.

CT, a classic third-down back, is currently our no. 1 rusher with a grand total of 213 yards. What?!
He's also our best receiver with 366 yards and most of those are YAC, by the way.

Ask me about my memories of the Jay Gruden era and I'll say that he unsuccessfully tried
to install a running back by committee every year he coached here. As much as KC can throw
40+ plus times a game, he's going nowhere without a decent rushing attack.

For me, that's a ONE running back strategy that tries to get at least 100 yards every week.

[Snout]

I have to agree. We have a decent defense, but the lack of running game means that our defense wears down at the end of the game. We cannot control the clock.

The games are a lot more exciting with a good passing game, but losing is still losing. And the whole offense becomes more fragile if the QB gets hurt.

Jay Gruden has improved the team a lot since when he took over, but I am skeptical whether he will ever coach us to the next level. It just ain't gonna happen without a running game, and the running game is not his priority.

[riggofan]

My 8-week recap after watching this team get rolled over by Dallas:
without a decent running game there's no way in hell we're competitive.

Holy crap, man. Only in Washington do fans see our team line up with four starting o-linemen out and one starter playing on two sprained ankles and start bitching on Monday that we couldn't run the ball.

[oj]

We could've had Hunt as our RB not the Chiefs'. The FO passed him up. As it is they'll ruin Thompson, he's playing his heart out but they'll beat him to death.

[SkinsJock]

coulda, woulda, shoulda - Dan & Bruce at work & play

finish this sentence - "the Redskins would be a better franchise if they .... " the most common answer would have to be ".. if Dan Snyder would just stop being so involved with everything"

[riggofan]

Good point. I've been hearing that Scherff would have played Sunday if Snyder hadn't insisted on recommending heat-ice-heat instead of ice-heat-ice. DAMN YOU DAN.

[El Mexican]

My 8-week recap after watching this team get rolled over by Dallas:
without a decent running game there's no way in hell we're competitive.

Holy crap, man. Only in Washington do fans see our team line up with four starting o-linemen out and one starter playing on two sprained ankles and start bitching on Monday that we couldn't run the ball.

No. Please re-read my post.

The whole point of my argument is that we have not installed a respectable
running game during the entirety of the season. Every team in the NFL has to deal with injuries.
Why is it that we always fail when injuries hit us? Bad preparation.

Joe Gibbs said it best: you're only as good as your backups.

We have no identity without a running game.

[Snout]

My 8-week recap after watching this team get rolled over by Dallas:
without a decent running game there's no way in hell we're competitive.

Holy crap, man. Only in Washington do fans see our team line up with four starting o-linemen out and one starter playing on two sprained ankles and start bitching on Monday that we couldn't run the ball.

I do not understand the logic. With four starting o-linemen out and one starter playing on two sprained ankles . . . why are we trying to pass 39 times while giving the ball to our running backs only 12 times (more than 3x more passes!!!), thereby exposing our franchise quarterback to injury when we do not have enough healthy personnel to protect him? Kirk was sacked four times. Are backup offensive linemen supposed to be better at pass protection than running the ball?

[fredp45]

I believe we did really well considering our Oline was decimated...running or not running the ball was not the issue...how about:

1) A blocked field goal returned to our 10 -- with a weird "blocking" penalty called on Way. 10 point turnaround.
2) Dropped passes - way too many once again
3) Fumbles and Int's - can't win when losing the TO battle
4) Penalties -- hasn't anyone told Holsey that once you go out of bounds, you can't be the first to touch the ball? PLUS, there was another guy there AND the ball had stopped rolling. Also, can someone tell Gallette to look down the LOS and wait until the ball is snapped before rushing?

Doctson catches the ball down the sideline late in the game and the momentum of that game changes. That was a very catchable ball...MAKE a big play Redskins WR's!!

[oj]

Anybody know why Crowder is still receiving punts? It's clear he does not have the right skills, we had Nelms and then Mitchell so Gruden has lots of history to look back at to see what he needs to have back there receiving punts.

