How does our defense work?
 

This is a question that I think that needs to be put out into the open. I mean we keep on hearing all these things about how we need D-Line help then Gibbs gives the line a vote of confidence saying that the line isn't even the main source of pressure when it comes to getting after the quarterback.

Then the Redskins draft a safety whos going to be a hell of a player but when its all said and done I still don't know exactly how our defense work or what Landry's role is going to be.

Anyway heres what I do know.

- It has been described to me as a hybrid cover 2 scheme.

- We love to blitz from everywhere wether it be linebacker, safety, or corner the fact is we love to blitz.

- Greg Williams is our defensive coordinator

But heres what I don't know.

- Who gets everyone lined up, do the Mike and SS share the responibility (I keep on hearing praises about the abilities of Pierce and Clark to do this while they here)?

- Are the DL playing one gap or two and are they expected to get penetration or hold their ground?

- How often do we get our DL to drop into coverage?

- How often do we play man-to-man compared to zone?

- Do we use zone-blitzes?

- Do we count on M. Washington as our main pass rush threat?

- Who will win American Idol?

The answers to any of these questions will be greatly appreciated otherwise I wouldn't have created the thread in the first place.

Re: How does our defense work?
 

Clearly we are going to run a 4-5-2. It's a brand new scheme for a team with two dag nasty safties. I'm not sure how it works, but at least we are going to make people bleed. That's really not so bad as long as the O has a major leap forward.

Re: How does our defense work?
 

[quote=Dirtbag359;304372]- Who gets everyone lined up, do the Mike and SS share the responibility (I keep on hearing praises about the abilities of Pierce and Clark to do this while they here)?[/quote]
Hopefully London, who is familiar with the system.

Re: How does our defense work?
 

[quote=wilsowilso;304380]Clearly we are going to run a 4-5-2. It's a brand new scheme for a team with two dag nasty safties. I'm not sure how it works, but at least we are going to make people bleed. That's really not so bad as long as the O has a major leap forward.[/quote]

4-5-2?...that is brand-new? How do you know this? Where are you getting this new scheme from...

Re: How does our defense work?
 

[quote=hooskins;304395]4-5-2?...that is brand-new? How do you know this? Where are you getting this new scheme from...[/quote]

It's a scheme with no cornerbacks, 5 linebackers and 2 safeties. It's real cutting edge stuff.

Re: How does our defense work?
 

[quote=TenandSix:Unacceptable;304401]It's a scheme with no cornerbacks, 5 linebackers and 2 safeties. It's real cutting edge stuff.[/quote]

Exactly.

Re: How does our defense work?
 

The design is predicated on injuring all the other teams skill players before the start of the 4th quarter, it is supposed to give the team that employs it a real advantage in the second game of divisional rivalries.

Re: How does our defense work?
 

Landry better start ... and I think as long as he shows up in camp he will....

I think we have great depth and will use that depth in all sorts of crazy schemes, getting landry has been a wet dream for williams all off-season I'm sure... even so.. i'm not sure what to expect but that m-F'R BETTER, HE BETTER START.

Re: How does our defense work?
 

Ill tell you how it going to be run. Right down our throats and the QB will have all day to throw. Im so glad we didnt address our needs on the dline and got another qb and te and 2 LB.

Re: How does our defense work?
 

[quote=TenandSix:Unacceptable;304409]The design is predicated on injuring all the other teams skill players before the start of the 4th quarter, it is supposed to give the team that employs it a real advantage in the second game of divisional rivalries.[/quote]

Thats Hilarious.[URL="http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=Hilarious&sp=1&fr2=sp-top&ei=utf-8&fr=slv8-tyc7&ei=UTF-8&SpellState=n-2149014805_q-76aVMejHZLFOaOcX1QAuLgAAAA%40%40"][B][COLOR=#0000de][/COLOR][/B][/URL]

Re: How does our defense work?
 

[quote=CHIEF CHUCKING MY SPEAR;304420]Ill tell you how it going to be run. Right down our throats and the QB will have all day to throw. Im so glad we didnt address our needs on the dline and got another qb and te and 2 LB.[/quote]

I don't know. We were very stout against the run during Williams tenure here except of course for last year. I say we bounce back against the run.

