Rich Tandler's Real Redskins

Portis' Redskins career had its highs and lows

Clinton Portis started off in Washington in a blaze of glory. His first carry as a Redskin came in the 2004 season opener at FedEx Field and it went for 64 yards and a touchdown. Portis’ Redskins career and the Joe Gibbs II era was off to a glorious start.

His last carry in the NFL was not bathed in much glory. It came in Week 10 of the 2010 season at LP Field in Nashville. Portis had missed the previous five games trying to recover from a groin injury. With 1:29 left in the first half, he took a handoff from Donovan McNabb and gained three yards off of left guard.

He got up but he immediately headed to the sidelines. It was apparent that the groin was bothering him again. The Redskins put him on injured reserve soon after that and he was released in March of 2011.

According to reports Portis tried out for a few NFL teams but he never did sign with one of them. Today he announced is retirement at a news conference at Redskins Park. Portis was clearly emotional during parts of a talk that lasted nearly 30 minutes.

“I think I had a great career on and off the field,” he said. I was truly blessed to play for two great organizations.”

Portis played his first two years in the NFL under Mike Shanahan in Denver. When Joe Gibbs, who Portis said was one of his favorite people, came to Washington in 2004 one of his first moves was to engineer a controversial trade that sent perennial Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey and a second-round pick to the Broncos in exchange for Portis.

The knock on Portis was that he skipped practice too much and didn’t work hard enough in the offseason. And maybe he could have been better. Perhaps some of those 1300-yard seasons could have been 1500-yard seasons and the years where he gained 1500 or more could have been truly special.

The criticism didn’t bother him. “The negativity made me a man,” said Portis.

It is hard to see Portis getting much more out of his body than he did. He had 2,230 rushing attempts in his career, including four seasons with 325 or more carries in a five-year span.

And you can’t forget the wear and tear he created while dishing out punishment to blitzing linebackers. He may not have been the best overall running back in the business but none were better when it came to pass protection. Rarely would a game go by when he wouldn’t stonewall someone trying to come in and do harm to his quarterback. Most games, it was more than one.

“He blocked and played physical football like no one else,” said Redskins owner Daniel Snyder

His career numbers were good but what Redskins fans will remember most about him, besides the costumes he wore to press conferences during the 2005 season, are the two season-ending stretches where Portis put the team on his back and carried them into the playoffs.

The first was in 2005. The Redskins had lost to the Chargers to fall to 5-6. Everyone knew they had to win out to get into the playoffs. They did it an Portis led the way, gaining over 100 yards in five straight games as the Redskins won five straight games.

They needed a similar miracle in 2007 and this time the mountain seemed even taller. Sean Taylor, one of Portis’ best friends on the team, was murdered in his home in late November. The day before his funeral, they lost to the Bills to fall to 5-7.

Portis was not the statistical leader during the four-game winning streak they pulled off in Taylor’s honor but he served as the emotional leader. Against Dallas in the season finale he scored on a 23-yard run and lifted up his jersey to reveal a T-shirt honoring Taylor.

“I can’t think of a team that won a Super Bowl that had a better bond than us, on those 2005 and 2007 teams that I played on,” said Portis.

Since 1999, top offensive performances rare

In 1999, the Redskins were second in the NFL in both points scored with 443 and yards gained with 5965. They have not come close to matching that offensive performance since then.

The points soared in ’99 because the Redskins had a quartet of offensive skill players who were very productive. Brad Johnson passed for 4,005 yards, Stephen Davis rushed for 1,405 yards, Michael Westbrook had 1,191 yards receiving and Albert Connell had 1,132 yards receiving.

Since then the Redskins have not been able to come close to getting productivity like that from their quarterback, running back, and two wide receivers in the same season. In fact, they have struggled to get even one offensive skill position player to put up numbers like the four that they fielded in 1999.

Here are the players who have started the most games at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver since that season. The players’ production when they exceeded 3,500 yards passing, 1,200 yards rushing, or 1,000 yards receiving for the season is noted:

Year, QB, RB, WR, WR

2000: Johnson, Davis (1318), Connell, James Thrash
2001: Tony Banks, Davis (1432), Westbrook, Rod Gardner
2002: Shane Matthews, Davis, Gardner (1006), Derrius Thompson
2003: Patrick Ramsey, Trung Candidate, Laveranues Coles (1204), Gardner
2004: Mark Brunell, Clinton Portis (1315), Coles, Gardner
2005: Brunell, Portis (1516), Santana Moss (1483), David Patten
2006: Brunell, Ladell Betts, Moss, Antwaan Randle El
2007: Jason Campbell, Portis (1262), Moss, Randle El
2008: Campbell, Portis (1487), Moss (1044), Randle El
2009: Campbell, Portis, Moss, Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly
2010: Donovan McNabb, Ryan Torain, Moss (1115), Anthony Armstrong
2011: Rex Grossman, Roy Helu, Moss, Jabar Gaffney

So after having four noteworthy offensive skill performances in one season, the Redskins have had 11 in the ensuing 12 seasons. They had as many as two in one year just twice, in 2005 and 2008. They finished 13^th in points scored in 2005 and 11^th in yards gained. That is the only season since 1999 when they finished in the top half of the NFL in both points and yards. The Redskins have yet to place in the top 10 in either category since ’99.

