2014 Defense-Jim Haslett Interview on ESPN980 Feb13

[Peregrine]

So it sounds like Haslett said "It was the special teams fault, and in order for us to get better we just have to do it more, get more reps.  Were going to be good, just trust me."

 

Genius...

[RandyHolt]

I am often encouraged by the words of DCs, usually only after they are hired though. We are going to be aggressive... 

 

It's like haslett has a fresh start now. I would like to think after 30 years we have a blind squirrel on our hands if nothing else. 

 

Maybe he finds that nut this year. He has a ton of experience. I am cautiously optimistic. We need a NT/DL ILB secure one of Rak/Jackson, DB... but maybe more than that, we need a consistent approach. Maybe the radical things we saw was Meddlin' Mike. 

 

Our defense was mega aggressive or mega soft. Haslett wants simplicity through repetition. I am encouraged about the OLBs losing contain thing. 

 

One thing I saw is that our defense does better when being aggressive. Man > Zone. Shoot Gaps > Read and get run over.  Almost every single player on defense does better when playing aggressive. I am almost positive. 

[Warhead36]

I'm no Haslett fan but it sounds like Shanahan meddled too much in the D and that could be the main reason we saw stupid things like Rak and Kerrigan in coverage or constantly playing zone when we're a much better man team.

 

By all counts Haslett loves to be aggressive and when we did go aggressive, we tended to do much better.

 

Shanny has never been very good on the defensive side of the ball.

[Sacks 'n' Stuff]

My one word plan for fixing this defense... Tackle.

 

Every level of football from youth to the pros and from the earliest days of the game 'til now, it's the difference between good defense and bad defense. Get better at tackling and our defense is at least average.

[SkinsGuy]

KDawg writes:

 

 

I'd like to make something VERY clear...

 

There is no excuse for Haslett's defenses the last few years. I am the author of a thread that basically called him out. One of the originals against his hiring and seeing him for what he was.

 

Having said that, understanding that Shanahan MAY have had a negative effect on his defenses isn't out of the realm of possibility. Pretending like it's not a possibility, given we know very little truth about the whole situation, is akin to an ostrich's favorite hobby.

 

 

It's possible, of course, but not very probable.

 

It's hard to buy Haslett as an undeserved fall guy. A victimized figure head that has all the slings and arrows unfairly pointed at him over a defense that was poor due to Shanahan's maniacal attempts to control everything.

 

If Haslett had great or even good defenses everywhere else and tanked here in Washington, the idea that Shanahan's meddling was bringing Haslett down would be a greater possibility. 

 

The greater probability, however, seems to be that Haslett just isn't a very good DC. His record here and elsewhere just seem to bear that out.

 

I'm hopeful for this season that the possibilities bear out and Haslett proves everyone wrong. However, I'm not excited about this upcoming season (yet) because of the probabilities.

[ejay183]

My one word plan for fixing this defense... Tackle.

 

Every level of football from youth to the pros and from the earliest days of the game 'til now, it's the difference between good defense and bad defense. Get better at tackling and our defense is at least average.

 

I would take an average defense over that trash from last season. The Skins would have won more games with an average defense

[Dirt]

I just don't believe in him.

 

"we'll do it over and over and over and over...."

 

Truly the definition of insanity, much like his tenure here.

[holmester]

Retaining haslett is actually pretty genius. This defense is atleast 2 years away from being where it needs to be. Why not keep a potential scapegoat? Decent season in 2014 with mediocre defense give Has another year. Bad year in 2014 with repeat terrible defense fire Has. Takes blame/criticism off FO and Gruden. No brainer to let this guy have another shot. Just think how excited our play dough fanbase will be next offseason after we go 6-10 with top ten offense, bottom 5 defense and new shiny DC. Easy sell.

[Est.1974]

I get the feeling Haslett was really bothered by all the BS from last year, but I digress.

It's very clear from that interview that the whole place was a mess, including throughout the coaching staff. Pretty damn shocking really. 

