I think all the offensive issues stem from a very disappointing running game

[SMOSS89]

Personally, I think Portis is still an effective back. His drop off from the end of last year is not such that he simply cannot get a yard. If you go back and look at the run blocking, particularly Rabach and the right side, it's been horrible. Stephon Heyer has probably taken a huge step back in this department because he simply is not driving anyone back, more like just keeping his man stationary till its time to make the tackle

If you go back and look at our play calling in...lets say our '05 or '07 playoff run, it was not that much more creative than it is now. The difference is that we had a legitamite running game to go along with the passing game. First down runs would get about 6-8 yards consistently so it set up for 2nd and shorts, which are much easier to call and execute. We used to have set running plays behind Samuels and Dockery/Kendall where we KNOW it'd work, no matter what, because the defense could not stop it. Now with all of those plays blowing up consistently, we're in dire straights.

Part of it is Portis losing a step, but the O line has been blocking horribly. Both parties could be doing a much better job.

[KDawg]

I think the run game is suffering because we refuse to run between the tackles. When we do, we get solid production from our backs and our line is very good... But we're weak on the edges. We can't abandon our stretch runs, either, but it's time we attack the middle much, much, much more.

[Uptown Skins]

To me, it seems like Portis runs into a crowd and falls down easily WITHOUT BEING ACTUALLY HIT. He seemed to run soft and without effort on that goal line play.

[gbear]

Our OL gets no push. Good running teams have OL such that the RB doesn't encounter a defender till 1 or 2 yards past the LOS. Our running game starts in our back field.

To make matter worse, I don't know that Portis runs as tough as he once did. As noted before he seems to be much easier to take down than Jerome (I think that was ne of his wigged character names). He needs the "tough, I don't care what anybody thinks" attitude back. The characters were just a display of that character. He needs what they represented back.

I may catch it for syaing this, but since Sean Taylor's death, this team hasn't looked like they are having fun on the field. The reckless abandon seems to be entirely on the other teams side. We play scared and tenative...and no where is that more apparent than when we need the nasty mauling OL and RB to go to town and "own" a game.

[Cooley4President]

The lack of a run game is the most overlooked problem with this team right now. When the offense was working last year (albeit for just a few games) it was because our run game was setting things up. Now we've become a pass only team. And look at the ridiculous time of possession stats splits from the first few quarters of the last 2 games. When you combine a defense that can't get off the field on 3rd down with an offense that can't run the ball to control the clock, that's a recipe for disaster.

[sugarbear326]

I have several Portis jersey's, both my kids have his jersey but the writing is on the wall, CP looks done, he did not even try to get in the endzone, put your damn head down and run somebody over like you're blocking them, he just fell down, he didn't want it, we lost the game on that play..