Mike Shanahan, considered to be one of the best offensive minds in the business, has been unable to shake the Redskins out of their offensive malaise. His two Redskins teams have averaged 25^th in points scored and 17^th in yards gained. He now has his handpicked quarterback and some expensive new receivers at his command to try to fix the problem.

 

In 1999, Redskins saw a new QB make a big difference

Wise veteran Santana Moss is trying to tamp down the expectations for rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III. He told ESPN 980, “One thing I want everyone to understand that he comes here with the big hope of turning everything around. We are all hoping that. We all want that, but I don’t want that pressure on him as if he has to be the one.”

The thing is, in a quarterback league, Griffin does have to the “the one”. Yes, the rest of the team needs to play better around him but Griffin is going to have to play well if the Redskins are to reach their goal of making the playoffs on a regular basis and making a Super Bowl run from time to time.

We have seen what improved quarterback play can do for a Redskins team. The 1998 Redskins got off to an 0-7 start on their way to a 6-10 record that nearly cost Norv Turner his job. Trent Green started 14 games at quarterback and Gus Frerotte started two. They combined to complete 53.8 percent of their passes for 3724 yards (6.6 yards/attempt).

Green left as a free agent and Frerotte was let go so the Redskins traded for Brad Johnson. Working primarily with receivers Michael Westbrook and Albert Connell, the same guys who where lining up for Green and Frerotte, Johnson started all 16 games and completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 4005 yards (7.7 yards/attempt). 

The defense went from bad in ’98 (24th in yards allowed) to worse in ’99 (30th). And the Redskins improved to 10-6, won the division, and hosted a playoff game. 

To be sure, Johnson was not the only change on offense. There were some new faces on the offensive line but it is not as though a bus pulled up to Redskins Park and dropped off the 1991 Hogs. Rookie Jon Jansen replaced Shar Pourdanesh at right tackle and veteran journeyman Andy Heck came in at left tackle. Fourth-year running back Stephen Davis had a breakout season with 1405 yards, a marked improvement over the  1242 yards that Davis, Skip Hicks, and Terry Allen combined to gain on the ground in 1998.

The Redskins did not build on their 1999 success. In 2000 Johnson was first injured and then in a funk about his contract sutiation. He left as a free agent in 2001. But for that one seasons Johnson clearly was the difference maker.

Can Griffin make such a difference in 2012 and turn the Redskins around into a team that wins double digit games? It’s a tall order for a rookie but he doesn’t have to be an elite performer to beat the numbers the QB’s put up last year. 

Despite Moss’ wishes, the pressure will be on RG3 this year and we will see how well he responds.

 

The long and the short of Redskins QB's

The last couple of decades aside, the Redskins have one of the better legacies in the NFL when it comes to quarterbacks. Two Redskins signal callers are in the Hall of Fame and three others won Super Bowls.

Besides golden arms and the ability to come through in the clutch, many of the Redskins’ greats at quarterback also share another trait–they are, well, vertically challenged compared to the prototype at the position.

In his Sunday Blitz column on the National Football Post, Dan Pompei put together a list of best short quarterbacks of all time. He defined “short” as 6-0 or less and he confined the list to quarterbacks who played in 1960 or later. Of the 11 players on his list, four played for the Redskins. 

Sonny Jurgensen (5-11), Eddie LeBaron (5-7), Joe Theismann, and Billy Kilmer (both 6-0) won games and accolades despite have less physical stature than other stars at the position.

Sammy Baugh, the first great (and still the greatest) Redskins quarterback was listed at 6-2. That is the lower end of what is considered to be the right height range for a QB. Robert Griffin III, who the Redskins hope will be the next great signal caller, is also 6-2.

 

What exactly was "the Ditka deal?

 

By Rich Tandler

There is talk that the Redskins could “Ditka” their draft in order to trade up from the sixth pick in the draft to the second to get quarterback Robert Griffin III.

As long as so many fans and analysts are referring to the trade with the Redskins that got Mike Ditka’s Saints the draft rights to Texas running back Ricky Williams, we might as well make sure everyone knows what they are talking about. So here are the details of the 1999 draft day deal.