 

I'm no Haslett fan but it sounds like Shanahan meddled too much in the D

I agree. Whether you are a fan of Haslett or not, there was outside interference into his role which effected the way he wanted to do his job. He doesn't look like a guy to make unfounded excuses in my view. I think he'd be accountable for his mistakes, which he does in the interview linked above. But he's been DC in title only at the start of last season as Shanahan has tried to get too clever and ahead of himself. So, lets see how we role this year.

 

Plus, if the D stinks this year too, I'd fire Bruce Allen before Haslett. Allen has witnessed the mess unfold and must have the inside track on what's been going on. If Haslett was an integral part of that mess, he should have been dumped. He's still here so Allen has shown his hand in that respect. If we stink again, Allen should carry the can for not clearing the decks in the right manner now.

 

[RandyHolt]

lol at the dirt consistency insanity plea lol

 

But I think Haslett was more a victim of the insanity of the organization than causing it.

 

He would never survive 30 years in the league if he was a complete failure, would he? 

 

It sounds like he has rebooted. The system has recovered from a serious error.  Do  you want to start in safe mode? 

 

Hell no. And it starts with unleashing our best players and playmakers, Rak and Kerrigan.  I know they can hold their own but I really don't want to see them in coverage this year. 

[SWFLSkins]

Our ST problems were so obvious it shouldn't even be a conversation. When you spend less, you have no back end roster.

 

That is the killer with Shanny though, he said hey look we are returning everyone but Lo, so were are so deep at every spot. It is pretty telling about his eval skills, also keeping the punter. I think we are going to see some T/O on the back end this year because as you said Special Teams is a part of the game and that is where those players come from. 

[Skinsinparadise]

KDawg, I agree with your post, but Shanahan also MAY HAVE HAD A POSITIVE EFFECT.  We simply don't know. 

 

 People here were murdering Mike Shanahan for mentioning any reasons as to why the team was playing so poorly this year. Even when he literally stated that the blame lies at his feet, he'd get killed for also mentioning things like the cap penalty. He was labeled as one who deflects criticism and was full of excuses.

 

Now, Haslett is essentially doing more of the same thing here. He's deflecting all criticism, suggesting/implying subtly that Mike was to blame as well as the cap penalty, and there are still quite a few giving him a pass on it. It's incredible how contradictory this board can be.   

 

You sort of answered your own question as to why people didn't give Shanny an out for his occasionally taking the blame. It's like my wife blaming me for something, I respond by saying yeah I didn't do it, here's what happened, but OK I'll take the heat.  That to me is Shanny's version of taking the blame.   People could read through the phoniness of it

 

Shanny wasn't big on taking the blame in press conferences, occasionally he would, but it was striking how much he didn't to the degree that Fred Smoot would do segments on it, and heck even McNabb at one point on his radio show said at some point in Shanny's pressers is he ever going to take blame.   But yeah on occasion he did.  But as you pointed out it was usually in context of already laying out an excuse just before or after.   

 

In fact I can't think of a coach we've had who was so excuse driven as this guy.   Maybe Norv at times. It's really where he lost me. I started off as one of the biggest Shanny homers on the board.  Ironically where he started to lose me was last year after the 3-6 start, and he said the teams defense is a stellar top 5 defense when healthy -- its just that these injuries have crippled it.   

 

As for Shanny may have had a positive effect on the defense and do we know how much of an influence he really had.  I agree we don't know.  But there is some smoke to the fire.   Mike Lombardi who worked with Shanny years ago said in an interview last year that what many don't know about Shanny is that in Denver he was VERY involved in game planning for defense, and that at times he puts more energy into that than he does offense.  We also know his defenses in Denver stunk.

 

I am not a Haslett guy at all.   But I'll go with the theory that the defense is likely better off without Shanny both as a coach and defacto GM. 

[RandyHolt]

Who has a worse track record with defense, Haslett or Shanahan? 

 

It could well be Shanny.

 

If we get a few good pieces on D I think we will be able to hold our own no matter the DC.

 

Make no mistake though, we are built to win on offense behind RG3 Trent Garcon and Morris. 

[Koolblue13]

That is the killer with Shanny though, he said hey look we are returning everyone but Lo, so were are so deep at every spot. It is pretty telling about his eval skills, also keeping the punter. I think we are going to see some T/O on the back end this year because as you said Special Teams is a part of the game and that is where those players come from.

