It doesn’t matter that it’s the preseason. It doesn’t matter that their first two opponents play the run well, often stacking the line to do so. Or that key players are missing from their offense. Like, for instance, the Pro Bowl tackle and dynamic running back.
The Redskins still say they should be running the ball better than they have. And they need to start doing so.
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“We are notpleased with the production,” Redskins associate head coach/offense Al Saunders said.
“We have to get there,” right tackle Jon Jansen said, “and we have to get there soon.”
Like by Sept. 9. It won’t get much easier Saturday when they host the Ravens, who owned the NFL’s second-best run defense in 2006. Last week’s opponent, Pittsburgh, had the third-best run defense. The Steelers also played numerous eight-man, and even some nine-man, fronts. They slanted and stunted more than expected. So that explains, somewhat, last week’s 22-carry, 43-yard performance.
However, Tennessee was 31st against the run and limited the Redskins to 77 yards on 27 carries. The Redskins have two carries of 13 yards apiece; their other 47 carries have gained 94 yards. They averaged 4.5 yards per run last season.
They’re missing running back Clinton Portis (knee) and left tackle Chris Samuels (knee).
“Everyone has injured players,” Saunders said. “I’ve never bought into that. … We expect to have success running the ball regardless of who we play and when we play them.”
The Redskins started slow last summer, too, partly because four of the five starting linemen were coming off offseason surgeries and missed practice time. This year, they say they’re out of sync again. Right guard Randy Thomas missed the first week of camp with a sore knee. Todd Wade opened at left guard, but Mike Pucillo is there now.
“We have physical guys,” Jansen said. “Everyone knows we can be a physical line. We’ve had some components out. But that will happen during the season. We have to develop a rhythm. But you’ve got to take everything with a grain of salt in the preseason. Offenses take longer to get going than defenses do. There’s more timing involved.”
The good news for Washington is that they will have faced three top-10 rush defenses in the preseason, preparing the Redskins for the opener against Miami, which was eighth last season.
“We’ve been pretty bland in the run game,” fullback Mike Sellers said. “[But] we should be making strides. But the defense we’re playing against now can only make us that much better.”
