There’s something to be said about a coach’s ability to motivate, but there is a big difference between that and keeping his players on edge because they really have no idea how much they will play from week to week. Think about it for a second: baseball players complain when they get moved down in the order and basketball players often gripe if they’re not getting a certain number shots or minutes. Of course there are extenuating circumstances from time to time but, for the most part, a No. 2 hitter can feel good from day-to-day that he will bat second in the order and a 3-point specialist can be relatively certain he’ll be able to fire up a handful of 3-pointers if game flow dictates that it should happen.

For whatever reason, football does not work in the same way – at least not anymore. Last week, we discussed how many believe the new Collective Bargaining Agreement has severely handcuffed coaches from doing what they should be able to do best – teach young players the pro game. This has become even more important in recent years since so many colleges play a different brand of football than most NFL teams do. For example, pro teams can use spread-offense concepts, but cannot utilize the spread on a full-time basis. Similarly, if college teams use nothing but the spread, pro teams are more comfortable with their quarterbacks working under center and college offensive linemen are more used to a drop-step than they are firing out, it only makes sense that today’s players require more (not less) time learning the fundamentals of the pro game.

In short, coaches have a right to be frustrated, although it is more than fair to wonder if they dangle the playing-time carrot just a bit too much nowadays, especially at the running back position. Not only does this phenomenon make playing fantasy football much more frustrating than it has to be, but it also has to wear on all but the handful of superstar players that don’t have to worry about their weekly workload. Why should coaches expect running backs to be any different than the No. 2 hitter or 3-point specialist I spoke of earlier? Running backs take as much punishment in the league as any player, so it seems a bit disingenuous for coaches to feel the need to play mind games in regards to their job security and not reward them a bit more often for their willingness to absorb that punishment. However, I digress (for now…)

After taking a look at the first 16 teams (in alphabetical order) last week, I want to take a look at the other 16 teams this week, provide an overview of what they’ve done so far and discuss generally where they’ll be in a few weeks. I’m also going to put the number of returning offensive line starters by each team, but will only count one as “returning” if he is playing the same position he was at the end of last year.

Miami is averaging 18 carries per game after 3 weeks.

Miami – 54 rush attempts, 127 pass attempts (Returning offensive line starters: 0)

For comparison’s sake, the 2014 Dolphins had 79 rush attempts and 124 pass attempts during their 1-2 start. Although Miami is loaded at receiver for the future, this kind of imbalance can’t be what OC Bill Lazor had in mind in Year 2. It should be noted the Dolphins have spent a disproportionate amount of time trailing in games, with the best example coming in last week’s 41-14 loss at Buffalo in which they were down by 27 at halftime. ESPN’s James Walker reported last week that Miami’s coaching staff “doesn’t seem confident in the rushing attack” and it’s hard to blame them if that is the case, although there’s probably more to it that. Lamar Miller has been dealing with an ankle injury for at least two weeks and LT Branden Albert has played just over a third of the team snaps while the majority of the other offensive linemen (C Mike Pouncey not included) have graded quite poorly as run blockers so far.

Outlook for October and beyond – With their coach reportedly on the hot seat again, it’s really anybody’s guess if the Dolphins will once again rally behind HC Joe Philbin – starting this week in London against the Jets. It seems unlikely that a date with New York will fix the run game, but a three-game run after the Week 5 bye will have Miami facing Tennessee, Houston and New England – two of which have shown a vulnerability against the run. Injuries to Albert and Miller notwithstanding, the Dolphins’ defense simply has not lived up to preseason expectations, which helps explain why Miami is averaging a meager 18 carries just as much – if not more – than the lack of commitment to the running game. Getting healthy and adapting the defensive scheme so that prized free-agent acquisition DT Ndamukong Suh can freelance more often like he did in Detroit would be a good start which, in turn, might help Miami be a more competitive team and allow Miller the opportunity to get going at the same time.

Minnesota – 90 rush attempts, 74 pass attempts (Returning offensive line starters: 2)

This offense had the potential to be one of the most explosive in the league before the start of the season, but Teddy Bridgewater’s “not-ready-for-primetime” performance in Week 1 on Monday Night Football likely got OC Norv Turner to thinking that an Adrian Peterson-centric approach was a better option than one that catered to his second-year quarterback. As a result, the Vikings are running just about as much as any team in the league. As long as that’s the case, the anticipated breakout that many expected from Charles Johnson isn’t going to happen. Mike Wallace also figures to be underutilized as well for a passing attack that is averaging less than 25 attempts and whose top priority will be reducing the potential for turnovers.