ST is important, but there are no "starters" on teams. Losing OMG sucked, but he wasn't a ST starter, he was a back up. ST is a sign of depth. When you trade picks and have no SC space, well, you suck on teams.

[LoudMouth12thMan]

Our defense was 4th best in the league in 2013 on third down stops.  They were last in the league in that category in 2012.  Our offense was ranked 31st (there are 32 teams   ) in 2013 in turnovers.  They were first/best in the league in that category in 2012 (that means not turning the ball over ).  

 

That's a whole hell of a lot of sudden change in 2013.  The good news is our defense kept us in ball games at times b/c they got off the field on third down.  If memory serves, they also gave up their fair share of explosive plays and 1st down chunk plays which should be noted.   

 

Last year we ranked 30th in points allowed, but that's not surprising when you are 2nd worst in ball security on offense.  It also doesn't help when your defense gives up chunk plays.  

 

The defense needs help in a couple of areas (secondary/coverage and pass rush), but this defense is not as far off as many would suggest.  Defenses and offenses work hand in hand and "specials" is supposed to aid the two units by improving field position, bolstering point production at times, and basically, for lack of a better phrase, not ****ing up!  

 

None of our units worked in chorus all year and I hardly blame Haslett for all of our defensive woes.  Shanahan is culpable without debate, doubt, or question.  Look at the numbers on offense and on specials and look how much stress was put on the defense.  Seattle couldn't have overcome that.  There is a formula that involves all three units working in chorus in a given game.  If you **** with that formula, you lose more often than you win.  Haslett wasn't the conductor....Shanahan was.  

 

Plain and simple.   

[Tatankgough]

Dude sounds realistic and he sounds reasonable too. Most of the points he makes in this interview are some of the same things I have made in many of my posts.

 

The turn around is going to shock the football world.

 

Don't forget....this guy obviously has pride and history. He certainly wants to be vindicated from his time with Shamalamb. Emerge from his cold shadow and I believe he will do it, that this team will do it.

 

From all accounts by the players, he is a well liked coach. Never heard any of the players throw him under the bus once.

[nfl guru]

Our defense was 4th best in the league in 2013 on third down stops.  They were last in the league in that category in 2012.  Our offense was ranked 31st (there are 32 teams   ) in 2013 in turnovers.  They were first/best in the league in that category in 2012 (that means not turning the ball over ).  

 

That's a whole hell of a lot of sudden change in 2013.  The good news is our defense kept us in ball games at times b/c they got off the field on third down.  If memory serves, they also gave up their fair share of explosive plays and 1st down chunk plays which should be noted.   

 

Last year we ranked 30th in points allowed, but that's not surprising when you are 2nd worst in ball security on offense.  It also doesn't help when your defense gives up chunk plays.  

 

The defense needs help in a couple of areas (secondary/coverage and pass rush), but this defense is not as far off as many would suggest.  Defenses and offenses work hand in hand and "specials" is supposed to aid the two units by improving field position, bolstering point production at times, and basically, for lack of a better phrase, not ****ing up!  

 

None of our units worked in chorus all year and I hardly blame Haslett for all of our defensive woes.  Shanahan is culpable without debate, doubt, or question.  Look at the numbers on offense and on specials and look how much stress was put on the defense.  Seattle couldn't have overcome that.  There is a formula that involves all three units working in chorus in a given game.  If you **** with that formula, you lose more often than you win.  Haslett wasn't the conductor....Shanahan was.  

 

Plain and simple.   

 

Damn, sell me some of that kool-aid too. 

Dude sounds realistic and he sounds reasonable too. Most of the points he makes in this interview are some of the same things I have made in many of my posts.

 

The turn around is going to shock the football world.

 

Don't forget....this guy obviously has pride and history. He certainly wants to be vindicated from his time with Shamalamb. Emerge from his cold shadow and I believe he will do it, that this team will do it.

 

From all accounts by the players, he is a well liked coach. Never heard any of the players throw him under the bus once.

