Meriweather out 4-6 weeks (Actually, 2-4 weeks---MET)

[OlufemiBiz]

Geez. So who will start now? Williams and Doughty?

Gomes @ SS, and Williams @ FS... I hope Bernstine gets to play "a little CF (Center-Field)", too. I bet he'll "surprise" a few folks.

[SkinsCrushCowboys]

You're right. Hall has been a good tackler, especially against the run. There are so many "myths" going around about our players, I get tired of having to defend them. People throwing out generalizations, doesn't equate football knowledge or good debate.

"I'm probably not a great corner, but I'm a great football player," Hall said. "To go in the slot gives me a chance to be a football player. You've got to be a complete football player. You've got to tackle. You've got to pick passes off. You've got to be able to read routes.

"I'm essentially the linebacker when we're in nickel personnel. They've given me a lot of flexibility to just go out there and make plays. You're closer to the action. A lot of times I'm lining up at linebacker depth, showing blitz and kicking back out to coverage or I'm showing like I'm covering and getting down to a run gap."

I think that he gets a bad rap as fans tend to notice when he whiffs or misses a tackle (which he does), but also tend to ignore when he makes plays (which he also does). I hope that this new scheme will allow him to really have a great year and make some impact.

[Laxpunk2006]

Haslett's scheme is similar to LeBeau's in personnel only. We run a 34. They run a 34. There the similarity's end.

This isn't the place, and needs it's own thread, but IMHO, this D will never be a great D, regardless or personnel; so long as that predictable, uninventive chump is running the show.

Hail.

This really isn't true. Not all 3-4's are the same but ours is most definitely modeled after Pittsburgh's. This has been said point blank on multiple occasions. Our team may not be as talented or effective in running it and Haslett surely isn't LeBeau, but it's based on the same principles.

[LadySkinsFan]

I wish I'd woken up next to Charlize Theron this AM.

Thought I'd add, shrugs.

Hail.

Wouldn't that be heavenly? A girl can dream! :evilg:

[TheLongshot]

This goes back to my concern from the offseason that safety, one of the biggest needs from last season, wasn't properly addressed. Yeah, we drafted Bernstien, but I don't expect much out of late round draft picks. We needed a couple of vets, and we end up getting a couple of guys no one else really wanted. Now, those guys are missing time and we are mostly dependent on some of the same guys last year that made safety a need.

[LadySkinsFan]

If we hadn't had millions in cap space stolen by Mara and the NFL, we would probably have been able to address the safety issue in FA. So we go with who we have, and hopefully fix safety and OL next year.

[Jumbo]

New one (yes, it's 2-4 weeks):

DeJon Gomes gets first-team work as Redskins scramble for backup plan at strong safety

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/wp/2012/09/06/dejon-gomes-gets-first-team-work-as-redskins-scramble-for-backup-strong-safety/

Classic ES thread. This is Sparta!

Fanboys and people who actually understand pro football matters. Realistic and valid "oh jeez" positions and some standard exaggeration. Some intelligent and savvy posts and some dumbass stuff---BTW, a player with physical talent who leaves here Or anywhere) and does well elsewhere (like Rogers) is usually not some black and white matter reflecting a screw-up of an FO. In those kinds of cases that matter isn't simple, though the mind of the poster who thinks it is may be. Now keeping Landry would have been the kind of screw-up that you would blame on this FO.

[BadKarma]

It would appear that safety like CB and HB, are one of the positions that Shanahan thinks he can get value out of middle level players. Maybe it is one of the positions where hustle and motivation matter more than potential and talent. Lets face it over the past decade we have had some elite talent in the secondary and it hasnt factored much into our win total.

If I am guessing a good pass rush should compensate for an average secondary so I would be more worried for Brees in the opener because we shouldn't be sitting back in coverage much.

[DaGoonie55]

I think we'll do fine in the secondary. Barring any cover-0 max blitzes getting us blown up on a quick slant - we'll be respectable. That being said, who knows? Gomes could come in and pick 6 brees for thinking he could pick on him like the boys did tryon last night.

I'm excited to see how it plays out!

[amm0409]

Gomes @ SS, and Williams @ FS... I hope Bernstine gets to play "a little CF (Center-Field)", too. I bet he'll "surprise" a few folks.

I know he can lay the wood. Hope he gets time to play

[Jumbo]

Oh yeah, I forgot (speaking of hating), I think we can all agree: "**** you Tanardo!"

