The Sky Has Fallen - Our Defense Needs a Makeover!

[TheGreek1973]

First five cuts huh?

 

Well, first and foremost, I'd FINALLY boot Hasshole, Morris and Burney off the staff. The 'backers Coaches Olivadotti and Baker are the only defensive Coaches I'd retain.

 

Now, as far those 'first 5 cuts' of the playing personnel, in no particular order:

 

Merriweather/ Orakpo/ Golston/ Cofield (Down to age) and Jackson.

 

But in truth, it would be easier to list, in an ideal World, who I'd retain:

 

DL. Baker, Hatcher, Nield, Jenkins.

LB. Kerrigan, Riley, Robinson with Compton and Murphy to be given a chance to prove themselves.

DB/ Amerson, Breeland. Minnifield and Hall if he fully recovers from the achilles.

 

Outside of the MAJOR priority, the O-line, most all my draft picks/ resources would be going into the defense to give the new DC every chance he needs to succeed.

 

Hail.

Talk about Minnifield, did he even make the active roaster?  I mean why the F is Biggers playing?

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Is the only reason you'd keep Riley because we have no one else? Because he is just bad. I agree with everything else you said.

 

Yeah, pretty much.

 

You can't jettison everyone in one off season and at least he's been starting long enough now to be able to fill in. But I'm with you and most everyone else. I voiced serious concerns that he'd be utterly lost without Fletch alongside him and he wasn't a starting calibre player without a top talent talent alongside him and sadly that has become glaringly obvious by the week. Sighs.

 

Hail.

[PlayAction]

I don't think they are going to even consider cutting Riley.  He was either the top tackler on the team or close to it last year.  He does need to improve in attempting to cover TEs and RBs though.

 

Orakpo has never produced up to the level of a franchise player.  He looked slow in comparison to the Seattle QB and his overall play this year is more backup quality than star.  I know he's injured but his injury history has to factor into his long term worth.  I don't think he'll be happy if the Skins low ball him.  So he will walk and get a low salary elsewhere.  The most important factor IMO how the Skins can improve by using his high salary toward acquiring better talent for other positions on the team.

 

Amerson and Breeland are fine.  A second year player and rookie trying to cover without quality safety support.  Chase Minnifield was cut.  Why this undrafted rookie is brought up as the solution to our woes is mystifying.  Playoffs!!!! 

[repo_4]

All you have to do is look at Dallas to see what a change to a different (better) coordinator can do to your team, OVERNIGHT. Haslett is the problem here, not the players. The players could stand to be improved but as long as Haslett stays you will get the same results. We could have an All-Pro at every position on D and we would still rank #15. Haslett...

[joeken24]

Orakpo

Riley

Merriweather

Biggers

Porter

 

Haslett makes Honorable ****ing mention for not being able to defend the read option. This team brought it to the league and you can defend it?!

[carex]

I don't think they are going to even consider cutting Riley.  He was either the top tackler on the team or close to it last year.  He does need to improve in attempting to cover TEs and RBs though.

 

Orakpo has never produced up to the level of a franchise player.  He looked slow in comparison to the Seattle QB and his overall play this year is more backup quality than star.  I know he's injured but his injury history has to factor into his long term worth.  I don't think he'll be happy if the Skins low ball him.  So he will walk and get a low salary elsewhere.  The most important factor IMO how the Skins can improve by using his high salary toward acquiring better talent for other positions on the team.

 

Amerson and Breeland are fine.  A second year player and rookie trying to cover without quality safety support.  Chase Minnifield was cut.  Why this undrafted rookie is brought up as the solution to our woes is mystifying.  Playoffs!!!! 

 

Chase was touted as a low first to second round draft pick before his injury knocked him off the draft board, that's why. 

 

Read option QBs are fast.  The only defensive player who should be able to catch them in pursuit is a DB. 

[C.Felix]

I'm rooting for the Jets opponent every week from now on.

 

 

& Pay Rex whatever he wants when gone. If not him, 2nd choice Wade Phillips. If not one of those two just go back to the 43.

[PortisBetts]

Yeah, pretty much.

 

You can't jettison everyone in one off season and at least he's been starting long enough now to be able to fill in. But I'm with you and most everyone else. I voiced serious concerns that he'd be utterly lost without Fletch alongside him and he wasn't a starting calibre player without a top talent talent alongside him and sadly that has become glaringly obvious by the week. Sighs.

 

Hail.

 

He cant cover at all. If i see one more frigen seam pass with no one around for 20 yards, I am going to lose it.