As soon as the Colts took running back Edgerrin James with the fourth pick, the Redskins went on the clock and the trade that Ditka and Redskins general manager Charley Casserly had worked out went down.

The Saints were drafting 12^th in the first round and to get the fifth pick they gave up that pick, their third-, fourth-, fifth-, sixth-, and seventh-round picks in that draft and first- and third-round picks in the 2000 draft.

It was the entire 1999 draft for the Saints as they already had dealt away their second-round pick.

Williams was a decent back for the Saints as he gained 3,129 yards in three seasons before being traded to Miami.

Ditka was not around to see most of Williams’ performance. The Saints went 3-13 in 1999 and Ditka was fired. 

 

The points don't soar for these Redskins teams

By Ryan O’Halloran

While sitting in with "The Sports Reporters," last week, Czabe, Andy and I talked about how prolific the New England and Green Bay offenses have been this year and specifically the 35-point threshold.

Then we compared it to the Redskins.

The bottom line is that reaching 35 points for the Redskins has been a struggle ... since 1998. It's a prime reason the Redskins have won just two playoff games during that stretch. They simply can't score.

The numbers are startling. 

* Times the Packers have scored more than 35 points this season: seven.

* Times this year the Patriots scored more than 35 points: five.

* Times this year the Redskins scored more than 35 points: zero.

* How long it's taken for the Redskins to score more than 35 points seven times: since November 1998.

* During that same span, the Patriots have exceeded 35 points a whopping 40 times and the Packers 30 times.

* Since 2000, the Redskins have exceeded 35 points just TWICE in regulation (including none since October 2005). 

It's no wonder the Redskins haven't won the NFC East since 1999.

A complete list of their last seven high-scoring games.

1. Beat Jaguars 36-30 in overtime, Oct. 1, 2006 (Brunell to Moss 68-yard touchdown).

2. Beat 49ers 52-17, Oct. 23, 2005 (San Francisco's starting quarterback that day - rookie Alex Smith).

3. Beat Saints 40-10, Dec. 30, 2001 (Despite 8-3 finish, Marty was fired the next week).

4. Beat Giants 50-21, Sept. 19, 1999 (Came a week after losing to Dallas in overtime, start of a four-game winning streak).

5. Beat Panthers 38-36, Oct. 3, 1999 (Rallied from 21-0 deficit, gave up 483 yards to Carolina).

6. Beat Bears 48-22, Oct. 31, 1999 (Won despite giving up 445 yards but were plus-4 in turnovers).

7. Lost to Cardinals 45-42, Nov. 22, 1998 (Mike Sellers played in this game).

The total: Seven times in the last 214 regular season games, the Redskins have scored more than 35 points. 

Eagles favored, history tell us why

By Ryan O’Halloran

The Eagles have been installed as a nine-point favorite over the Redskins in Sunday’s regular season finale. This shouldn’t be a surprise given the teams’ recent series history.

2011
Week 6 at Washington: Redskins favored by 1. Vegas, like everybody else, thought the 1-4 Eagles were in a free fall and the coming-off-the-bye Redskins would put them away. Not. Final score: Eagles 20-13.

2010
Week 4 at Philadelphia. Eagles favored by 5. Donovan McNabb’s return to Philadelphia resulted in an upset victory – a week after getting blown out at St. Louis – and a hamstring injury that plagued McNabb until he was benched. Final score: Redskins 17-12.

Week 10 at Washington. Eagles favored by 3. Hours after signing a contract extension that was phony as all get out, McNabb and the Redskins were blown out of the stadium by the end of the first quarter. Final score: Eagles 59-28.

2009
Week 7 at Washington. Eagles favored by 7. Another Prime Time Debacle for the Redskins – the Eagles got a 67-yard TD run and a 57-yard TD catch by DeSean Jackson to jump to a 20-point, first-half lead. Final score: Eagles 27-17.

Week 12 at Philadelphia. Eagles favored by 9. The Redskins led by eight points with 11 minutes remaining but Philadelphia rallied to win on David Akers’ 32-yard field goal with 1:48 remaining. Final score: Eagles 27-24. 

2008
Week 5 at Philadelphia. Eagles favored by 6. The pinnacle of Jim Zorn’s two-year stay with the Redskins. A week after winning at Dallas as 10-point underdogs, the Redskins rallied from a 14-0 deficit to win. Final score: Redskins 23-17.

Week 16 at Washington: Eagles favored by 5. A tractor pull-type win for the Redskins and it probably saved Zorn from being one-and-done (they had lost to the 1-11-1 Bengals the week before). Final score: Redskins 10-3.

2007
Week 2 at Philadelphia: Eagles favored by 6. On ‘Monday Night Football,’ the Redskins limited Philadelphia to 4-of-16 on third down. Final score: Redskins 20-12.