Outlook for October and beyond – With all of its weapons, Minnesota would be wise to reevaluate the offense after its Week 5 bye. Not only does the schedule present an opportunity for the Vikings to air it out a bit more often, but games later in the season (such as Green Bay, Atlanta, Seattle and Arizona) will force the Vikings to rely on the passing game more than they do now. Of course, Peterson will remain the focal point of the offense going forward - just as he should have been in Week 1 versus San Francisco.

New England – 71 rush attempts, 133 pass attempts (Returning offensive line starters: 2)

No team in the league consistently does a better job of reinventing itself offensively every year than the Patriots, who saw the preseason emergence of Dion Lewis as an opportunity to pass at a much heavier clip than the 58-percent rate they did last year (65.2 percent through three games this year). Now that LeGarrette Blount is back and New England will have a bye week to reassess, it’s fair to wonder if OC Josh McDaniels will dial up more running plays, use Lewis and the passing game to try to build early leads, or only lean on Blount to chew clock or convert at the goal line. Surprisingly, only RT Sebastian Vollmer has a positive run-blocking grade among New England linemen, although tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Scott Chandler have scored well in that regard as well.

Outlook for October and beyond – As with anything regarding HC Bill Belichick, it’s anybody’s guess as to whether or not Blount will return to more of a lead-back role after this week’s bye or if Lewis maintains his current role or the Patriots decide to utilize Blount as the early-down back and Lewis is the passing-down back as many expected entering the season. The last option seems the most likely given Lewis’s size (5-8, 195), but this is Belichick we are talking about after all. Tom Brady is on pace to shatter his previous career high in attempts (on pace for 709), so expect a bit of regression in that area as the season moves on.

New Orleans – 71 rush attempts, 124 pass attempts (Returning offensive line starters: 3)

The Saints have been a downright confusing team offensively to this point. Brandin Cooks has been a central figure in the passing game early and late in games, but virtually ignored during the middle of each contests (six catches for 47 yards in the first quarter, two catches for seven yards in the second quarter, one catch for 13 yards in the third quarter and seven catches for 123 yards in the fourth). As New Orleans’ only dynamic wideout, this is the kind of trend that must change. HC Sean Payton essentially called himself out for his use (or lack thereof) of C.J. Spiller in Week 3 after easing him back into the fold in Week 2. In short, the Saints’ top two passing-game playmakers have somehow been underutilized on a team that has held a lead for less than a quarter combined over its first three games. Khiry Robinson (4.0 YPC) has been a more effective runner than Mark Ingram (3.3), yet has seen half as many carries (39-20). It’s also quite notable that Ingram is tied with Cooks for the team lead in receptions (16). Also bear in mind when taking a look at the lopsided run-pass ratio above that New Orleans’ desire was to be a more balanced offense the season. In addition, Brandon Coleman has been surprisingly silent since Week 1, losing a lot of anticipated targets to Willie Snead and a declining Marques Colston.

Outlook for October and beyond – Assuming Drew Brees is able to get his shoulder fully functional at some point over the next few weeks, it would seem as though the Saints’ offense is more than capable of breaking out pretty soon. It has to be as obvious to Payton by now that Cooks needs to consistently see 10-plus targets – the amount of separation he creates on quick-breaking routes like slants has to be among the best in the NFL – and Spiller is a mismatch for just about any linebacker and the most talented running back on the roster. As Payton continues to come to grips with both of these facts, expect Cooks and Spiller to become the primary targets for Brees (or possibly Luke McCown if Brees’ shoulder becomes a long-term issue).

New York Giants – 78 rush attempts, 108 pass attempts (Returning offensive line starters: 0)

The Giants have actually graded out better in run-blocking and pass-blocking than I would have expected through three games, but it seems like they are one of many teams still figuring out what they are in 2015. New York lacks any kind of commitment to Rashad Jennings, seemingly trying to force Andre Williams into a role as a goal-line back – despite the fact they are roughly the same size – in order to justify the fourth-round draft pick they spent on Williams in 2014. Shane Vereen’s role has been what was expected, but as the team’s most explosive running back, it would be nice to see him slightly busier than he has been to this point. Rueben Randle’s huge Week 3 was nice to see, although most of his production came on a fluky 41-yard touchdown catch; his high level of involvement will probably need to become more of the norm since Victor Cruz continues to suffer setbacks with his injured calf.