Re: How does our defense work?
 

The mike LB is generally responsible for lining up the D in the right spots. Pierce was great at this, and Clark helped bring along a young Sean Taylor. It was no coincidence that Taylor regressed in Clark's absence. It's not like Landry is gonna jump in there and start telling Taylor where to be on the field. The way I see it, Taylor needs to focus on his technique and coverage skills and become more of a leader. He's entering his 4th year now, and he was a top 5 draft pick. Time to step up.

Re: How does our defense work?
 

look griffith has been hurt the last two years, big joe been hurt too, daniels stinks and you can run all over carter. Goldston ok so is montgomery, that why the skins should have tried to get some dline to protect the LB so they can do their job. Our pass rush is horrible and im being nice about that.

Re: How does our defense work?
 

[I]I'm not sure how it works, but at least [B]we are going to make people bleed[/B].[/I]

i like that

Re: How does our defense work?
 

[quote=Dirtbag359;304372]This is a question that I think that needs to be put out into the open. I mean we keep on hearing all these things about how we need D-Line help then Gibbs gives the line a vote of confidence saying that the line isn't even the main source of pressure when it comes to getting after the quarterback.

Then the Redskins draft a safety whos going to be a hell of a player but when its all said and done I still don't know exactly how our defense work or what Landry's role is going to be.

Anyway heres what I do know.

- It has been described to me as a hybrid cover 2 scheme.

- We love to blitz from everywhere wether it be linebacker, safety, or corner the fact is we love to blitz.

- Greg Williams is our defensive coordinator

But heres what I don't know.

- Who gets everyone lined up, do the Mike and SS share the responibility (I keep on hearing praises about the abilities of Pierce and Clark to do this while they here)?

- Are the DL playing one gap or two and are they expected to get penetration or hold their ground?

- How often do we get our DL to drop into coverage?

- How often do we play man-to-man compared to zone?

- Do we use zone-blitzes?

- Do we count on M. Washington as our main pass rush threat?

- Who will win American Idol?

The answers to any of these questions will be greatly appreciated otherwise I wouldn't have created the thread in the first place.[/quote]

Very good questions, too bad no one has any answers (including myself). How someone can answer intelligently b/c you raise good issues. Some should go more or less point by point with some answers.

Re: How does our defense work?
 

Two personal impressions of our defensive scheme:

1. Despite all the talk about how G. Williams likes to bring the blitz, I tend to think that he doesn't employ it enough. I especially remember it being a big problem in the first half of 2005 when we were not getting a pass rush (actually, last year may have been worse although I didn't see as many games). The lack of a pass rush has consequently resulted in a lack of turnovers.

2. We seem to employ our linebackers and safeties in a lot of zone coverage. Our Mike in particular takes a lot of deep drops. I've heard it mentioned that we employ a cover two, but it seems like our safeties have struggled particularly in coverage (we have been especially vulnerable to the deep pass). Our reliance on the front four to generate a pass rush strongly suggests a cover two scheme, which relies heavily on the d-line to put pressure while the LBs and secondary sit back in zone. However, a scheme like that is supposed to be solid against the deep pass since both safeties are used to cover that area.

Overall, are tendency to go after physical, hard-hitting safeties instead of cover guys seems to buck against the cover 2 defense, even though John Lynch certainly flourished in that defense and happens to be an awesome hitter. Additionally, our lack of attention to defensive line needs combined with an emphasis on getting guys for the secondary (we drafted high for Rogers, Taylor, and Landry and are still trying to keep Springs) could signal a reliance more on the secondary while LBs are sent after the QB. I personally would like to see more blitzes using Washington, Fletcher, Marshall, and McIntosh.

Re: How does our defense work?
 

[quote=gabe1984;304497][I]I'm not sure how it works, but at least [B]we are going to make people bleed[/B].[/I]

i like that[/quote]

Oh yeah...when we drafted Landry, I immediately pictured Dallas WRs running throught the middle of the field and getting crushed to a fine powder by Taylor and Landry. It's going to be REALLY run to watch with our TWO Ronnie Lott Jr.s locked and loaded to destroy.
:smashfrea


I can't wait to see them in action. It's going to be a LONG 5 months and 2 weeks until September 9th at FedEx.