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

I wish we both had......obviously we would not make direct eye contact at breakfast though!

A sideways glance and quick nod of the head. We'd know bro'. That'd be all that mattered. :pfft:

This really isn't true. Not all 3-4's are the same but ours is most definitely modeled after Pittsburgh's. This has been said point blank on multiple occasions. Our team may not be as talented or effective in running it and Haslett surely isn't LeBeau, but it's based on the same principles.

This isn't the thread to have a debate on scheme, so I'll just say he needs to look a whole lot harder at LeBeau's scheme because he's running a poor mans variation of it. A VERY poor man. Point blank!

Give it a while into the season, then throw up a thread on the DC and the comparison. It'd make for interesting debate.

Wouldn't that be heavenly? A girl can dream! :evilg:

You never fail to crack me up LSF.

BTW, myself and GAW would be happy to sit quietly in the corner in the above scenario. You'd never know we were there. :evilg:

Hail.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

We'll be fine... there are 52 other players on this team.

And none of them can play safety.....

[WhoRUSupposed2Be]

And none of them can play safety.....

Meaning that we'll work our way around it and that there 52 other players to pick up the slack. No one man determines the outcome of a game

I noticed the sarcastic tone BTW

[DCranon21]

Well i hope the youngin' can show up for these 2-4 weeks and be an impact sub until Meriweather comes back.

[chet06]

the Landry hate is somewhat ridiculous. when has he ever bad mouthed this organization? Any off field issues? the guy showed and played his guts out. But unfortunately, he couldn't stay healthy. The animosity appears to stem from posters on this board over 40, who despise the fact that he flexes after every tackle- seriously, who cares? The guy is having fun.

and people also seem to forget that Merriweather isn't very good. there's a reason he was playing on a minimum salary to begin with. I'm not sure there's too pronounced a drop-off from him to Gomes. none of this helps of course, that Landry is playing extremely well in preseason on his supposedly career ending Achilles, while our boy will miss the first four weeks.

Agreed....I love this board but gets annoying when there is very little objectivity in some instances. sometimes when anyone points out a negative he/she is branded as a Redskins hater...reminds me when Champ Bailey/Portis trade went down I pointed out that the value was not great even though Portis was a solid player I get killed when I said that Vinny was a joke of a GM....

[Skin'emAlive]

Agreed....I love this board but gets annoying when there is very little objectivity in some instances. sometimes when anyone points out a negative he/she is branded as a Redskins hater...reminds me when Champ Bailey/Portis trade went down I pointed out that the value was not great even though Portis was a solid player I get killed when I said that Vinny was a joke of a GM....

Champ didnt want to be here. We had no choice in the matter. Vinny was universally hated here for a decade. Not sure how you missed that.

[Rocky52Mc]

Can Atogwe come back for dirt cheap?

[SusqySkin]

Can Atogwe come back for dirt cheap?

Doesn't he have hamstring issues, or something?

[darrelgreenie]

I don't know how anyone who watches our team on any kind of a consistent basis can actually say this. In my opinion, this team hasn't turned the corner until a player like Reed Doughty is no longer on it.

You, like many have already resigned yourself to gross negative exxagerated perceptions of one of our own back-up players.

I would like to think most fans are savvy enough to realize that a back-up player should not be held to an all-start level of play.

And in the process have decided to elevate the play of Meriweather who:

...the Patriots were so sick of his freelancing that they cut him before last season, and the Bears were so sick of his freelancing that they benched him after four games.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/four-downs/2012/four-downs-nfc-east-0

Last year was a down year by Doughty's standards considering he was previously:

Reed Doughty comes in at 7th on the "Best DBs" list, with only 3 broken tackles with 75 tackles, a 3.8% rate. The surest DB, Jason Allen, comes in at a 0% rate with 0 broken with 55 tackles. The worst DB is Asante Samuel - 14 broken with 39 tackles......

...in 2010 according to Football Outsiders Doughty carried a 63% 'Success Rate' in all plays he was involved in - good enough to rank him 14th in the NFL amongst his SS peers. He has improved every year...

But even in Reed's down year he still played more then Meriweather who was cut and benched.

Now because I've responed to your repsonse post don't jump to the conclusion that I'm saying Reed is an allstar because I'm not.

Clearly Reed is a limited player.