Outlook for October and beyond – As much as I’m sure HC Tom Coughlin doesn’t want to admit it, the Giants need to be a pass-heavy team if they have any hopes of making a postseason run this season. That means a heavy dose of Odell Beckham Jr., who should be a shoo-in for roughly 10-12 targets per week, and a heavier dose of Vereen, who was signed in the offseason to give the Giants the big-play element out of the backfield they have lacked for ages. Given Cruz’s inability to put in a full week of practice, the deciding factor in how good New York’s passing game will be whether or not Randle can overcome the knee tendinitis that has slowed him off and on for over a year; his contributions are important as they would give opponents someone else to think about besides Beckham in the passing game. That kind of thing can be hard to predict and probably the main reason why owners shouldn’t count too much on any Giant outside of OBJ for the foreseeable future.

New York Jets – 79 rush attempts, 116 pass attempts (Returning offensive line starters: 4)

The Jets were more run-heavy than pass-heavy as they controlled the action against the Browns and Colts in the first two games of the season, but saw that balance fall completely out of whack when they fell behind 24-0 late in the second quarter versus the Eagles last week. The approach made sense, especially considering that Chris Ivory did not play and Philadelphia’s ability to stop the run, although game flow obviously played the most important role in the 58:16 pass-run ratio.

Outlook for October and beyond – The Jets are already the team now they will likely be in the month or two. They could stand to get Ivory a bit more involved in the passing game because he is clearly the team’s most talented running back, but it appears the coaching staff loves what Bilal Powell brings in that area. New York will continue to force-feed Brandon Marshall, although Eric Decker will clearly be heavily involved when the matchups dictate it (such was the case against Indianapolis in Week 2 before his injury). The inevitable Ryan Fitzpatrick fade will probably happen over the next month or so, but this is a team and an offense that is built for success so long as it remembers that Ivory, Marshall and Decker are its most important playmakers.

Oakland – 65 rush attempts, 121 pass attempts (Returning offensive line starters: 2)

The Raiders are throwing over 65 percent of the time so far this season, but game flow is to blame for a lot of that. Oakland controlled the majority of its Week 3 victory over Cleveland and posted a 30:32 run-pass ratio, which is probably just about what HC Jack Del Rio would like to see on a weekly basis. The Raiders were in catch-up mode for most of their game against the Bengals in Week 1 and in a shootout against the Ravens in Week 2, so it’s fair to say that Oakland will probably look like the Week 3 version of itself this week at Chicago and in just about any other game where the opposing offense cannot or refuses to take advantage of the Raiders’ woeful secondary.

Outlook for October and beyond – The Raiders are relevant in fantasy for the first time in ages and that’s a good thing, especially since it appears they will be able to sustain it. With that said, their offense isn’t multifaceted enough yet to compete with defenses such as the Broncos or the Jets, each of whom they will face over the next four contests. I’m still a bit leery about Latavius Murray holding up as the featured back given his injury history, but his hold on the job is secure. There’s also no questioning the connection that Derek Carr and Amari Cooper have already built. Interestingly, Michael Crabtree (33) has more targets than Cooper (31), although Crabtree’s 16-target “effort” in Week 2 is the primary cause of that. The rookie has already faced some of the better secondaries he will see this year and performed admirably, so his stock is on the rise. Seth Roberts has essentially taken on the role I had hoped rookie TE Clive Walford would fill at the beginning of the season, although it might only be a matter of time before Walford becomes the middle-of-the-field/slot option he was drafted to be.

PHI may not hit their offensive stride until November.

Philadelphia – 72 rush attempts, 117 pass attempts (Returning offensive line starters: 4)

Where do we start with the Eagles? Let’s not pretend that a good game against the Jets last week erases all of the problems from the first two losses. The Eagles were able to sustain some offense in the first half (while also getting plenty of help from their defense and special teams) and New York played into their hands by generally coming up empty on its early drives, which typically feeds into HC Chip Kelly’s up-tempo offense. The good news is Philadelphia’s offensive line held up much better than it had previously, which is obviously going to be key moving forward if the Eagles hope to get a decent return on what they invested in DeMarco Murray. The bad news is the Eagles haven’t come close to putting together a complete 60-minute effort yet and lack the mobile quarterback that can help overcome the simplicity of the scheme.

