Jim Haslett, Change Our Defense!

[KDawg]

To run an odd front, you need a monster plugger in the middle. It's almost nonnegotiable. Sure, the advent of the 1-gap 34 by Bum Philips and later picked up by his son Wade allowed for a smaller nose tackle who could slant and penetrate, but still, he has to be able to fend off double teams on nearly every play. That's the life of a nose. As admirable as Cofield has played, he'd help the team more at end, and a plug beast in the middle would negate a LOT of our defense woes. I bet you Rak and Kerrigan look a heck of a lot better in that situation.

 

Furthermore, Carriker's injury is hurting us a bit more than people realize.

[DC9]

As admirable as Cofield has played, he'd help the team more at end, and a plug beast in the middle would negate a LOT of our defense woes.

 

 

If I had a dollar for every time either myself or someone else on this board has suggested this, I wouldn't have to pay for my season tickets for the next several years

 

But again, we're about at the end of his usefulness and have wasted games with him at NT.  Much like Niles Paul wasting away on the bench. 

 

In other words - we have pretty good players (much to the shagrin of the naysayers) but they aren't always being put in the best position (or in this case, AT the best position) to succeed.

[KDawg]

If I had a dollar for every time either myself or someone else on this board has suggested this, I wouldn't have to pay for my season tickets for the next several years

 

But again, we're about at the end of his usefulness and have wasted games with him at NT.  Much like Niles Paul wasting away on the bench. 

 

In other words - we have pretty good players (much to the shagrin of the naysayers) but they aren't always being put in the best position (or in this case, AT the best position) to succeed.

 

To be fair, you can't put a better nose on the field for us at the moment than Cofield. That's the crux of the issue. You can't switch to the 3-4 without that beast in the middle, and of course, we did.

 

And not only that, we also switched offensive styles. So in essence, we rebuilt the ENTIRE team.

 

Kansas City drafting Dontari Poe has made all the difference in the world for them.

 

When you control the middle, you control the game.

 

The same can be said for the interior OL. We need upgrades at both the interior OL and the NT.

[MrJL]

it's Shanahan's 3-4 actually and the fact is the Redskins are only in their base D a small fraction of the time.  

[DC9]

To be fair, you can't put a better nose on the field for us at the moment than Cofield. That's the crux of the issue. You can't switch to the 3-4 without that beast in the middle, and of course, we did.

 

And not only that, we also switched offensive styles. So in essence, we rebuilt the ENTIRE team.

 

Kansas City drafting Dontari Poe has made all the difference in the world for them.

 

When you control the middle, you control the game.

 

The same can be said for the interior OL. We need upgrades at both the interior OL and the NT.

 

I totally agree.

 

And while they aren't beasts, I'll continue to argue that Baker and 2011 Neild (he hasn't played much since the injury) were both better than Cofield at least at Nose.  That also improves your depth at DE with Carriker on the mend and would've improved depth with Jenkins suspended.

 

The real **** of it is, we are rarely in the okie anyways... so they need to be getting push up the middle from the Nickel and no one is doing that with any consistency.  The ends are getting push (98 and 91) to an extent but there is normally nothing from the middle.

 

When there is there is normally a sack (see Rak's sack from the first series vs the Vikings).

 

No arguments from me on the o-line.  I think you handled that one well in your trenches thread earlier last year.  It's unfortunate that Gettis and Ribs aren't ready to play yet after a year and some change.

it's Shanahan's 3-4 actually and the fact is the Redskins are only in their base D a small fraction of the time.  

 

Perfectly said, I touched on this in my response to KD.

[KDawg]

it's Shanahan's 3-4 actually and the fact is the Redskins are only in their base D a small fraction of the time.  

 

Which is the other problem. You can stay in a base 3 if you have the 0-technique to do it.

 

And the best part about a dominant 0-technique? He can also be a dominant shade/1-technique (see: Wilfork, Vince). That kind of player can mask deficiencies on your defense better than anything else. A lack of that type of player can crush even the most skilled players on your defense.

 

It's such a shame we're in this position.

[MrJL]

Which is the other problem. You can stay in a base 3 if you have the 0-technique to do it.

 

And the best part about a dominant 0-technique? He can also be a dominant shade/1-technique (see: Wilfork, Vince). That kind of player can mask deficiencies on your defense better than anything else. A lack of that type of player can crush even the most skilled players on your defense.

 

It's such a shame we're in this position.

 

 

thing is, I'm pretty sure that one of our primary switches out of the base D is very close to what the OP wants.  2 of the normal DL with Kerrigan and Rak essentially playing as stand up DEs.  If we switched to a 4-3 it's pretty much exactly what we'd use when it was time to switch to a nickel D

[RandyHolt]

Those last ~10 posts were great - thanks. I was in way over my head but part of my interest in the 4-3, is that our 3-4 at its core is just not good, and I don't think a new DC can improve our nose and ILB play. . And I have no faith in Mike the GM to get the right parts on D. London presumed retiring should help nudge him along. As KDawg said, he reinvented the entire team, and that is a lot to get sorted out successfully.

[The Robert Griffin Experience]

What is extraordinary is that nobody in our "brain trust" has even considered the idea that Cofield isn't a NT. He could probably work as a 1 gap but not as a Steelers style 0 tech.

