USAToday: Inside Slant
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 5:11 pm
When Joe Gibbs won his first Super Bowl in 1982, an offbeat running back who had begun his career in the AFC led the Redskins - who hadn't been in the playoffs in five years - to the title.
Clinton Portis is not exactly John Riggins, but 23 years later, he's trying to follow in the Hall of Famer's footsteps. Portis has tied a 54-year-old Redskins record by gaining 100 yards in five straight games, one more than Riggins' unforgettable playoff run in 1982.
Gibbs said there are comparisons despite the perception of Riggins as a bull-like runner and Portis as an outside threat.
"One of the most amazing things to me is that Clinton has been so durable," Gibbs said. "He's extremely physical. He doesn't avoid stuff. If you ask him, he's going to pick an inside running play. He's not going to say, 'Toss the ball to me or give it to me on the edge.'"
Gibbs, who cajoled the edgy Riggins out of a one-year retirement upon taking the Redskins' job the first time in 1981, even enjoys Portis' weekly costumes every Thursday.
"If you don't have character on your team, if you don't have the guys that have a funny bone, if you don't have guys that add something to the team, this is going to be a miserable 16 weeks," Gibbs said. "If you do this and you don't have fun, then you're not going to have much of a team."
Redskins right tackle Jon Jansen said Portis, who ran for 292 yards on 52 carries in two games against Tampa Bay the last two years, can succeed against the Bucs' top-ranked defense.
"They're a speed team and Clinton's a speed guy," Jansen said. "He matches up well against them with his abilities and the lanes that sometimes open up with as fast as they are."
Riggins didn't get off to a fast start in 1982, running for 100 yards just once during the strike-shortened season - coincidentally against Tampa Bay. But Riggo rumbled for 119, 185, 140 and 166 yards during Washington's perfect postseason and then, decked out in top hat and tails, at the Super Bowl victory party, declared, "Tonight, Ron (Reagan) is the president, but I'm the king."
Portis, who had averaged 1,471 yards during his first three seasons with Denver and Washington, got off to a relatively slow start this year, averaging 77 yards during the first eight games and 85 through 11 games despite a season-high 144 yards against the Bucs. But as the Redskins won their last five games to turn a 5-6 also-ran into a 10-6 wild card, Portis averaged 112 yards.
Will he now follow Riggins' playoff path to glory? And if so, what he will wear at the victory party?
SERIES HISTORY: 15th meeting. The Bucs tied the series 7-7 with a dramatic 36-35 victory on Nov. 13 at home. Chris Simms hit Edell Shepherd with a 30-yard touchdown pass to bring Tampa Bay within one point. When Washington, going for the block, jumped offside on the extra-point try, Bucs coach Jon Gruden chose to go for two points. Fullback Mike Alstott was tackled at the goal line and was ruled to have scored. Replays were inconclusive despite the Redskins' protests that Alstott's elbow was down. Washington is 0-5 in Tampa since 1993.
NOTES, QUOTES
—H-back Mike Sellers was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for recovering a fumble that set up Washington's first touchdown in the 31-20 victory at Philadelphia.
Sellers tied Ed Block Courage Award nominee Khary Campbell with a Washington-high 19 solo tackles on special teams.
Sellers' Player of the Week selection was the fourth straight by a Redskin, following kick returner Antonio Brown (at Arizona), defensive end Phillip Daniels (against Dallas) and receiver Santana Moss (against the New York Giants).
"Mike's very physical and he gets a lot of attention from the other teams because he's such a standout on special teams," coach Joe Gibbs said. "It's good to see him get that reward for that."
—The Redskins have had tremendous success on screens to Pro Bowl receiver Santana Moss and record-setting H-back Chrisey this year.
"We've had comments from people we've played that said that was the play that really scared them," Gibbs said. "If you catch that thing and there's one mistake made on a blitz, it's all over. It's a high-percentage pass, so you're going to catch it, unless they grab you at the line of scrimmage."
Gibbs raved about the abilities of Moss and
"Probably the reason that's a good play for us is our tackles and guards run so well," Gibbs said. "The first time you throw it, it goes all the way against Kansas City. From that point on, we've been in love with it, so now what we've got is people grabbing our receivers at the line of scrimmage. We've got to be creative how we throw it."
BY THE NUMBERS: 1 - Margin of victory for the Bucs in their previous playoff game against the Redskins on Jan. 15, 2000, in Tampa. 1 - Margin of victory for the Bucs over the Redskins in their last meeting on Nov. 13, 2005, in Tampa.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I don't necessarily know that if you make it every year that they're not sweet. (But) if you've got to work six years to make the one, obviously there's a lot more built up in it." - Offensive tackle Jon Jansen, the only Redskin who has continuously been in Washington dating to 1999, Washington's last playoff season before this one.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
PLAYER/PERSONNEL NOTES
—CB Shawn Springs didn't practice Thursday because of an injured groin, an injury he has played through the past three weeks. Springs is questionable for Saturday's first-round playoff game at Tampa Bay. If he plays, he might be limited.
—CB Carlos Rogers, who missed the last three games with an injured left biceps, took part in a third consecutive practice and is expected to return to action Saturday against the Bucs.
—DE Renaldo Wynn returned after missing four straight practices because of a sore arch. Wynn is expected to make his team-high 65th straight start on Saturday.
—QB Mark Brunell, who didn't take much practice time last week after spraining his right knee against the Giants, took all the reps on Wednesday.
—CB Ade Jimoh, who left the Philadelphia game in the third quarter with an irregular heartbeat, has been cleared to play. He participated in the full practice Wednesday.
GAME PLAN: The Bucs have the NFL's top-ranked defense, but the Redskins scored 28 points in Tampa (not counting Ladell Betts' 94-yard kickoff return touchdown). Washington will stick to the "Run, Clinton, run" formula with a little Santana Moss and Chris
The Redskins feel they didn't respect Bucs QB Chris Simms, a first-year starter, enough the last time. Look for them to try to pressure Simms a lot more on Saturday, especially with their banged-up corners likely to be unable to cover to their usual standards. Washington's solid run defense held Bucs standout rookie Cadillac Williams to 20 yards last time.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
—Redskins LOT Chris Samuels vs. Bucs RDE Simeon Rice. The swift Rice and the powerful Samuels will go at it for the fourth time in three years. Rice had four sacks in 2003 as the Bucs cruised. Samuels stoned Rice in Washington's victory in the 2004 opener. Rice had two sacks in the Bucs' triumph in November. Is it Samuels' payback time again?
—Redskins RB Clinton Portis vs. Bucs MLB Shelton Quarles. Portis is in the middle of the best stretch for a Redskins back since 1951, having posted five straight 100-yard games with major production inside and outside. Portis had 292 yards in his two games against Tampa Bay the last two years, his second- and third-best outings as a Redskin.
—Redskins CB Carlos Rogers vs. Bucs WR Joey Galloway. Rookie Rogers, who missed the past three games with an injured biceps, has to play the best game of his young NFL career against speedy veteran Galloway, who had a Pro Bowl-type season.
INJURY IMPACT: If CB Shawn Springs can't play or is a shadow of his usual self, the Redskins will be relying on a rookie who hasn't played in three weeks (Carlos Rogers) and a veteran whose coverage skills have eroded (Walt Harris). The Bucs wouldn't seem to pose much of a threat at wideout other than Joey Galloway, but Edell Shepherd and Ike Hilliard burned the Redskins for 124 yards and two touchdowns on six catches the last time.
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