Outlook for October and beyond – It’s not quite time to panic yet in Philadelphia and last week’s effort is proof of that. It is important to note virtually no offensive skill-position player – outside of Jordan Matthews and Darren Sproles – has been an Eagle for more than a year (Mathews and Sproles are only in their second season under Kelly). Don’t be surprised if the getting-to-know-you-process currently happening on the offensive of side of the ball doesn’t carry over into the second half of the season. Players such as Nelson Agholor and even Zach Ertz aren’t going to be huge factors when Kelly is struggling to get production out of his No. 1 option on offense (Murray). The smart money is on Philadelphia looking much better around November, if only because teams that experience so much turnover in one offseason generally take that long to learn how to play together. However, the owners who drafted Murray with hopes he would eventually become the bell-cow are likely to be disappointed this season; the coaching staff loves Ryan Mathews and last week’s effort will go a long way into making sure he remains fairly significant part of the offense. I would also expect Sam Bradford’s production to pick up once the running game proves that it can carry the offense on a more consistent basis.

Pittsburgh – 72 rush attempts, 95 pass attempts (Returning offensive line starters: 4)

The Steelers already have to be wondering if it’s just not going to be their year. The team learned that Martavis Bryant would miss the first four games due to suspension in late August and already knew Le'Veon Bell would be sidelined for three games at that point, although he was later able to get his suspension reduced to two games. As luck would have it, Pittsburgh lost Ben Roethlisberger in the same game in which it got Bell back, meaning the Steelers are unlikely to have the offensive cast they had hoped would be in place for at least another month. In other words, just about everything we’ve seen from Pittsburgh to this point is inconsequential, other than perhaps the fact the Steelers wasted no time giving Bell a full workload.

Outlook for October and beyond – As I just discussed, Pittsburgh probably isn’t going to be the team it hoped it would be until November. In the meantime, we should expect a heavy dose of Bell and a much more vertical-based passing game (one would assume built off play-action) than we have been accustomed to with Roethlisberger. There’s no way anyone should expect Antonio Brown to perform at the level he has over the last two or so years, but I would anticipate his consistency taking a bigger hit than his overall production while Roethlisberger is out. Bell’s workload should not be in question and Bryant was already an inconsistent, big-play dependent receiver to begin with, so from that perspective I’m not sure much changes in Pittsburgh without Big Ben. With Michael Vick at the controls, I would expect the Steelers to be much more dependent on the running game.

San Diego – 84 rush attempts, 108 pass attempts (Returning offensive line starters: 1)

For the second straight season, injuries have forced the Chargers to reshuffle their offensive line multiple times. Only RT Joe Barksdale (214 snaps) and LT King Dunlap (198) have come anywhere close to playing 90 percent of the snaps. In fact, it is so bad at the moment that San Diego did not have any of its left side – Dunlap, LG Orlando Franklin or C Chris Watt – practice on Wednesday in Week 4 leading up to a home game against the Browns. Antonio Gates still has one game left on his suspension and backup TE Ladarius Green has reportedly suffered three concussions in less than a year. This kind of M.A.S.H. unit obviously makes it difficult for the Chargers to establish any continuity and their struggling run defense isn’t helping matters because it keeps putting Philip Rivers in a position where he is forced to throw behind the aforementioned injury-ravaged offensive line.

Outlook for October and beyond – San Diego obviously has the skill-position talent to make some noise, but it’s going to be nearly impossible for HC Mike McCoy or OC Frank Reich to execute their vision of using rookie Melvin Gordon 15-20 per game as long as the offensive line is in shambles. Getting Gates back will be huge because he is such a big reliable target that Rivers trusts as much as any quarterback trusts any tight end in the league. His presence gives Rivers the kind of short-area target that can often help a quarterback an extra 3-5 hits per game. The Chargers ideally want to be a more balanced offense, but in order for that to happen, the line has to get healthy and defense has to be stouter so that San Diego’s isn’t always playing from behind.

Seattle – 86 rush attempts, 101 pass attempts (Returning offensive line starters: 2)

For some reason, the Seahawks have chosen to run more conventional sets and use less of Russell Wilson’s ability to create so far this season. Seattle does not appear to be using nearly as many zone-read plays, which can often stimulate a run game when a mobile quarterback is paired with a runner such as Marshawn Lynch. The Seahawks haven’t exactly had the greatest offensive line talent since Wilson arrived, but offensive line coach Tom Cable has consistently coaxed a lot out of his pupils each and every year and I expect 2015 will be no different. The one difference, however, could be Lynch’s ability to take another year of pounding. (Is it the beginning of the end for a 29-year-old back or just a coincidence?) Despite needing extra time to get warmed up in Week 3, “Beast Mode” passed the eyeball test before he was pulled at halftime due to a hamstring issue. The fact that rookie Thomas Rawls ran for over 100 yards – most of which came in the second half against Chicago – suggests Cable is on the verge of working his magic once again.