However, Reed is a qualtity back-up that's been able to come in and hold his end.

I would love it if we found a Safety or 2 that are better then Doughty.

Nothing would make me happier.

I just question the margin of difference between Meriweather and Reed.

If Meriweather is better at all its not by much.

Personally, I think Jordan Bernstine has the physical skillset to eventually be the best S on the roster.

And Gomes is already starting to prove himself as a solid player.

I would be FASCINATED to see if he actually got cut from our team if he would be in the league. Seriously. That is how bad I feel about reed doughty's play. Again, love rooting for the guy as a person. But I literally cringe at the thought of him covering ANYONE on the saints.

Well considering he's a solid back-up safety and core special teammer and he's survived 2 regime changes odds are that if he was released he would be picked up by some team as a back-up.

Well don't worry, your gonna have plenty to complain about.

DBs and LBs get beat every game.

And the Saints drop nearly 300+ yards a game, they do it to every from the Colts to the 49ers.

So i'm sure there are gonna be plays where Reed gets beat in coverage and you can ignore everyone elses negative plays and focus on the plays where Reed gets beat.

[RandyHolt]

It sure sounds like Hall is going to be key in our D this year.

If there was one thing we learned in the Gibbs era it was that turnover differential is an easy to see key to winning games.

Outside of Kerrigan or Rak perhaps, Hall is the big playmaker on D. We need him to get turnovers to help fill what appears to me THE team weakness, safety. Interesting that he will be like an LB in passing downs. I think he will busy this week as we should be in nickel most of the day.

Gomes always seems to get injured but may be the best we have at SS. While Reed can hold down the fort at SS I don't like him at Free. We need our corners in tight man and not dump WR's onto FS Madeiu in cover 2.

[rk3025]

We still have an $18 million penalty next year to live with.

[The Tris]

This goes back to my concern from the offseason that safety, one of the biggest needs from last season, wasn't properly addressed. Yeah, we drafted Bernstien, but I don't expect much out of late round draft picks. We needed a couple of vets, and we end up getting a couple of guys no one else really wanted. Now, those guys are missing time and we are mostly dependent on some of the same guys last year that made safety a need.

I don't disagree with the general principle here, that what was done seems/is insufficient.

My question is, what were we supposed to do otherwise.

http://www.fftoolbox.com/football/nfl-free-agent-signings.cfm?pos=DB

I look at this list, and all I see are guys no one else really wanted. Looking at what was available, I'd say we signed three of the better options in a poor pool of available safeties.

Particularly at FS, there just aren't good players out there at this time, which is by far the biggest concern with out back end.

We can also play shoulda woulda coulda with the draft, but again, common convention was this was a weak safety class, so realistic options were limited.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2012/tracker#dt-tabs:dt-by-position/dt-by-position-input:s

I wish we had done more, but I don't know exactly what plausibly could have been done.

[chet06]

Champ didnt want to be here. We had no choice in the matter. Vinny was universally hated here for a decade. Not sure how you missed that.

Vinny and the Front Office structure was universally loved by many of our mods including Art....Art and myself had a ton of big debates in 2003 and 2004 when I said Vinny was terrible.....I am sure if Art is around he might remember...I was never very fond of Vinny from the time he was holed up in a hotel scheming when Snyder and Millstein were trying to by the team in 1999. In fact I was at the original bank meeting when my firm (and a consortium of banks) lent him $500MM to buy the Skins in Sep 1999...I always knew Vinny was not that great for Dan Snyder...

[Jumbo]

Agreed....I love this board but gets annoying when there is very little objectivity in some instances. sometimes when anyone points out a negative he/she is branded as a Redskins hater...reminds me when Champ Bailey/Portis trade went down I pointed out that the value was not great even though Portis was a solid player I get killed when I said that Vinny was a joke of a GM....

Not trying to give you a hard time, amigo, but the vast majority of the time I read something like this, it's more about matters related to the perceptions of the poster than an accurate assessment of "the board."

Now, as someone who is in a very informed position to assess this board, I'd day that your first sentence was fine, the next phrase is passable as long as you emphasize "sometimes" (I'd say "occasionally" would be a better term) and then each phrase following goes increasingly downhill. :pfft:

But I bet we can all agree that it does get annoying for anyone at some time for whatever reasons, and you do have to love this board to stay with it over the years, just by nature of what internet message boards are like in general.