When we drafted Jarvis Jenkins I thought he was an ideal NT - strong, bulky, created push. They put him at DE. The coaches literally decide that they're going to do things one way, and refuse to change because of their "smartest guy in the room mentality".

[1198skinsfuture]

how about we just stick with man to man defens the whole time...our db's struggle in zone...y did we play zone in minnesota? the world may never know...but whoever came with that gameplan should have been fired...

[stp240]

If you haven't watched the game at least twice, your opinion is not valid.

 

Our base defense is a 3-4.  On downs where we were in our Base D...we did a great job vs. the best running back in the league

 

The problem is on passing downs.  Guess what...Kerrigan and Orakpo always rushed on passing downs against the Vikings.  We need better push in the middle.  We need our SAFETY to keep up with TE's (fail).  We need Wilson to figure it out, my goodness.  One weakness in coverage can be exploited easily, two weaknesses? You lose the the Vikings.

[Tyron Biggums]

No this shouldn't have because this isn't about firing him koolblue, it's about making changes. Even if its pinning your ears back and attacking QB's, it's something different than we are doing now. I can not bare to watch Philly knock us out of this division race Sunday, but it's going to happen if something isn't changed.

I love the 34 defense. Like you I want a change, but switching to a 43 would be a last resort. Having said that my desire is to see Hasshat damn near sellout on getting to the QB 100% of the time on known passing downs. If that fails the opposing team scores fast and puts our best unit(offense)back on the field. At this point in time what do we have to lose? We already have the worst defense in the league. I do not see how in any way shape or form this defense could be any worse then it is now. 

 

HTTR

[skins island connection]

To be fair, you can't put a better nose on the field for us at the moment than Cofield. That's the crux of the issue. You can't switch to the 3-4 without that beast in the middle, and of course, we did.

 

And not only that, we also switched offensive styles. So in essence, we rebuilt the ENTIRE team.

 

Kansas City drafting Dontari Poe has made all the difference in the world for them.

 

When you control the middle, you control the game.

 

The same can be said for the interior OL. We need upgrades at both the interior OL and the NT.

 

 Also, regarding KC,  when Andy Reid got there, he changed the mantality of the players there. As much as I hated the guy when he was with the Eagles, he is a good coach who can reach players on their level.

[MustangSteve]

I think we have a lot of talent on defense.  More in the secondary than we initially though, and less on the interior of the front 7 than initially though.

 

There are still no game breakers in either the front 7 or the back 4 (D. Hall is close, but not quite).  But there is enough talent to trot a successful defense but the coach is failing to put them in position to win.

 

There will be a change, but it won't be a dramatic schematic change (and why we got away from press man vs the Vikings in beyond me - typical Haz).  This offseason can't get here soon enough. 

 

As depressing as this season has been, this offseason will be THAT exciting.  We have TONs of decisions to make and TONs of money to spend.  And we have lots of youth under contract already.

 

We'll just have to sack up until then brother.

DC remember the best DE's we ever had was only 253lbs. Dexter Manley and Charles Mann were beasts at the position. RAK reminds me of Manley in many ways and he would be much better rushing the QB then covering receivers. I would love to see just a 4-3 package brought in during a few games so we could know for sure. Haslett said he had some 4-3 packages when he was brought in.

Click picture

This 253lb DE would have broke the sack record if it would have been a stat in 1981, but sacks weren't recorded then.

[MustangSteve]

I love the 34 defense. Like you I want a change, but switching to a 43 would be a last resort. Having said that my desire is to see Hasshat damn near sellout on getting to the QB 100% of the time on known passing downs. If that fails the opposing team scores fast and puts our best unit(offense)back on the field. At this point in time what do we have to lose? We already have the worst defense in the league. I do not see how in any way shape or form this defense could be any worse then it is now. 

 

HTTR

I agree with all of you about changing our defense under the leadership of Jim Haslett. If he can't fix the 3-4 after 4 years then he sure isn't going to shine while learning a 4-3, I don't even expect him to change anything, he won't plain and simple. Which leaves us fans knowing one thing for sure. We are screwed! Last place here we come again.

 

There is no sicker feeling then being out of the playoffs and division race half way through the season. This defense we have now is getting shredded this Sunday, that's for sure.

[DC9]

DC remember the best DE's we ever had was only 253lbs. Dexter Manley and Charles Mann were beasts at the position. RAK reminds me of Manley in many ways and he would be much better rushing the QB then covering receivers. I would love to see just a 4-3 package brought in during a few games so we could know for sure. Haslett said he had some 4-3 packages when he was brought in.

dexter manley.jpg Click picture

This 253lb DE would have broke the sack record if it would have been a stat in 1981, but sacks weren't recorded then.

 

I do, and I loved those days.  But those days were over 20 years ago.  Linemen have gotten bigger and stronger on both sides of the ball in the meantime, brother.

[Squidley]

get rid of haslett he's a mediocre DC at best ...our defense has blowed for years now under him

[Ludomaniac]

Haslett has to go at the end of the season, i understand the personnel is an issue too but you cant have the worst defense in the league for 3 straight years and keep your job, you just cant.