Outlook for October and beyond – Denver and Seattle were two of the inspirations for this two-part piece because I believe they are the two teams that have the most to offer fantasy owners that are starving for production from their running backs. While I expect the Broncos to struggle on the ground until midseason, I tend to believe the Seahawks’ “arrival” to come a bit sooner since their shift in personnel wasn’t as dramatic. Establishing Jimmy Graham on a more consistent basis would also probably go a long way towards helping Seattle regain the rushing edge it has become accustomed to over the years. But more than anything, it would be unwise for OC Darrell Bevell not to continue using Wilson’s playmaking ability on the outside and Lynch’s power running. The threat of the zone-read has been one of the most important factors in helping Seattle remain an above-average offense. As far as Lynch is concerned, I’m not concerned yet. While I cannot speak to how much more punishment his body can withstand, I haven’t seen a decline in the combination of quickness and physicality that makes him special yet.

San Francisco – 99 rush attempts, 91 pass attempts (Returning offensive line starters: 2)

The Niners wasted little time in Week 1 establishing who they wanted to be and have spent the last two games being the team that most expected them to be after a chaotic offseason. San Francisco can run the ball and needs to stick to that if it has any hopes of finishing around .500 this season. Unfortunately, the secondary figured to be one of the team’s most obvious weaknesses and the defensive backs have been exposed as the Niners have been shredded by a pair of elite passing teams over the last two weeks, which will make staying run-heavy a challenge. Anquan Boldin is still a capable receiver and Vernon Davis can still stretch the field, but both players need Colin Kaepernick to be slightly more patient in order for this offense to be more than just Carlos Hyde running the ball.

Outlook for October and beyond – There’s no getting around the fact that San Francisco is going to be a bad team this year, which is what made its Week 1 domination of Minnesota so surprising. As more and more teams try to copy Arizona’s Week 3 defensive plan (essentially play Kaepernick to the right side of the field when he throws), it will be interesting to see if the Niners have a Plan B. Kaepernick’s only two touchdown passes this season have come against Pittsburgh’s weak secondary and even that was in extreme garbage time. Much like Seattle, the Niners would be wise to get their quarterback outside the pocket more often and utilize more zone-read because it is becoming clearer by the week that Kaepernick probably will not be make his living in the pocket anytime soon.

St. Louis – 57 rush attempts, 88 pass attempts (Returning offensive line starters: 1)

In a day and an age in which patience is something most teams, coaching staffs and front offices don’t possess, the Rams should be commended for playing the waiting game with the players that will soon be carrying their offense (Todd Gurley and Brian Quick). It is telling that to Tavon Austin is tied for the team lead in rushing (57 yards) but certainly unexpected that St. Louis is grading out in the top half of the league in run-blocking, which obviously bodes well for Gurley if and when he can find his pre-injury form this season. Although Kenny Britt went over 100 yards receiving in Week 3, the Rams desperately need a player like Quick – who has been a “healthy” scratch the first three games – that commands respect from opposing cornerbacks and defensive coordinators so that Gurley doesn’t have to face loaded boxes and Austin can be used in more of the Percy Harvin-type role he was expected to fill when he was drafted.

Outlook for October and beyond – The Rams are yet another team that we are waiting on to establish an identity, simply because the two players that will likely become their primary offensive weapons over the next month or so have seen so little of the field thus far. It’s entirely possible Gurley will be slightly disappointing this year since most players require more than a year to fully recover from ACL surgery. However, I wouldn’t want bet against him either since his talent is the type that only comes along once every five years or so at his position. I fully expect Quick to pick up where he left off last season before his shoulder injury after he returns to the field, which reportedly could be as early as this week.

Tampa Bay – 81 rush attempts, 90 pass attempts (Returning offensive line starters: 2)

Give HC Lovie Smith credit for one thing, he is sticking to his ball-control offensive philosophy regardless of whether it works or not. To get a sense of how committed to the run he is, Tampa Bay’s league-worst minus-40.8 run-blocking grade per Pro Football Focus is just a few tenths of a point shy of doubling up Seattle, which has graded out at minus-20.7. For further perspective, San Diego had the worst-run blocking grade in the league per PFF at minus-51.2, so the Bucs are certainly on pace to make the Chargers’ run-blocking unit from a season ago look like a group of All-Pros by comparison.

