Thinking Skins Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Lewis: 'We Established a Foundation' 01/02/2003 Editor's Note: Washington's defense finished the season ranked fifth in the NFL. After early season struggles, the unit rebounded to become a late-season force. Redskins.com editor Jason Gould spoke with defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis this week about Washington's season. Lewis's comments appeared regularly on Redskins.com throughout 2002. Were you pleased with the progress the defense made through the 2002 season? The guys should be proud of what they've done. Hopefully, they've learned that if you do things the right way, the other team doesn't need to score and you can minimize your chances of being exposed to scores. Looking back, is there anything you might have done differently? I think I'd try to convince the players that there really is only one way. If you don't do things right, you're not going to win. It doesn't matter how many yards you give up; if the other team scores and you lose, then you haven't benefited and you haven't done your job. I think we have to get the guys who are here better at tackling, and add people who are good at tackling. Was that a big challenge for you, to make guys believe in the system and have faith in each other? They have to understand responsibility. Defense is a discipline based on responsibility. It doesn't have anything to do with x's and o's. You can draw up anything and it really doesn't matter unless each player plays his responsibility. At what point do you think the players began to understand their responsibilities within your system and to each other? I think we had a good understanding of it during the bye week. The guys seemed to realize that if we don't start doing this right, it's going to be a long season. If we didn't begin to understand each other, we were never going to get better and we were always going to be looking around at each other wondering why. Was it a situation in which each player had to look within himself to come to that realization? You have to look within, and you have to understand your responsibility to the guy standing next to you. If you don't get your job done the best way you can, then the defense is going to have a problem. And you're going to create a problem for the guy next to you. What is your opinion of some of the younger players on the defense, players like Rashad Bauman and Antonio Pierce, who contributed this season? Rashad and Antonio did an outstanding job for us. We finished the season very strong in third-down defense. We may have been as high as winning 90 percent of our third downs, which is great. Rashad and Antonio can be credited for coming in on third downs and doing a good job. They cut down mental mistakes and did not allow our opponents to convert third downs. We've discussed Daryl Gardener's contributions in the past. Considering his back troubles in preseason and the beginning of the regular season, how much did his play surprise you this season? I don't know if surprise is the word. But when you have an injury like his, it's hard for anyone else to judge it. His consistency, his ability to prepare every week, both physically and mentally, and to play through some pain and soreness is a real credit to him. At 38, Bruce Smith recorded nine sacks this season. How pleased were you with his contributions this year? I was very pleased. I was happy for Bruce--I thought he'd have a legitimate shot at breaking Reggie White's all-time sack record this year, but he didn't quite get there. He did a good job. One thing Bruce was committed to was helping us win, and he should be proud of that. After some early struggles, LaVar Arrington came back to have his best season as a pro. Was it personally satisfying for you to see how he improved as the season went on? He should be proud of the fact that he stayed the course and was productive. He did what people said he couldn't do. Now he should be able to build on what he did this year. From a personal standpoint, how would you assess your first season in Washington? It's been good. We didn't win as many games as I had hoped we would, but I think we established a foundation of what it takes to be successful in the NFL. There really are no shortcuts. It's about hard work. It's about learning how to meet, how to study, learning how to learn. And then being disciplined when we hit the field, and knowing how to do your job. When we get that all figured out totally, other teams won't be able to score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyansRangers Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 What a cop-out way of saying I am leaving but what I started was a foundation.. I hate this guy!!! he starts something mediocre then leaves.. He owes it to every player who played there butts off and every player who got injured and every fan to stay and fix what he started Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorEye Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Originally posted by blakman211 I think we have to get the guys who are here better at tackling, and add people who are good at tackling. Is Lavar listening? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 just as an informational aside Mr. Gator, LaVar played the last half of the season with a wrist with some tendon damage that prevented him from wrapping up with both hands............that was a point that Sam Huff made on the broadcast after the first Giants game, he said that Arrington couldn't even close his fist in the locker room when he was being interviewed..... so instead of criticizing a player for playing when a lot of guys would have taken a powder and sat out a few games to recoup themselves, how about a little love? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorEye Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Originally posted by bulldog just as an informational aside Mr. Gator, LaVar played the last half of the season with a wrist with some tendon damage that prevented him from wrapping up with both hands............that was a point that Sam Huff made on the broadcast after the first Giants game, he said that Arrington couldn't even close his fist in the locker room when he was being interviewed..... so instead of criticizing a player for playing when a lot of guys would have taken a powder and sat out a few games to recoup themselves, how about a little love? Lavar missed plenty of tackles all season long. Sure he makes plays, but he misses a lot too. I like the fact that he flies to the ball, but he often seems out of control and misses the tackle. Don't get me wrong - Lavar is a great player who I'm glad is on our team. I think he is best served playing in space as opposed to rushing from the end, but I certainly think he can improve his tackling skills - injured wrist or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skins24 Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 For missing alot of tackles Lavar sure does make alot... 95 this year, not too far below his 99 last year and way ahead of his 52 his first year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen-like Todd Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 95 is not a lot of tackles for a linebacker with his speed and range. He can do MUCH better, and I think in time, he will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2cents Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 95 is a lot for a LB who spent WAY too much time at DE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorEye Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Originally posted by 2cents 95 is a lot for a LB who spent WAY too much time at DE. Exactly. Imagine how many he'd have if he hadn't been playing DE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen-like Todd Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 I totally disagree. If lavar had figured out where the hell to go for the first 10 games of the season more than 75% of the time, he'd have racked up more tackles, and if he had gone for less big hits and more wrapups (PRE INJURY), that number would have been even higher. Just wait and see what happens next year. His numbers will be ridiculous. Trust