Redskins Insider: Shanahan: Portis dropped unhit to prevent fumble

[BGO]

At the end of his longest rush of the season, late in the first quarter during the St. Louis Rams' 30-16 victory over the Redskins Sunday, Clinton Portis went down without being hit. Portis, whose 2009 season was cut short after he suffered a concussion in Week 9, appeared to simply give up on the play after rushing for 27 yards. Television replays showed Portis looked to see where a Rams' defensive player was positioned before dropping to the turf. The strange move surprised Coach Mike Shanahan, and Shanahan spoke with Portis about what occurred.

St Louis Rams - Clinton Portis - Washington Redskins - Mike Shanahan - Sports

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[Elephant]

Mike, like I have said in the past, I admire your loyalty and feel lucky to consider you a friend, but this should concern you a great deal! If he is gun shy, like this story suggests, it would not bode well for that critical 3rd down and short situation where we will have to depend on him or Sellers.

 

[China]

If that is what in fact occurred, then I'm fine with it. It would then also explain why Portis was out in the second half, as Shanahan was concerned Portis might fumble. It doesn't explain the poor coaching decision to abandon the running game. Other backs were gaining yards.

 

[Henry]

If he was protecting a bad hand then he did the right thing. And it was also the right thing to take him out after that.

 

[SKF]

Portis is always going to make an excuse of why he chumped out. I'm sure the coaches did tell him to sacrifice yardage for ball security.. But i'm pretty damn certain that they didn't say fall down in the open field. He could of easily just covered the ball with two hands like he said he did all week in practice and not looked like a woman by falling down on the ground.

 

[#98QBKiller]

chumped out? what a joke. the dude lays people out on a regular when blocking, he hits the holes and doesnt slide but because he made a decision to slide he is a chump now?

If he would've taken that hit for a couple of extra yards and fumbled the ball everyone would pin the loss on his shoulders. I don't have a problem with him protecting the ball.

 

[SKF]

chumped out? what a joke. the dude lays people out on a regular when blocking, he hits the holes and doesnt slide but because he made a decision to slide he is a chump now?

Yeah, chumped out. That run, he chumped out. If he's hurt, then he needed to sit.. Hurt arm or not, if he's busting through the line you don't think one of those D-line or LB'ers are hitting this so called hurt arm? They're much stronger than D-backs. I don't buy it.. That run at the end he chumped out. He's going to surpase John Riggins for the most yards for a Redskins RB. Do you think Riggins would of fell down because of a sore arm? I hardly think so.

 

[SKF]

Well we can agree to disagree...

Well, Riggo wouldn't of pulled himself out like Portis did all last year.. I guess he was just being a "team player" . How quickly we forget.. I think I recall him several times on the sidelines sucking wind after not doing much at all. BTW, the phrase "Putting the team first" and "Portis" should never be in the same sentence. He hasn't done that since he's been here.. and the jury's still out on him this year.. wait until Shanahan benches him.. Then we will see the real Clinton Portis.

I like how it's justified as "He decided to play it safe" If that makes you sleep at night so be it... I think he decided to be a chump. If he wasn't being a chump you wouldn't have people all over DC asking the same question on Monday.. We all saw that he fell down and he even admitted it. They said sacrifice yardage for ball security, they didn't say fall down in the open field for ball security.

The excuses for this guy day in and day out are just amazing.

 

[SKF]

Let's revisit this conversation when Shanahan starts giving Torain more carries. And let's see how Portis this consummate pro reacts... Better have your station's tuned to the John Thompson show because he's going to start blasting somebody instead of looking in the mirror.

 

[SKF]

once again. "lets wait" and "down the road"

we're talking about Portis THIS week.

This week will be a good example... I'm with you on that.
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[Miles Monroe]

gun shy? he has a hurt wrist and didnt want the 3 guys swarming him to get the ball. what would he have gotten, 2 more yards? id rather him slide like that then risk a fumble and get NO more yards.

and if Shan doesnt have a problem with it I dont see how anyone else can.

It's actually pretty easy to have a problem with it for a reason you state. He has a hurt wrist, and if holding onto the ball is a problem with his hurt wrist, he shouldn't be on the field.

This is classic Portis... he blames the slide on the hurt wrist, but says he was fine to play his normal role in the second half, and is miffed about lack of play. This isn't the first time Portis has been hurt, and doesn't let on to the staff just how much it's effecting him because he's just got to be the man.

You may rather have him slide to avoid risking a fumble, but I rather have a player on the field that's healthy enough to take the hits that come with the position.