Ladell Betts in Saunders' offense

We've been talking a lot about how various players will do in Al Saunders' offense; I was just wondering how everyone thought Ladell Betts will perform this year.

I was looking over his stats for the past four seasons and I was suprised that he really hasn't been as productive as I thought. He averages 80 rushing attempts off 318 attempts a season, with about 4 yards per carry. I guess 4 yards a carry is pretty good, especially if he is in mainly for short yardage situations. Larry Johnson averaged closer to 5 ypc in KC (we can all hope Betts will turn out like that), and I think that extra yard will make a huge difference. Betts doesn't seem to be the most durable player on the roster, which freaks me out.

Maybe Saunders will decide to use Betts more in order to take some pressure off of Portis, which will keep him more fresh for the playoff push. I always worry about Ladell fumbling, even though he really doesn't do it too much, but I still think it will only help to having him rush more often.

Basically I would just like to hear how everyone else thinks Ladell will do this season.

Larry Johnson is a special back, so trying to impose his numbers on Betts is a little unfair. I would expect better YPC from both of our backs, if only because the hallmark of Saunders' playcalling is unexpected plays. We will run on 3rd and 6, and Portis (or Betts) will run aginst nickel defenses quite a bit. Hitting a 3rd corner is a lot easier than hitting the WLB, regardless of who it is.

We've been talking a lot about how various players will do in Al Saunders' offense; I was just wondering how everyone thought Ladell Betts will perform this year.

I was looking over his stats for the past four seasons and I was suprised that he really hasn't been as productive as I thought. He averages 80 rushing attempts off 318 attempts a season, with about 4 yards per carry. I guess 4 yards a carry is pretty good, especially if he is in mainly for short yardage situations. Larry Johnson averaged closer to 5 ypc in KC (we can all hope Betts will turn out like that), and I think that extra yard will make a huge difference. Betts doesn't seem to be the most durable player on the roster, which freaks me out.

Maybe Saunders will decide to use Betts more in order to take some pressure off of Portis, which will keep him more fresh for the playoff push. I always worry about Ladell fumbling, even though he really doesn't do it too much, but I still think it will only help to having him rush more often.

Basically I would just like to hear how everyone else thinks Ladell will do this season.

I'm not so concerned about Ladell Betts, because if we need him to perform really well, then that means Clinton Portis got hurt.

4 yards per carry is pretty good from your backup RB. He's capable of coming in and getting the tough yards. He's never going to have a 5.0 average because he doesn't have the game-breaking speed you need to get a 50-yard TD scamper. He got that 4 yards per carry by grinding out every single play.

But like I said, I'm not going to worry about him too much. It's Portis that should be getting the attention.

I'm not saying I except him to be Larry Johnson, because what he did last season and could very well do in his career is amazing, but I would like to think that Ladell will improve a good deal. I think with some of the running plays and short passes that Saunders may institute Ladell could have a very productive year.

Ladell will prove to be an invaluable backup like we are all used to. I think he'll have about the same production in Al's O. No more, no less. I don't feel so bad about him coming in and starting if CP needs a week off to nurse injuries. We've seen him carry the load before.

betts will be used the same way johnson was prior to priest holmes injury,which is pretty much the way he gets used around here anyway .anywhere fron 5-10 carries a game max and maybe a reception or two

I'm not saying I except him to be Larry Johnson, because what he did last season and could very well do in his career is amazing, but I would like to think that Ladell will improve a good deal. I think with some of the running plays and short passes that Saunders may institute Ladell could have a very productive year.

Define "very productive." Is that 80 carries and 360 yards (4.5 per carry)?

Anything more than that would seem to be unrealistic, I think. Portis is still the man, he's the one we should be talking about.

He's one of the best backups in the NFL, talent-wise.

However, with all of the talk about the team going for a 2,000-yard Portis season, I think we have our answer about the backups' roles in the offense.

He's one of the best backups in the NFL, talent-wise.

However, with all of the talk about the team going for a 2,000-yard Portis season, I think we have our answer about the backups' roles in the offense.

Is the team pushing to get Portis to 2,000 yards or are we, the fans, the ones who want him to ge that many? I'd be happier with Betts getting about 500 and Portis getting 1300+ and being in top form for the playoff. I felt like he was really hurting by the end of the season last year, which in turn hurt the team in the playoffs.

Betts will get some carries, no doubt. W/the exception of Riggins' best years, Gibbs has always given the ball to the 2nd tailback 5-10 times a game in games where we're controlling the clock. I think we should all hope that he will get a lot of carries, not because of injury to CP, but because of big leads/clock mgmt. CP lays it on the line every game, we need to rest him every chance we get.
Betts is an adaptable runner, can go inside/outside. He doesn't have blazing speed, but he's got decent speed & quickness in his cuts. Runs strong after contact. I love Betts as a runner, but I wish he could show the same type of aggressiveness as a blocker in pass protection. He often flat out misses blocks entirely cause he's too slow to locate blitzers. He cost us a td against baltimore in 04 by not pickin up Ed Reed.