me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCS Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Agreed. And it would appear as though Marvin believes in that future progress as well, judging by his last comment on Levar in that interview. Now..let the reading between the lines and Marvin bashing begin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Mike Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Here ya go Park City.... Bengals, Lewis discuss coaching vacancy NFL.com wire reports CINCINNATI (Jan. 2, 2003) -- Washington defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis has interviewed for the head coaching job with the Cincinnati Bengals, who also plan to talk to Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey over the weekend. The club confirmed on its Web site that Lewis met with owner Mike Brown and other family members in Cincinnati. He was the first outside candidate interviewed for the job. Mularkey will be interviewed in Pittsburgh on Jan. 4, the day before the Steelers' first-round playoff game against Cleveland. Brown won't comment on the team's search for a head coach. The Bengals fired coach Dick LeBeau a day after their 2-14 season, the worst in team history. "Looking at it from the outside, some people might say, 'Don't go near that situation,' but that's not how I view it," Lewis said. "I think there's a lot of talent there, and it's a good opportunity for somebody." Lewis did not return a phone message. His agent, Ken Landphere, declined to comment. The Bengals also are considering two of LeBeau's assistants who are under contract for next season: defensive coordinator Mark Duffner and running backs coach Jim Anderson. ____________________ That should help. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrangeSkin Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 LaVar would rather make one spectacular hit than make two solid tackles. That's his one major flaw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCS Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 That a boy Mad Mike! That it'll get it started! Okay, ( looks around), where's ASF? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurent Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 I think at some point some of the people here have to lay of whatever they're smoking and get realistic when it comes to Lavar Arrington. Here you have a guy that has spent his last three years in three different defensive systems all the while trying to learn how to play the LB position and instead of lauding his effort and progress we have people starting petty arguments about his play. At 24 years old Arrington is a two time Probowler coming of a double digit sack season. Maybe we should be giving credit where credit is due instead of arguing how many tackles he missed with his club arm :laugh: Ps.: Just for good measure, what has no. 1 draft pick Courtney Brown done in his three years with the Browns? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Just glancing at this thread and Laurent seems to have the best point . Way to go. Lavar has gotten by on pure athletic instinct as a player in three years. He's been set back each year having to learn rather dramatically different roles each offseason. One positive about Lewis remaining is that Lavar will know he enters the year being used the same way and he can prepare for it for the first time. Even if Edwards gets to take over, it'll be a guy on staff who KNOWS Lavar and who Lavar endorses. If Rhodes happened to still be here, or if Kurt had remained, Lavar may have been the most dominating defensive player in the league this year. As it is, he has a pretty fine statistical year in a season he was clearly not used in a way he embraced right away and it took some time to adapt for him. That coupled with his injury and I'm surprised anyone would be concerned with Lavar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montilar Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 I think I'd try to convince the players that there really is only one way. I hate that quote. There is usually more than one way to get a job done. It depends on your circumstances, and abilities, as to which is the best way. But there will always be alternatives. That quote suggests that someone is rigid, and probably has the attitude that they are always right. Probably why he's failed in his head coaching interviews. I've known people who truly believed something similar to that quote. Can't stand thier attitude usually. That quote reminds me of Marty.... "tie your shoelaces the way I tell you or you're cut.........." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarhog Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Montilar, your comment reminded me of something that Parcell's said at the press conference this evening. He said 'I'm not interested in being consistent. I don't treat every player or every situation the same. I do what I think whats best at the time, and what will help us win'. I couldn't help but think what a stark contrast that was to ML's apparent 'do it my way or watch your butt' philosophy. I think thats the key to Parcells, that he finds the way to approach each of his players to motivate them individually. I don't see that as a skill of ML's as I think his ego gets in the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurent Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 I generally tend to agree with your sentiment but in regards to Marvin Lewis and his quote I'm kind of ambivalent. Obviously there is never just one way to do things but when you look at it more closely it does create a solid point of reference and will ultimately force players to break their mold. Whether it is Lavar Arrington or Lemar Marshall everybody has to give and in the end that is more powerful than trying to cater to each individuals preferences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiggoDrill Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 I don't think Marvin's being rigid in his scheme, as much as stressing fundamentals. I took "only one way" to mean "the only way to succeed is to tend to one's responsibility regardless of the scheme". This seems to be the point he reiterates later. Nowhere in the article (nor in any I can think of) is there ANY insinuation of "my schemes are proven and superior: they're the only way". So why the fuss? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn X Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Those are some SCARY pics in your sigline, laurent! :twitch: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Originally posted by Glenn X Those are some SCARY pics in your sigline, laurent! :twitch: Yeah, who's the ugly looking white woman next to Jerrah Jones?:puke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redman Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 When healthy, Lavar is the best tackler on the team. Period. Even as a rookie, when he got his hands on people, they went down, often with authority. Tackling is not his problem. Discipline, knowledge of the defense and injuries have been his problems. When he plays undisciplines, he overruns plays and is in no position to tackle. He often looks quite bad as ball carriers will simply cut back and run right by him. The fact that he's had to learn new defenses each year in the NFL - defenses that utilize him in very different ways BTW - coupled with his natural tendency to want to freelance, leads to these problems. But stay off of tackling fundamentals. When it comes to that, Lavar is a beast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fansince62 Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 way to go Riggo!! I agree 100%. ML's problem may be that he thinks at a more abstract level then many are ready to receive! he was talking about teamwork and that has been a problem here for years... as for lavar and tackles....gotta give to take.....how many sacks did he have? what, his best ever? better than all his previous seasons combined? you gotta be kidding! .....hmmmmmmm....what's more important if I have to make trade-offs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 just wanted to say hi everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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