Week 10 at Washington: Redskins favored by 3. The Redskins blew a five-point lead in the final four minutes on touchdowns of 57 and 10 yards by Brian Westbrook. Final score: Eagles 33-25.

Contact O’Halloran at rohalloran@comcastsportsnet.com

 

It's bad for the Redskins but it's been worse

By Rich Tandler

As many have pointed out, the Redskins have now lost 10 games this season and they will finish with 10 or more losses in three straight years for the first time since 1993-1995.

As sparse as victories have been, this is not the worst three-game stretch in team history nor was that string of double-digit loss totals in the mid-‘90’s. That dubious distinction would go to the 1959-1961 editions of the Redskins.

The current Redskins have won just five games this year. The early 60’s group won five games in three seasons. They went 3-9 in 1959, 1-9-2 in 1960, and 1-12-1 in 1961. There was a 23-game winless streak in there. They didn’t win a game between October 9, 1960 and December 17, 1961.

The Redskins could be due for some improvement in 2012 if history is an indication. They won five games in 1962, the same number they had won in the previous three seasons combined. The 1996 Redskins went 9-7 to break that skid of 10-loss seasons. 

 

Santa has been good to the Redskins on Christmas Eve

By Rich Tandler

Today will mark the seventh time that the Redskins have played on Christmas Eve. Regular season games did not stretch much past mid December prior to a bye week being added to the 16-game schedule so all but one of Washington’s Christmas Eve games have been played since 1994. The other one was probably the most memorable for old-school fans, the 16-3 divisional round win over the Packers that marked the team’s first postseason win in over a quarter of a century.

The Redskins are 5-1 all time on the day before Christmas.

2006 @Rams 37, Redskins 31 (OT)—It looked like the Redskins were going to wrap this one up but O. J. Atogwe forced a Ladell Betts fumble late in regulation and Steven Jackson’s 21-yard TD dash won it in overtime.

2005 @Redskins 35, Giants 20—This was the penultimate game of the season-ending five-game winning streak that got the Redskins into the playoffs. Patrick Ramsey had to come in at quarterback for an injured Mark Brunell in the third quarter and his 72-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss broke the game open.

2000 @Redskins 20, Cardinal 3—Interim coach Terry Robiskie tried using Champ Bailey on offense and the Pro Bowl cornerback scored a touchdown on a five-yard run.

1995 @Redskins 20, Panthers 17—Terry Allen ran for 92 yards and two touchdowns as The Redskins hung on to beat Carolina.

1994 Redskins 24, @Rams 21—This was a rare Redskins win with Heath Shuler at quarterback. After Brian Mitchell’s 78-yard punt return for a touchdown tied it in the second quarter, Shuler’s one-yard TD toss to tight end James Jenkins in the third put the Redskins ahead to stay.

1972 Divisional Playoffs @Redskins 16, Packers 3—Larry Brown rushed for 101 yards and Billy Kilmer threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Roy Jefferson to give the Redskins all the points they would need. The defense employed a five-man defensive line to stifle the Packers’ potent running attack.

 

Favre run was key in last Skins-Vikings meeting

By Ryan O’Halloran

For being non-division foes, the Redskins and Vikings have seen a lot of each other lately, specifically at FedEx Field. A look at the four meetings since the 2004 season:

November 2010: Vikings 17-13

It ended being Brett Favre’s last win as a starter and he capped it by scrambling/limping/waddling 10 yards on a third-and-5 play with three minutes remaining. The Vikings were two-point favorites.

Adrian Peterson carried only six times before leaving with an injury.

The Redskins’ run game was a joke – 13 carries for 27 yards.

December 2007: Redskins 32-21

Perhaps Joe Gibbs’ finest regular season moment during his second tour with the Redskins.

A week after needing to beat the Giants on the road, the Redskins – as six-point underdogs – traveled to Minneapolis for a second straight Sunday night NBC game. A Vikings win would clinch the NFC North.

The Redskins took the field knowing they controlled their own fate and they played like it. Kedric Golston started the scoring with a safety, touchdowns came from Chris Cooley, Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El and Clinton Portis and interceptions from Fred Smoot and Shawn Springs.

The Redskins clinched a wild card berth the next week.

September 2006: Vikings 19-16

Al Saunders’ debut as Redskins’ offensive coordinator didn’t go well but it took another two months before Gibbs finally went to Jason Campbell.

Ryan Longwell’s 31-yard field goal with a minute remaining was the winning score.

Only one Redskins starter (Santana Moss) from that game will also start this week; three Vikings will – Steve Hutchinson, Kevin Williams and E.J. Henderson.

Contact O’Halloran at rohalloran@comcastsportsnet.com