Freelance Star:Defense can't get in a zone

[TK]

http://www.freelancestar.com/News/FLS/2003/122003/12042003/1188118

Defense can't get in a zone

Redskins defense seeing red

By ADAM HIMMELSBACH

Date published: 12/4/2003

Foes cash in on Redskins

ASHBURN--Washington Redskins linebacker Jeremiah Trotter and cornerback Champ Bailey have had several conversations about it recently.

Redskins defenders Champ Bailey (24) and

LaVar Arrington (56) team up to bring down Saints running back Deuce McAllister in last Sunday's loss. Washington allowed New Orleans to score three touchdowns and one field goal in four

trips into the red zone.

They know it's played a part in the recent skid in which the team has lost seven of eight games.

They are not, however, sure how to fix the problem.

For some reason, when opposing offenses saunter inside the team's 20-yard line--or the "red zone," as it's known--the Redskins seem to melt.

In fact, the squad is tied with the lowly San Diego Chargers for the worst red-zone touchdown percentage (66.7) in the NFL.

Opponents have marched across the Redskins' 20-yard line 39 times this season. They've scored 26 touchdowns and kicked 10 field goals.

"I can't put a finger on it," Trotter said yesterday. "I guess we're just not making plays. It seems like we do a pretty good job, and we'll hold guys to third down, and they get in on fourth down. Or we give them third and long and they score."

The New Orleans Saints took advantage of the Redskins last-fifth-of-the-field deficiencies in their 24-20 victory at FedEx Field on Sunday. They tallied three touchdowns and a field goal in four trips to the red zone.

Aided by a 40-yard pass-interference call on Bailey, the Saints crossed midfield on their third possession. Quarterback Aaron Brooks completed an 8-yard pass to Terrelle Smith to move the ball to the 16, Deuce McAllister gained nine yards, and Brooks capped the drive by scrambling for a 7-yard score.

"We've been getting a lot of quarterbacks running on us," Redskins cornerback Fred Smoot said. "We're stopping the set play and then there goes the quarterback to make the extra play, and we've got to stop it."

Bailey drew another costly pass-interference penalty in the third period, and Brooks ended up scoring on another quarterback keeper.

"A lot of it's because we're making penalties and keeping drives alive," Trotter said. "If you give a good offense a second chance to get in, most times they capitalize on it."

Finally, Brooks hit tight end Boo Williams over the middle for a 15-yard touchdown to put the final stamp on another fall-from-ahead loss by Washington.

"It's just a matter of not being in the right place when we have to be," Bailey said. "Once we break down in something, it seems like teams find it and take advantage of that opportunity."

Redskins defensive coordinator George Edwards has taken a tub full of flak for the unit's struggles. In addition to the red-zone problems, the Redskins rank in the bottom quarter of the NFL in both yardage and points allowed per game.

Rumors have swirled that Edwards will not be brought back next season, but the players remain supportive of their coordinator.

"We can't put that on George," Trotter said. "He's done a great job making calls. We just have to execute the calls we're getting."

Bailey, a free-agent-to-be who has been in Edwards' corner throughout, spoke about the defensive coordinator in the past tense yesterday.

"The one thing about George is, we didn't want a change, because we knew if he stayed it'd be the same system," he said. "We just want some stability, some consistency around here. It hurts us that we haven't done it for him."

The Redskins will get a chance to right their sinking ship when they visit the equally struggling New York Giants (4-8) on Sunday.

Cornerback Fred Smoot has an idea how to solve the team's red-zone malaise in that contest.

"I say the way to make the red-zone defense better is to just not let them in the red zone, period," Smoot said. "We just do what we've got to do beforehand and it'll kill a lot of other things."

To reach ADAM HIMMELSBACH: 540/374-5442 ahimmelsbach@freelancestar.com