 

 

https://twitter.com/LFletcher59/statuses/421295877651980288

 

https://twitter.com/LFletcher59/statuses/421294125242388480

 

How can people not see this incompetence in our organization? Lol, its a joke

[RandyHolt]

I bet Haslett was not happy with London's play over the past 2 years. Were you? 

 

Haslett started sitting him in some situations and someone didn't like it. 

[Voice_of_Reason]

He spent a lot of time talking about the salary cap penalty and how it affected ST and the defense.

 

I completely agree. A lot of the depth went away.  

 

That said, they played with the same penalty in 2012 and played much better.  And a lot of the guys were the same from 2012 to 2013.

 

I'm probably the #1 guy on the board that points to the effect of the salary cap penalty, and how it negatively effected the team.  I've said since everything started going south that the team could probably have overcome the salary cap penalty or Robert's knee injury, but not both.

 

That said, I'm really sick and tired of the team mentioning it.  I don't want to hear it from Haslett.  I didn't want to hear it from Shanahan. I don't want to hear it from Bruce.  I get it.  It had an effect.

 

But that's life.  You have to deal with it. It happened.  It was unfair.  The cap penalty was not responsible for 3-13.

 

So just shut up about it already.

[Voice_of_Reason]

Dude sounds realistic and he sounds reasonable too. Most of the points he makes in this interview are some of the same things I have made in many of my posts.

 

The turn around is going to shock the football world.

 

Don't forget....this guy obviously has pride and history. He certainly wants to be vindicated from his time with Shamalamb. Emerge from his cold shadow and I believe he will do it, that this team will do it.

 

From all accounts by the players, he is a well liked coach. Never heard any of the players throw him under the bus once.

 

But results are results.  And the results stunk like the south end of a north bound skunk.

 

I can get behind the fact that Haslett was playing against a stacked deck. If I was to make an impassioned defense of Haslett, which I will not do, it would be the following:

 

1. The reason that the tackling stunk, particularly in the secondary, was because of poor player personnel decisions, which were controlled by Mike Shanahan, and affected by John "Cheating" Mara and Jeffrey "Cheating" Lurie. (ie: Cap Penalty). He never had the players, particularly in the secondary, to execute the defense he was brought in to run. 

2. Shanahan ruined the scheme by interfering and forcing Haslett to call thins in a way that he didn't want to.

3. The offense, also under the direction of Shanahan, started turning the ball over at an amazing clip, thus putting Haslett and his defense in a bad situation.

4. The ST, which comprised of players selected by Shanahan and coached by a Shanahan croanie, were so horrific, that they constantly put the defense in a bad situation.

5. They never had enough talent on defense as they could have because of poor personnel decisions, injuries, and bad luck.  Both of the projected starting safeties in 2012 exited stage left during pre-season, Merriweather to injury, and Tanard Jackson to drug suspension.  

6. London Fletcher got old fast, and became a liability in coverage. Which opened up the middle of the defense.

 

All of this was too much to overcome for poor Jim Haslett.

 

/Defense of Haslett.

 

Ok, now reality. If you coordinate one of the worst defenses in the NFL year over year, you tend to lose your job.  I don't believe that he's a good coordinator, because I haven't seen it. 

 

Personally, I wouldn't have given him the benefit of the doubt.  But the team has given him the benefit of the doubt.  Now he's got to put up or shut up.  

 

But I'm still really ticked that he brought up the cap penalty as a excuse.

[nfl guru]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000325998/article/redskins-jim-haslett-yardage-rankings-are-for-losers

 

this year is gonna be a blast

 

 

 

Totally agree. Measuring a defense purely on yardage allowed is dodgy territory. Today's fans possess muchbetter tools to judge a team's performance. Of course,Redskins defensive backs coach Raheem Morris noted last month that "stats are always for losers," an argument that benefits a Washington defense -- and special teams -- that graded out horribly by the people over at Pro Football Focus.

 

And yet, here we are.  Resigning the same players that got us here, same coaches, same philosphy, same ol same ol. Even Raheem Morris is catching that skinsitis and making excuses

[darrelgreenie]

Last year we ranked 30th in points allowed, but that's not surprising when you are 2nd worst in ball security on offense.  It also doesn't help when your defense gives up chunk plays.