Re: How does our defense work?
 

[quote=CHIEF CHUCKING MY SPEAR;304432]look griffith has been hurt the last two years, big joe been hurt too, daniels stinks and you can run all over carter. Goldston ok so is montgomery, that why the skins should have tried to get some dline to protect the LB so they can do their job. Our pass rush is horrible and im being nice about that.[/quote]

Griffin will be healthy and so will big joe at least for the beginning of the season (keeping fingers crossed). If they can hold up for one more year golston and montomery might be far enuff along to step in there next year. Carter can rush well if he maintains his late season form and Daniels doesn't flat out suck, he is just aging. With the LB's that we have i think we could move to a 3-4 scheme, where carter is more naturally fit for. However, I dont think williams is willing to change from a 4-3. I just hope Landry pans out cuz we could have REALLY used a top D-lineman this year!

Re: How does our defense work?
 

Actually last year it didn't work! It's currently broken! Hopefully with Landry and 2nd yr McIntosh it will be fixed this season and get back to 2005 form.

Re: How does our defense work?
 

[quote=Rajmahal33;304823]Griffin will be healthy and so will big joe at least for the beginning of the season (keeping fingers crossed). If they can hold up for one more year golston and montomery might be far enuff along to step in there next year. Carter can rush well if he maintains his late season form and Daniels doesn't flat out suck, he is just aging. With the LB's that we have i think we could move to a 3-4 scheme, where carter is more naturally fit for. However, I dont think williams is willing to change from a 4-3. I just hope Landry pans out cuz we could have REALLY used a top D-lineman this year![/quote]

Carter struggled in the 3-4 in San Fran, which is one of the reasons he came to D.C. It isn't so easy to just transition to the 3-4 scheme as it requires specialized players. At this point the Skins would lack many parts (including a big nose tackle, big D Ends, stand up outside backers who excel at rushing the passer). There is a reason it takes a couple of years to transition between schemes, you need specialized pieces, plus Williams does not and to my knowledge has never employed a 3-4. This is an obvious point, I know, but we are not moving to a 3-4 any time soon.

Re: How does our defense work?
 

Here's my take. I know more about offense than defense but FWIW:


- Who gets everyone lined up, do the Mike and SS share the responibility (I keep on hearing praises about the abilities of Pierce and Clark to do this while they here)?

The Mike has responsibility for calling the play in the huddle and for the pre snap allignment of the front seven. The communication among the secondary is less clearly defined and if Tom Friend is to be believed - non existent.

- Are the DL playing one gap or two and are they expected to get penetration or hold their ground?

Good question. I think they are suppossed to get penetration but often end up holding their ground (on a good day).

- How often do we get our DL to drop into coverage?

We use some zone blitz. I didn't see it that often last year. I think Phil Daniels had a pickle against Jax. Williams went conservative after it became ovvious that Arch was a joke. We will see more next year.

- How often do we play man-to-man compared to zone?

Someone may have the percentages exactly but I would guess about 75% zone last season. I think Williams would like to play more man or more combinations but he was having to protect the cornerbacks. He had to play a lot more Cover 2 than he would have liked.

- Do we use zone-blitzes?

See above.

- Do we count on M. Washington as our main pass rush threat?

He has been our most effective blitzer. I think they would like to see 4 or 5 sacks from just about every player on the defense. The idea is that you can't predict where the pressure comes from. Last year opposing teams seemed to know exactly where the blitz was coming from.


I have some questions of my own:

1. In that NYT article last season, Parcells talked about the Redskins "diamond point" defense. He said that was the Redskin's best look. Does anyone know what it is?

2. How close are Williams' scemes to those employed by Buddy Ryan in Chicago and Philadelphia? I think they've added some things from Dick Lebeau and even Jack Pardee but can someone explain the Ryan influence? What exactly was a 46 defense beyond the fact that he seemed to always have eight guys right up on the line of scrimmage? I've never seen a decent explanation of it, even when the Bears were winning their SB.