[SkinsJock]

some of you guys aren't paying attention - there are perfectly legit reasons why things have been the way they are here ...

be patient - support the status quo - we'll see a better product on the field ... soon

Jay Gruden is the best HC we could expect to have here - Jay Cousins has never really had the opportunity to showcase his many QB skills



This really is the "halloween like" franchise of the NFL ... #horrorstory

[SkinsJock]

Good point. I've been hearing that Scherff would have played Sunday if Snyder hadn't insisted on recommending heat-ice-heat instead of ice-heat-ice. DAMN YOU DAN.

really? I'm surprised that Dan has anything to do with the team during the season .. I thought he saved all his input for the off season

[riggofan]

Good point. I've been hearing that Scherff would have played Sunday if Snyder hadn't insisted on recommending heat-ice-heat instead of ice-heat-ice. DAMN YOU DAN.

really? I'm surprised that Dan has anything to do with the team during the season .. I thought he saved all his input for the off season

Sick burn, bro. Killing it.

[riggofan]

I believe we did really well considering our Oline was decimated...running or not running the ball was not the issue...how about:

1) A blocked field goal returned to our 10 -- with a weird "blocking" penalty called on Way. 10 point turnaround.
2) Dropped passes - way too many once again
3) Fumbles and Int's - can't win when losing the TO battle
4) Penalties -- hasn't anyone told Holsey that once you go out of bounds, you can't be the first to touch the ball? PLUS, there was another guy there AND the ball had stopped rolling. Also, can someone tell Gallette to look down the LOS and wait until the ball is snapped before rushing?

Doctson catches the ball down the sideline late in the game and the momentum of that game changes. That was a very catchable ball...MAKE a big play Redskins WR's!!

I'm with you, man. Hate to see the team lose and especially hate to lose to Dallas. But the fan expectations considering the circumstances are ludicrous.

I honestly figured it would be a blowout from the jump. I was really surprised to still be watching the game at halftime.

[SkinsJock]

without an O line or with one that was as severely hampered as ours was, having any chance of significantly running the ball was not something that you could game plan for - that being said this roster was not really set up to be a force in the run game even with everyone on the O line being healthy

not having a balanced offense is just another factor of "it is what it is .. " welcome to the Redskins lack of depth issues - just wait, it'll get better

when you have a QB that can put up the passing yards that Cousins and Gruden are most suited for ... that is what you are

on a slightly different note - the Eagles look to improve their run game by adding Jay Ajayi ...
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/dolp ... ound-pick/

[riggofan]

Every team in the NFL has to deal with injuries.
Why is it that we always fail when injuries hit us? Bad preparation.

I just respectfully disagree with this. You don't lose pro bowl players and just continue to roll along. How are the Colts doing minus Andrew Luck? How have the Giants been without ODB? You gotta get out of your DC bubble and be aware of what's going around the entire league. The commentators point out all the time that the NFL is a war of attrition. The teams that stay healthy through the year are the ones that are playing in January.

We have no identity without a running game.

I guess, but why is there any expectation that this team's identity should be as a power running team? You're starting Rob Kelly and four backups on the o-line. Wishing that we were the Hogs and #44 isn't going to make it so, and hope is not a plan.

The team strength going into Sunday's game was the tight ends and Chris Thompson. I thought the team came out with a pretty good plan to make use of that, and it worked for two quarters. Then Niles Paul goes out, J Reed goes out, and it is what it is.

[riggofan]

without an O line or with one that was as severely hampered as ours was, having any chance of significantly running the ball was not something that you could game plan for - that being said this roster was not really set up to be a force in the run game even with everyone on the O line being healthy

Oddly enough, I agree with what you're saying. I would argue though if Leonard Fournette was running behind our starting o-line, they'd be "a force in the run game". I like Fat Rob, but I've never been completely sold that he's the RB1 who can consistently get it done.

