Time to bench Portis - what say you?

I think yesterday proved that practice is important. Think the OL appreciates the guys that are out there day in and day out. They know the RB's and vice versa.

May be wrong, but my gut says Portis' act is wearing thin on the team.

MikeSr619 said:

How many carries has he had since he's been in DC? How many 13-1500 yard seasons?

I dont get why you say he is old and has carried the ball too much but now he needs to practice MORE and take MORE hits?

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Didn't say he is old and carries the ball too much. I said he needs to practice and stay in shape. It's a known fact that he does not practice when his mangina hurts and doesn't show up for off season work.

You think Betts just showed up behind a reshuffled (once again) line and got 100+ on a sprained ankle? You think Levi Jones is that big a force and is so familiar with the offensive blocking schemes that running holes just appeared that weren't there before?

Betts played like he WANTED to play. Portis has gotten to where he just shows up and hopes for the best

Mike, while you are correct in saying the Broncos are not the Giants (1st overall D), they are 6th in the NFL in total defense, and 4th in scoring defense. They held Tom Brady and the explosive Pats to 17 points, and all-in-all have been playing stellar defense. Not sure what NFL you have been watching this season.

I do agree that Levi Jones played well at LT...his problem has been staying on the field. :furiously knocking on wood:

As a matter of fact Sarge, yeah. I think that is a lot of it. I believe Portis would have had a pretty good day yesterday too had he been in shape to play. I saw one of the best run blocking days of the year by a Redskins line, maybe the best day. And when the blocking broke down I saw Betts and Cartwright stopped for no gain just I see happen to Portis a lot.

Neophyte said:

As a matter of fact Sarge, yeah. I think that is a lot of it. I believe Portis would have had a pretty good day yesterday too had he been in shape to play. I saw one of the best run blocking days of the year by a Redskins line, maybe the best day. And when the blocking broke down I saw Betts and Cartwright stopped for no gain just I see happen to Portis a lot.

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Apparently we're going to be getting real-time insights on this when CP recovers from his concussion-this from Ryan O'Halloran at the Washington Times:

*The Redskins set offensive highs in points (27), yards (388), rushing yards (174) and time of possession (35:43). It's not a coincidence that these numbers were put up during Ladell Betts' first start of the year. There is something to be said for Betts practicing often with the first-team offensive line (what's left of it) and knowing how they work on every rushing play. Meanwhile, coach Jim Zorn, quickly defused any Starting RB Controversy by saying Clinton Portis would remain the starter when he returns from a concussion.

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Here's the article link:http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/redskins/2009/nov/15/wrapping-up-win-no-3/

Don't get me wrong, I do think Portis aught to be practicing and if not practicing then not playing. Not big fan of double standards (although Gibbs had one with Riggins if everyone will remember).

come on folks.

the Redskins got nothing going against the lowly Lions and Chiefs

so, someone is going to post here that the Redskins and Betts had an easy time of it against the 6-3 Broncos defense?

Portis hasn't looked sharp the entire season. He didn't stay in DC for the offseason program like he did in 2008 and came into camp 10 pounds overweight as a result of running his own show down in Miami. Then he didn't practice or play in the preseason to any great degree.

He then showed up for the opener looking old and slow.

He has continued to look old and slow since the Giants game, again despite the Redskins playing a cream-puff schedule full of teams like the Lions, Chiefs and Bucs.

If Portis is healthy and can/will practice, then you work him back in, especially if Betts is still hot.

Frankly, if Portis still has blurred vision now....then there is no way in hell he should play vs. Dallas.

and Zorn has let it be known that he's not playing unless he can practice.

This O-line blocked better when they ran north-south plays which is Betts strength, so right now maybe Betts might be the better option since the O-line runs better to his strength (btw the tackles) while Portis has been better as a guy who can bounce it outside or make a cut on a stretch play (which the Skins currently suck at doing).

From Serv's post. Just goes to prove the point

"You know, some guys don't want to say it, but you can tell that it's there," The Sourcerer the team's editorial director replied. "And I think that they think that Clinton Portis has been holding them back just a little bit, in that he doesn't explode into the hole. There's been this, I don't want to call it a subliminal feeling, but this feeling that he hasn't given everything that he could give to this team in terms of coming in in shape, in terms of practicing. And the problems you have on that offensive line, you know how important it is to be out there and understand the timing and the flow of the game. Ladell Betts is always there."

So a Redskins employee is sort of reporting here that some players in the locker room feel Portis hasn't given his maximum.

"Well we heard that also from Clinton, 'Hey look, I don't really need to practice, I know where I have to be,' " Theismann said. "I said it on this show after he made that comment, I thought your offensive line has to know where they need to be so that you can be where you need to be. He's coddled all through training camp. It's like, 'Oh, let's not [tick] Clinton off.' And it's one of the things that Jason has mentioned. Matter of fact, when we had the Night of Legends, with Sonny, Jason and myself, Jason mentioned the one thing that he felt like was missing on this football team was discipline, in that everybody needed to be held accountable in an equal fashion. Well gee whiz, if you can't read between the lines on that...."