You bring up some good points. The defense wasn't all bad. I think its interesting that they were good on 3rd downs, maybe our 4 man line pressure is better then our base? Just a thought.

 

The defense needs help in a couple of areas (secondary/coverage and pass rush), but this defense is not as far off as many would suggest.  Defenses and offenses work hand in hand and "specials" is supposed to aid the two units by improving field position, bolstering point production at times, and basically, for lack of a better phrase, not ****ing up!

I don't think its that far off either. I don't think its gonna be an elite defense that Haslett schemes up.

But I think Haslett will produce a near statistically average defense that can get sacks and turnovers.

 

You and Haslett both mention an often over looked point. I mentioned last year that Mike's special teams in many ways was Kyle worst enemy because of lousy i.e. league worst field position. But it similar impacted the defense.

I am not saying Haslett is without blame, but its hard to know how much of the defenses struggles were his to own.

 

Getting back to Xs and Os...I think the biggest boon for the defense will come with more pressure.

One way to get more pressure is to unleash the OLBs more often like Haslett said. Another means would be to add more talent upfront. I hope we bring in a top line 5-tech DE that can rush the passer.

 

I may be alone in this regard but I think our CBs are good enough to win with. I think were thin at NB w/o Wilson but I could see Bigger/Hall/Crawford filling that role.

 

But for Biggers to help as CB we need a true FS. We got by last year with a CB and SS playing FS.

But I think FS is another area where the defense could use an upgrade.

 

I love Fletch. But he had become a liability and was part of our coverage issues and tackling issues.

We need to hit on an ILB. This isn't a personnel thread but a decent outside FA haul for me I would be:

 

DE-Lamar Houston

FS-Ryan Clark

ILB-Brandon Spikes and/or Dekoda Watson  depending if we re-sign Riley

 

But, I really think the new coaches and improved scheme will really help.

IHaslett mentioned that after coaching meeting with Jacob Burney where they discussed 1 coverage for an hour and half that Jacob said it was the most fun he has had coaching in the past 2 years. And all they were doing was exchanging ideas.

Some of it might be mere coachspeak and hype but 2 new coaches to the staff represent a tangible change imo. K.O. and Baker taking over for Slowick is huge increase imho.

Maybe Rak will add another move to his speed rush/bull rush arsenal?

Maybe we will pattern read/pattern match instead of just spot dropping. (Incedentally maybe KO who was on staff at Georgia will help Rambo become an NFL caliber SAF?)

[TSO]

You sort of answered your own question as to why people didn't give Shanny an out for his occasionally taking the blame. It's like my wife blaming me for something, I respond by saying yeah I didn't do it, here's what happened, but OK I'll take the heat.  That to me is Shanny's version of taking the blame.   People could read through the phoniness of it

 

Shanny wasn't big on taking the blame in press conferences, occasionally he would, but it was striking how much he didn't to the degree that Fred Smoot would do segments on it, and heck even McNabb at one point on his radio show said at some point in Shanny's pressers is he ever going to take blame.   But yeah on occasion he did.  But as you pointed out it was usually in context of already laying out an excuse just before or after.   

 

In fact I can't think of a coach we've had who was so excuse driven as this guy.   Maybe Norv at times. It's really where he lost me. I started off as one of the biggest Shanny homers on the board.  Ironically where he started to lose me was last year after the 3-6 start, and he said the teams defense is a stellar top 5 defense when healthy -- its just that these injuries have crippled it.   

 

As for Shanny may have had a positive effect on the defense and do we know how much of an influence he really had.  I agree we don't know.  But there is some smoke to the fire.   Mike Lombardi who worked with Shanny years ago said in an interview last year that what many don't know about Shanny is that in Denver he was VERY involved in game planning for defense, and that at times he puts more energy into that than he does offense.  We also know his defenses in Denver stunk.

 

I am not a Haslett guy at all.   But I'll go with the theory that the defense is likely better off without Shanny both as a coach and defacto GM.