[SkinsJock]

my expectations for this game were that we would be VERY lucky if we managed to pull out a victory ... especially considering the O line issues

the way the game was unfolding, with the pukes making huge mistakes through stupid penalties and not playing well, we were doing OK - the issue with the missed FG fiasco and not taking advantage of a scoring opportunity, turned things around - IF the pukes had continued to play the way they were playing and we had continued to play the way we were playing BEFORE that, the result MIGHT have been different

it's all very well to point to the O line but the play of the Skins O line and the play of the puke offense AFTER that issue was HUGE

given that both teams play to their potential, the pukes would have won anyway - given the level of play that we saw BEFORE that blocked FG, we could have pulled out a W, unlikely but possible



good teams find a way to win, even when things are going bad or they are really decimated with injuries - we are not that team - HELLO

[SkinsJock]

without an O line or with one that was as severely hampered as ours was, having any chance of significantly running the ball was not something that you could game plan for - that being said this roster was not really set up to be a force in the run game even with everyone on the O line being healthy

Oddly enough, I agree with what you're saying. I would argue though if Leonard Fournette was running behind our starting o-line, they'd be "a force in the run game". I like Fat Rob, but I've never been completely sold that he's the RB1 who can consistently get it done.

- that's what I'm saying - the injuries to the O line are terrible - this offense was also hurt by not having better WR's and RBs

Pryor move was not good and not having a good RB or big FB is hurting the short yardage plays

this season there have been a number of good things about this roster and the play on the field but there remains a lot of questions about who is in charge of the bigger picture and whose plan are we using - why did we not pick up a big RB like Fournette?

[El Mexican]

Every team in the NFL has to deal with injuries.
Why is it that we always fail when injuries hit us? Bad preparation.

I just respectfully disagree with this. You don't lose pro bowl players and just continue to roll along. How are the Colts doing minus Andrew Luck? How have the Giants been without ODB? You gotta get out of your DC bubble and be aware of what's going around the entire league. The commentators point out all the time that the NFL is a war of attrition. The teams that stay healthy through the year are the ones that are playing in January.

We have no identity without a running game.

I guess, but why is there any expectation that this team's identity should be as a power running team? You're starting Rob Kelly and four backups on the o-line. Wishing that we were the Hogs and #44 isn't going to make it so, and hope is not a plan.

The team strength going into Sunday's game was the tight ends and Chris Thompson. I thought the team came out with a pretty good plan to make use of that, and it worked for two quarters. Then Niles Paul goes out, J Reed goes out, and it is what it is.

I understand that's it's basically impossible to plan for every injury. But CT as your featured back seems ludicrous.
I consider that a planning error.

Injuries wi'll keep mounting, though.

[hitmandm]

They do not respect Cousins to win it so the opposite teams stop the run. Look....Cousins sucks and is not a franchise QB. Look at what the 49ers did- They traded for Garappalo instead of waiting for Captain Pick to hit the FA market. Why...they know he sucks.

Also...Fat Gruden is a horrible coach.

I have been saying this here for 3 years.

[riggofan]

I have been saying this here for 3 years.

[SkinsJock]

They do not respect Cousins to win it so teams stop the run. Cousins sucks and is not a franchise QB. the 49ers traded for Garappalo instead of waiting for Captain Pick to hit the FA market. they know he sucks. Also, Fat Gruden is a horrible coach. I have been saying this for 3 years.

most everyone with any sense knows that Jay Gruden is not a bad HC and Kirk Cousins is a good NFL QB

since Dan Snyder got involved we continue to be just below mediocre and just above terrible - we are frustratingly close to being a top 15 franchise but we lack continuity and we have no master plan or anyone with any authority that knows how to rebuild an NFL roster

If Doug Williams or anyone (with any sense) were allowed to just do their jobs without any interference from Dan Snyder, it would not take much to see improvement here but if Dan Snyder is not getting all of the credit for a turnaround here, it's just not happening

[hitmandm]

I actually think that most smart people know they suck. Would the 49ers trade a second rounder for Garappolo when they could keep their pick and get Cousins? They passed on Cousins because even his old coach didn't want him.

And it is at least 50% that Gruden gets fired this offseason. His schemes and gameplans have taken us nowhere.

When Gruden abd Cosuins are gone....then and only then will the Redskins have some hope for the future

[hitmandm]

I have been saying this here for 3 years.

Haha. I wish you vision for GIFs would translate to football insights.

Did you know that scene isn't actually Tom Hanks. It is his brother.