Running game will be vastly improved

From what I recall of watching the Redskins' running attack over the course of the season, Gibbs did install running plays that involved zone blocking, and Portis responded pretty well to that, since it was similar to what he excelled with in Denver. However, Gibbs never went totally in that direction, preferring to maintain a balance of zone-blocking and the trap-blocking, power-running style that brought him so much success in his previous stint.

GOOD points, and you are correct, the return of injured players on both sides of the ball will seem like a new and much improved team!

I think the line does have the potential to be very good. Jansen and Samuels are a great tackle tandem, Randy Thomas is one of the more underrated guards around, and Rabach should solidify the middle. Our only question mark is at left guard. Will Dockery finally blossom?

I think our line will be decent this year, barring any devastating injuries like Jansen last year. Rabach is a really good center. And i think his addition to this club has been vastly underated due to all the usual skins drama in the offseason. Plus its buges..i believe he can shape up these guys and give patrick the time he needs and let portis have the holes he needs. DOnt forget that mst of the seasons other teams dfenses were stacked against the run, due to our aenemic passing game. Randy thomas is an excellent run blocker.

I'm crossing my fingers for a "safe" preseason.

i think we all are. unless its brunell that goes down...i dont think most people will mind that...or jimoh.

Lay off Jimoh or "The Ade Jimoh Fan Club" will come and kick your ass...

Speaking of which, I haven't seen him lately.

Lmao..oh well..you cant blame me for hating on him.

With the running game, you can't point to Portis's 1300 yards and say he had a good year, he didn't. He led the league in carries. If you keep feeding him the ball, of course he's going to rack up a good yardage total. But that doesn't mean he was getting the chunks of yards that you need to gain first downs. You have to look at his yards per rush, which was 3.8, ranked at the bottom of the league.

I do think we'll be better though. Jansen coming back is a big reason. Raymer was not athletic enough to pull effectively in Gibbs' trap system. He couldn't get to his blocks fast enough and LBs were filling holes, giving Portis nowhere to go and no way to get his speed cranking. Rabach is much more athletic, I think he'll get out on blocks better.

The biggest reason for improvement, in my mind, is going to be 3rd and one's and goalline runs. Walter Rasby was supposed to be our bulldozing TE. What'd he do? Got cut midseason. We had no help for bulldozing blocking at TE or H-Back. I love Cooley, and he's a solid blocker, but he won't run guys over. I'm excited to see what White and Broughton can do. Plug them in for those short yardage situations and just run behind them, I'll bet they can move some bodies.

A running game is all about keeping the chains moving, especially in Gibbs' ball-control offense. I think we have some pieces to get that done now.

Exactly AND not to mention Gibbs finally figured out some good schemes for Portis towards the end of the season. Even though when I posted the stats for Portis's average YPC in the second half of the season it was lower, his average against teams NOT Philadelphia and Pittsburgh was much higher. He WAS getting his chunks of yardage AND he was catching the ball out of the backfield.