 

I think you missed my overall point, which is that the same people who trashed Mike for the excuses are giving Haslett a pass. I clearly wasn't giving Shanahan a pass for it, but Shanahan did at the very least state that it falls on him. I don't care if you saw it as phony or not, he said it at least. MANY TIMES. So here we have one guy making excuses while, at least, stating it's still on him and we have another guy just making excuses as well as implying that he was handcuffed.  And, yet, who is getting a pass?  

 

Yeah, that makes sense. That was my point, so I'm not sure why you wrote up all of that about Shanahan taking the blame and how phony he was. 

 

And you might be able to go with the theory that the defense is better off without Shanny, but I can't. There's absolutely NO PROOF of that. Unless we know exactly how Shanahan was involved. For all we know, Haslett will be even worse without Shanahan's supposed input.

 

Also, what Shanahan had done in Denver holds very little weight because Haslett wasn't some great D coordinator who got ruined when he got here. He has been historically below average his entire career, before and with Shanny.  

 

The only thing I'm clinging on to is the hope that Haslett turns it around HIMSELF AS A COORDINATOR and we do get better personnel now without all the restrictions in place. That, to me, is the only reasonable thing to believe, but to each their own. I get that some enjoy the whole "evil villain has been defeated and now all is right in Redskin kingdom", but to me it's just plain ridiculous. Not sure if that's what you're on as well like so many here lately, so don't take that as a direct shot.

 

 

I bet Haslett was not happy with London's play over the past 2 years. Were you? 

 

Haslett started sitting him in some situations and someone didn't like it.

 

How about when some of the insiders (it may have just been TK, can't remember) were saying that Fletcher was actually hesitant to return in 2012 because of Haslett? He was still a total starter at that point after the 2011 season and there was no "sitting" at any point for him. So let's not trash Fletcher's opinion of Haslett now as just pettiness because it suits our ridiculous notion here that "Shanahan was the conductor" and that Haslett has now been freed from his oppressor's shackles.  

 

Like I said, having hope that Haslett will turn it around (a la bearrock's post a few weeks back) and become a better, more learned, coordinator as a Redskin is one thing. But trying to reason that he will mostly because he was some victim of tyranny is outrageous to me, and I'm not going to be so willing to accept that.

 

 

 

Another point I'd like to make, just pertaining to some other posts in this thread, is that when Haslett says he wants to "simplify" the defense, I worry, a lot. Because one thing that had all of us pulling our hair out consistently under Haslett has been his inability to call exotic blitzes/coverages and do anything to confuse opposing offense's. The run in 2012 was as creative as we ever saw the defense get under him. So I'm surprised that people are hearing him say that and taking it as a good thing. Now, if we improve personnel-wise than things being simplified won't necessarily be a bad thing, so I get it from that standpoint. But, still... seeing what "simple" has looked like with him before makes me cringe.      

[DC9]

Well... for what it's worth, we didn't really get beat over the top this year.  We sucked at tackling and getting to the QB.  Two things NFL defenses should be able to do.

 

One thing is for sure, we should know better than to get excited about this Jim Haslett defense in pre-season by now.  We'll know if there has been any change by halftime of week 1.

[RandyHolt]

Continuing on the Mike bashing, maybe London hated Haslett because he was not able to control his boss.  You are left to speculate exactly as to why that was.  Maybe Haz hated having a 4-3 backer as an ILB. Seems its not an easy move and I for one didn't expect London retained when we went 3-4. 

 

The team was a trainwreck in almost every facet.  I do not consider London hating Haz, news. What is news, is how the hell you hear about it from such a consummate professional, that he contemplated quitting.

 

Wait, we made the playoffs the year he wanted to bail. The D had a big hand in that. Did he eat crow proper?  

 

I think that every team every year has a top player that doesn't like their coach. More likely, more than 1. I'd bet RG3 hated Kyle but you didn't hear about it. 

 

Heck, entire hockey teams stop "playing" for their coach, presume because they hate them. Its how they force change.  Ovi was caught calling his coach Fat F. It wasnt news that he was tired of playing for him. The team had checked out. The news, was hearing him say it.