Outlook for October and beyond – Whether it’s the running game “threat” or not, the Bucs actually rank in the middle of the pack in terms of pass-blocking, according to PFF. While I doubt Smith will allow OC Dirk Koetter to utilize a pass-heavy attack at any point this season, I’m of the belief that Tampa Bay lacks the strength and skill up front to support a decent rushing attack, so allowing Jameis Winston to stretch the field with Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson (and Austin Seferian-Jenkins when he returns) may be the fastest way to get a bit more production out of the running game. Offenses that are unable to line up and blow defenses off the ball sometimes need to change the math in order to get a running game to be productive, so I’m fairly certain Koetter wants Evans to take over the Julio Jones’ role in his offense and start drawing double teams as quickly as possible. It is pure speculation on my part, but the sooner that Smith’s conservative nature stops Koetter from running his offense, the better it will be for all parties involved.

Tennessee – 89 rush attempts, 97 pass attempts (Returning offensive line starters: 2)

Why is it that front offices get all giddy when they find a mobile AND accurate quarterback, but coaches are scared to death to let him use his athleticism? Such is the case with rookie Marcus Mariota, who is obviously holding his own as a passer despite not utilizing his legs very often (something the coaching staff is waffling on letting him do). The Titans’ ground game is a mess in large part because HC Ken Whisenhunt is nearly incapable of picking one running back and sticking with him. Last but not least, Whisenhunt is reportedly hesitant to “overload” Dorial Green-Beckham, although I question if any football player – whether he is a raw rookie receiver or not – has ever felt overloaded with snap counts of nine, 12 and 14 over his first three NFL games.

Outlook for October and beyond – Once upon a time, I had a great deal of respect for Whisenhunt as a play-caller during his days as the offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh. Suffice it to say I’m on the other end of the spectrum when it comes to his ability to run a team and, as such, I find it virtually impossible to predict what Tennessee will do offensively with him in charge going forward, other than consistently making the wrong decisions in regards to playing time and strategy. Mariota doesn’t need to run as much as 2012 Robert Griffin III in order to open up this offense and has shown the ability to protect himself much better than RG3 ever has. Whether or not the Titans still have any belief in Bishop Sankey, it would behoove them to stick with one back in order to allow that player to build some chemistry with his offensive line. And ask yourself if you believe giving Harry Douglas more snaps than any other Tennessee receiver is a good idea. Somewhat like Martavis Bryant, DGB doesn’t need to be a full-time player to be productive, but Whisenhunt is only kidding himself if he believes that 35 snaps through three games is helping his second-round rookie wideout develop.

Washington – 94 rush attempts, 107 pass attempts (Returning offensive line starters: 3)

On a positive note, the Redskins have started the process of building a powerful run-heavy offense that could look like the ones we’ve seen new GM Scot McCloughan build in San Francisco and Seattle in his previous two NFL stops. It’s also appears as if Washington has found the running back in Matt Jones that will help McCloughan execute his vision. With that said, it is highly questionable whether or not HC Jay Gruden has helped any of his quarterbacks develop into better players under his watch. For what it’s worth, the Redskins rank 29th in PFF’s run-blocking metric (minus-20.1), although it is fair to question how much the offensive line is to blame for that poor number. Opponents know they don’t have to respect Kirk Cousins and Washington has been without DeSean Jackson for the better part of the season, so defensive coordinators can be a little bit more liberal in terms of how many defenders they have within 10 to 15 yards of the line of scrimmage.

Outlook for October and beyond – It has long baffled me how today’s coaches reward running backs after huge performances and the Redskins are a perfect example. In the opener, Alfred Morris played 41 snaps and ran for 121 yards. For most players, a 121-yard rushing effort in the opener following a 1,000-yard season would be enough for him to keep his job for a little while. In Week 2, it was Jones’ turn to shine, however, playing nearly as many snaps as Morris (34-31) while running for 123 yards and two touchdowns in Washington’s win over the Rams. One week later, Jones saw twice as many snaps as Morris, but neither the rookie’s breakout performance nor the receiving abilities his coaches raved about during the summer were enough to keep him from getting out snapped by Chris Thompson. The phasing out of Morris in this offense was easy enough to predict, but each of the Redskins’ backs have to be wondering what their role is from game to game and why one great performance isn’t rewarded with the guarantee of significant playing time the following week. The one thing that is clear in Washington is the Redskins want to run the ball and common sense would suggest that Jones – as the hand-picked player of the current regime – will get his shot to secure the feature-back role by no later than the second half of the season.