[London Kev]

The secondary is awful, and Haslett and Morris are an enormous reason why. It's their coverage calls, the coverage techniques they've taught, the mentality they have instilled, and even largely their personnel. They have had a big hand in many of the DBs brought in here through the years. ......................

 

Raheem has somehow avoided a lot of the blame for our defensive woes. It's Haslett's D but Morris is in charge of the DB's.

We currently rank tied last with Oakland in passes defended with a measly 11, and Oakland has played a game less. We also only have two interceptions. To put it in some kind of context;

 

Team          PD    Int    IntYds

Giants         41      8      122

Cowboys    32      6        24

Eagles        29      3        67

Redskins    11      2        14

 

It's an understatement to say that we haven't got the most talented secondary in the league, but it can't all be on the players. There has to be something fundamentaly wrong with the coverages as well. We're just not putting the players in a position to make plays.

[TheLongshot]

Raheem has somehow avoided a lot of the blame for our defensive woes. It's Haslett's D but Morris is in charge of the DB's.

We currently rank tied last with Oakland in passes defended with a measly 11, and Oakland has played a game less. We also only have two interceptions. To put it in some kind of context;

 

Team          PD    Int    IntYds

Giants         41      8      122

Cowboys    32      6        24

Eagles        29      3        67

Redskins    11      2        14

 

It's an understatement to say that we haven't got the most talented secondary in the league, but it can't all be on the players. There has to be something fundamentaly wrong with the coverages as well. We're just not putting the players in a position to make plays.

 

Well lets see: we are starting two young corners, one of which is a rookie that probably shouldn't be starting games.  We haven't had a real FS until we signed Clark, and he's borderline over the hill.  The guy we signed to be the nickle corner hasn't even played a full game yet.  And Merriweather is pretty awful in coverage.

 

The problem is, you can't really hide players at the corner position.  The other team knows they haven't played and will pick on them until they prove they can.  There isn't much scheme-wise you can do to change it.

[London Kev]

Well lets see: we are starting two young corners, one of which is a rookie that probably shouldn't be starting games.  We haven't had a real FS until we signed Clark, and he's borderline over the hill.  The guy we signed to be the nickle corner hasn't even played a full game yet.  And Merriweather is pretty awful in coverage.

 

The problem is, you can't really hide players at the corner position.  The other team knows they haven't played and will pick on them until they prove they can.  There isn't much scheme-wise you can do to change it.

 

I agree with you up to a point, that the coaches haven't got the best players to work with, but I think you're reaching a bit trying to defend them.

 

I'll give you Breeland, he's very raw and has a lot to learn, although DHall was playing into the 3rd quarter of game three. Amerson maybe young but he's a talented player IMO and should have more than two PD in five games.

Maybe we haven't had a real FS until we signed Clark, but surely that's irrelevant, we did sign him and he's played every game. Borderline over the hill or experienced cover guy?

Merriweather is..... well yeah ok, he's not great in coverage.

 

Porter probably shouldn't be included in this. Apparently there was a sighting of him in the giants game?

 

It's obviously subjective but I just think that the players that we have could be doing better with better schemes/coaching. Passes defended is just one stat, but it's a stat that we are dead last in. Not good.

[ihateusernames]

and another thing....why do I just have this early feeling/hunch/sense that the Daniel Snyder led Redskins might get themselves involved in the N. Suh FA sweepstakes (and subsquently turn him into a 3/4 End) ?

 

Crazy stupid . right?

Yeah.  Exactly why I have that hunch.

[skinny21]

I'd keep Cofield around for now his age isn't ideal, but he can rush the passer. Looking forward to seeing him playing alongside Hatcher and Baker.

Biggers is a no brainer. Meriweather may be as well, but I don't feel comfortable with any of the guys behind him (yet). Besides, we may not need to cut him (the league doing our dirty work for us). Porter would have to actually do something to get off the cut list. Hopefully Polumbus winds up on the list. Chester too.

I'd try another coordinator before I got rid of Orakpo, but I'm not sure he (Orakpo) and I would see eye to eye contract-wise.

I actually like Riley when he's moving forward, but obviously he has serious coverage issues. On top of that he doesn't seem to shed well, which is less of an issue when the dline is playing the run... Either alter the scheme to fit him better or find someone better. Not sure I'd cut him until said person materialized though.

[Dark Acre]

Just a few years ago this place was mad for Riley.  Now he's like Norv's punter, in the doghouse.  I never really got the love for him since he kept making boneheaded penalties game after game and didn't seem all that bright.

[Koolblue13]

Bring in Wade Philips already.