Redskins Insider: Quick Hits: Alfred Morris cements role as starting RB

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Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said Monday that Alfred Morris will remain the team’s starter at running back. He expressed confidence in backups Evan Royster and Roy Helu Jr. but said Morris remains the top back for now, based on his two-touchdown performance Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.

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Seriously? Cements? Not sure how. He had 96 yards on 28 carries for a 3.4 YPC average. One run was for 18. Take that run out and his average YPC drops to 2.9.

I'm sorry but I wasn't real impressed yesterday. He was solid but hid debut was underwhelming compared to both Helu and Royster last year. And he had a serious passing game working for him that the Saints couldn't ignore to focus on the run.

*shrug*

Maybe I am being harsh but I didn't see anything yesterday to make me too excited.
 
I'm thinking our OL is not that great. Morris may be able to take the pounding of a feature back better than the other two.

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"Cements" seems a little strong but, in his defense, Spagnuolo defenses have always been difficult to run on. It also looked to me like we had a different running game plan than we saw in preseason with different splits designed to allow RG3 to get outside.

I'll give him the benefit of doubt, especially considering the 2nd TD. Not sure any of our other backs could have muscled that one in.
 
You're being a little harsh Neo :) Show me a back with a decent avg. and I'll show you a back who broke 1 or 2. It's part of the equation. I mean - the guys an unheralded rookie and he ran for almost 100 yds in his first NFL game - I'd say that was 'satisfactory'.
 
He did have a 17 yarder called back because of a holding call on Lich. For a 6th round rookie from FAU, that was a great debut.

Dang, that rhymed.
 
I was just gonna say that BB, lol, one thing that morriss does better than helu is the second effort of the cutbacks, his ypc is more indicative of the up and down play of the line, when they give him even a small crease he has made things happen, the problem is that on many occasions our line is simply beaten.
 
Royster and Helu both had better debuts. And Helu was doing it against known good rushing defenses (SF, MIA, SEA, NYJ). Both guys were over 4 yards per carry and Royster's first game he ran for nearly 7 yards per carry.

*shrug*

I'm not saying Morris was bad. I just didn't see anything that to me screams that the merry-go-round stops HERE. Helu is certainly the better all around back as he is a threat both running and receiving, although he might have durability questions in the coaches minds.
 
Neo, im a helu guy actually, but I think you hit the nail on the head about helu, he has more take it the distance speed, and has that extra gear, he is also dangerous recieving but he isnt built like a fireplug type, maybe they want to use him as a the change of pace guy. Royster is slow he just has good feet and is pretty tough, he just doesnt seem like a starter calibre back, I think Morris is in between but seems more "solid" that Helu and faster than Royster. and Ill be honest watching him run behind that line makes me wince lol
 
Neophyte said:
Royster and Helu both had better debuts. And Helu was doing it against known good rushing defenses (SF, MIA, SEA, NYJ). Both guys were over 4 yards per carry and Royster's first game he ran for nearly 7 yards per carry.

*shrug*

I'm not saying Morris was bad. I just didn't see anything that to me screams that the merry-go-round stops HERE. Helu is certainly the better all around back as he is a threat both running and receiving, although he might have durability questions in the coaches minds.
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I hear you, but the bottom line is that yesterday, particularly in the 1st half, the holes just werent there. Given what space he had, I thought Morris frequently made something out of nothing. And when the holes did open up some in the 2nd half, he was more effective. I don't think any of the other backs would've done much better, but just my opinion.
 
Neophyte said:
Royster and Helu both had better debuts. And Helu was doing it against known good rushing defenses (SF, MIA, SEA, NYJ). Both guys were over 4 yards per carry and Royster's first game he ran for nearly 7 yards per carry.

*shrug*

I'm not saying Morris was bad. I just didn't see anything that to me screams that the merry-go-round stops HERE. Helu is certainly the better all around back as he is a threat both running and receiving, although he might have durability questions in the coaches minds.
Click to expand...

I think Roysters great showing had much to do with the how the line had finally settled in after all the shuffling. We also didn't do much in the way of outside runs, which were fairly frequent last season. The line is still recovering right now with guys returning from injury. Lets see how we do in a few weeks when they have time to come together..
 
Morris looked fantastic, and even a little elusive at the end of some of those runs. But I don't see him as much of a receiving threat.
 
Rymanofthenorth said:
Neo, im a helu guy actually, but I think you hit the nail on the head about helu, he has more take it the distance speed, and has that extra gear, he is also dangerous recieving but he isnt built like a fireplug type, maybe they want to use him as a the change of pace guy. Royster is slow he just has good feet and is pretty tough, he just doesnt seem like a starter calibre back, I think Morris is in between but seems more "solid" that Helu and faster than Royster. and Ill be honest watching him run behind that line makes me wince lol
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This is pretty much exactly how I feel about all three backs. I like Helu the best, but behind a weak line Morris might eke out more tough yards.

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For the record, I am not anti-Morris. I'm just having a tough time seeing that he "cemented" anything yesterday. His performance did blow me away like Griffin's (granted, Griffin's was over the top of the top). He was a "solid" back to me and "solid" doesn't leave the other guys out of the running to be a starter. At least in my mind.
 
He didn't "cement" anything Neo. Recall that Shanahan also said Banks would need to prove himself as a receiver. I interpret these comments as just a coach thrilled with the opening performance of a late round pick, and trying to build up his confidence.

He was solid, but I imagine we will be seeing Helu on third downs. Especially if we ever find ourselves down by 14 points in the fourth quarter.
 
We used to have a coach here who often said that availability is just as important as talent.

Helu and Royster may have talent but the needle rests near "E" in the availability department.

IMO, Morris has both.
 
A week into last season both Helu and Royster had solid availability too, Diesel. Just sayin'.

And yeah, Mike, I will give you making him the starter this next week against the Rams. He didn't do anything to loose the starting job as far as I am concerned. All I am saying is I didn't see anything special about what he did yesterday.
 
I'm just ecstatic that I can read a discussion about the merits of our starting running back after a pretty solid effort in a win against the Saints on the road with a rookie qb.

Times are indeed a changing'.
 
Neophyte said:
A week into last season both Helu and Royster had solid availability too, Diesel. Just sayin'.
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That's why Helu and Royster limped into the offseason and both limped through camp this season..........

Strange......
 
our other backs from last season have had durability issues. Morris may be a guy that we can ride for the inside game and then work Helu in on third down and passing downs as an 'umbrella' back to utilize his speed.
 
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