Analyzing Alfred Morris's Washington Redskins Regular-Season Debut

Alfred Morris justified Mike Shananan's decision to hand him the starting running back job, playing a key role in the Washington Redskins' shocking 40-32 road win over the New Orleans Saints.

He rambled for 96 yards on 28 carries and scored two touchdowns. Morris provided a consistent outlet on the ground, helping wear down the Saints' defensive front and easing the pressure on fellow rookie, quarterback Robert Griffin III.

A sixth-round pick in the 2012 NFL draft, Morris is already looking like another great find at running back by Shanahan. His tenacious, bruising efforts in preseason earned him the starting role, and he overcame a slow start against the Saints to eventually manufacture some crucial second-half gains.

Morris struggled in the first half, but many of his problems appeared to be caused by play design. Most of the Redskins' running plays were coming from faking the QB option read from the shotgun formation.

This misdirection meant Morris received the ball much closer to the line of scrimmage and was unable to pick his lanes. He also found it difficult to escape the attention of Saints defensive tackles Brodrick Bunkley and Sedrick Ellis.

However, Morris stayed patient, durable and willing to take a big hit. That's just what an offense needs in a workhorse runner. His patience paid off with an improved showing in the second half, marked by some clever runs and excellent initial quickness.

On a number of occasions, Morris made quick decisions in the backfield. That's vital in Washington's zone-based system. Despite his pounding style, Morris showed that he is shifty at the line.

He strings together a series of quick moves in the hole and uses his squat frame to squirt through minimal gaps in the defensive front. On the outside zone-stretch play, Morris appeared decisive, whether that meant a big gain or settling for a minimal one.

Many assume zone runners need to be patient and wait for their cutback lanes to develop. However, the best zone runners waste little time making their choice and are willing to ignore the cutback option if no lane opens, rather than forcing the issue.

Morris seems to have that trait, and it means he usually gets positive yards that keep the clock ticking. His smart decision-making and tenacity helped the Redskins dominate the time of possession battle.

Fortunately, Morris showed the same power and knack for withstanding first contact that turned heads during the preseason. That ability to break tackles is made possible by a combination of excellent initial quickness and deceptive strength.

Morris is blessed with a very quick first step, and although it can sometimes run him into trouble, it usually gets him past the initial tackler. That establishes momentum and, along with Morris's eagerness to lower the boom on the next man who tries to hit him, turns a short run into a productive gain.

His second touchdown run was the perfect example of this. Morris took the hand-off and quickly shifted to his inside left. His foot speed brought his shoulders parallel, and Morris then promptly lowered his head and slammed into linebacker David Hawthorne.

It was ample revenge against Hawthorne, who delivered some crunching hits on Morris earlier in the game. The scoring run also showed that Morris has the sudden acceleration and brute strength that make him the team's best zone-runner and natural starter this season.