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Originally Posted by BigHairedAristocrat
One interesting theory ive seen is that the improved offense is more a result of Portis being out than anything else. He's "snyders pet," a diva, and despite what some players may say publicly, is obviously not well-liked by many of his team mates. Betts and Cartwright are hardworking and loved by their team mates. It would not surprise me in the least to learn that the line (consciously or not) blocks better for these guys than portis. That point aside, Portis has obviously lost more than just a step and I think he's played his last snap as a redskin - even if there IS a cap next year.
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Portis, in four years under Gibbs, went from one of the most anxious runners in the entire NFL to one of the most patient. But when Zorn came in and changed the blocking schemes, and suddenly, that patience and ability to let his blocking develop before trying to make a cut and run downhill really started to work against him.
Portis runs at the extreme of patience these days, he'll get in behind his blockers, and never make one of those classing zone running cutbacks behind everything like he used to in his younger days, as he wastes most of his carries never getting downhill. When he does turn the corner, he's usually right on the sideline where the first guy over can just push him out kind of effortlessly.
It's not really an effort thing on the OL, as much is it is that Portis never makes the defense pay for overpursuit to the football with that big cutback. So defenses that do a good job swarming to the point of attack are going to shut him down. And on film, that looks a lot like a line that isn't opening up any seams in the defense. But really, it's just the defense sending one more guy that can be blocked, and us having a back that cant really do anything about that at this point in his career.
The Chargers are having the exact same issue with Tomlinson at this point.