With the 2nd pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins selected quarterback Robert Griffin III out of Baylor. The pick was a no-brainer and after a huge week 1 upset of the New Orleans Saints, it looks like that draft pick is for real.
The Skins didn't just give up after the RG3 pick, and they appear to have found quite the steal in running back Alfred Morris (ALMO). Almo was drafted in the 6th round, but after a great preseason, he earned the starting spot over Evan Royster & Roy Helu Jr. His display on Sunday showed why the Redskins had no trouble releasing the semi-injured Tim Hightower.
On Sunday against the Saints, Morris carried the ball 28 times, a huge workload for a rookie RB. With all those carries Morris gained 96 Yards (3.5 per carry) and scored two goalline touchdowns (including the one seen below where he never stopped moving his feet.
Morris didn't really break free too many times, but the young RB from Florida Atlantic was always moving forward. Even when he was stopped for no-gain at the line of scrimmage he would muster a yard or two. He was dependable, and he wore down the defense, getting some of his biggest runs towards the end of the game.
With Mike Shanahan as the coach, it is hard to be able to tell if Morris will still be the goto guy later in the season, but for now, he has proven he can be trusted to wear down opposing defenses.
GIF After the Jump:
Showing posts with label Running Backs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Running Backs. Show all posts
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
Tim Hightower Back From The Mountains
Remember Tim Hightower? Back in July of last year, the Redskins traded to pick him up in exchange for Vonnie Holliday. Right before the regular season, this trade was looking incredible and fans were thinking they had a running back that would lead them for the next few years. Unfortunately, that didn't pan out the way fans hoped.
Hightower looked electric in the preseason. In the 3 games he played he rushed 26 times for 170 yards and 2 touchdowns (6.5 yards per carry). The buzz about Hightower was running high throughout the area and gave people something to be happy about during the whole Rex vs Beck drama.
The regular season didn't pan out as well however as Hightower only rushed for 321 yards on 84 carries (3.8 yards per carry). He struggled a bit with lots of very short runs and 2 touchdowns in the 5 games he played in. (At least he didn't fumble!) But Hightower's season ended prematurely after he tore his ACL in game 6 against the Panthers.
During his re-cooperation stage, Hightower took to the mountains where he enjoyed hiking away from the trails with no compass or map. At one point him and his wife had to be rescued after getting lost on Camelback Mountain in Arizona.
Last season with Hightower out, the Redskins saw two breakout seasons by rookies in Roy Helu and Evan Royster. The two rookies combined for 968 yards, Helu ran for 4.2 yards per carry and Royster went for 5.9.
Hightower will return to try to compete for his starting job back, but we will have to see how he rebounds to the knee injury. Either way it looks to be a running back by committee next season, and Shanahan knows after last season that all three guys can be plugged in and perform.
Hightower looked electric in the preseason. In the 3 games he played he rushed 26 times for 170 yards and 2 touchdowns (6.5 yards per carry). The buzz about Hightower was running high throughout the area and gave people something to be happy about during the whole Rex vs Beck drama.
The regular season didn't pan out as well however as Hightower only rushed for 321 yards on 84 carries (3.8 yards per carry). He struggled a bit with lots of very short runs and 2 touchdowns in the 5 games he played in. (At least he didn't fumble!) But Hightower's season ended prematurely after he tore his ACL in game 6 against the Panthers.
During his re-cooperation stage, Hightower took to the mountains where he enjoyed hiking away from the trails with no compass or map. At one point him and his wife had to be rescued after getting lost on Camelback Mountain in Arizona.
Last season with Hightower out, the Redskins saw two breakout seasons by rookies in Roy Helu and Evan Royster. The two rookies combined for 968 yards, Helu ran for 4.2 yards per carry and Royster went for 5.9.
Hightower will return to try to compete for his starting job back, but we will have to see how he rebounds to the knee injury. Either way it looks to be a running back by committee next season, and Shanahan knows after last season that all three guys can be plugged in and perform.
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