Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

Gregg Williams said in a press conference that Sean will play the free and laron will play the strong for 3 reasons

1. sean is better in coverage and has better hands
2. laron is a better blitzer and faster so he will get there quicker
3. wants to put taylor in more postions to get the ball

(didnt use those exact words but bascially whats he's trying to say that he feels laron if continued will be able to start week one cause he says they both can play one on one extremely well)

did everyone basically see it panning out this way? Sean at free and laron at strong

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

no.... la ron is a great coverage guy... i understand he never gave up a td in his college carreer... and taylor is a frreaking linebacker...

BUT... taylor can cover if that's what he's trying to do, and Landry looks good blitzing with all that speed... so I'm sure he'll be using them both for both positions...

the labels I think can be dropped in this instance...

2 pretty great all around safeties... better for confusing offenses...

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

The thing I don't get is that Sean Taylor is 230 pounds while Landry is 213 pounds. I would think that Taylor is more qualified to be near the line of scrimage, even though Landry isn't exactly a cupcake.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[QUOTE=Dirtbag359;307555]The thing I don't get is that Sean Taylor is 230 pounds while Landry is 213 pounds. I would think that Taylor is more qualified to be near the line of scrimage, even though Landry isn't exactly a cupcake.[/QUOTE]

I think it's a good move. ST's biggest asset is not his ability to whack people, it's his ball skills. I love the idea of ST roaming around in the backfield looking to pick passes.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[quote=Sheriff Gonna Getcha;307557]I think it's a good move. ST's biggest asset is not his ability to whack people, it's his ball skills. I love the idea of ST roaming around in the backfield looking to pick passes.[/quote]


so do i man i am really drooling here thinking about it

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[quote=Sheriff Gonna Getcha;307557]I think it's a good move. ST's biggest asset is not his ability to whack people, it's his ball skills. I love the idea of ST roaming around in the backfield looking to pick passes.[/quote]

Agreed. And the reason we haven't seen that in the NFL yet is because he hasn't been able to roam free back there. The guy had 10 INTs his last year at Miami. The one knock Mel Kiper had on LaRon was his hands (I think he might have had 3 INTs last year and some of those were pretty horrible passes). Sounds good to me.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

There's a reason G Will calls ST swoop, unfortunately our defense hasn't allowed him to be in that position. I still remember what ESPN insider labeled Sean Taylor: "Runs like a gazelle, hits like a mack truck."

Let ST play the ball and coverage, let Landry blitz/play the run. The nice thing about this safety duo is they are somewhat interchangeable. Both extremely gifted and versatile players. From what I understand, Landry isn't very good at playing the ball right now so ST playing midfield allows us to get some more TOs

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/05/AR2007050500977.html]Williams Adds Some Definition to the Secondary - washingtonpost.com[/url]

here's the link

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/05/AR2007050500776.html]'Dirty-Dirty' Landry: Just What the Redskins Need - washingtonpost.com[/url]

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

Earthquake, we got our man. This is gonna be fun.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[quote=TenandSix:Unacceptable;307585]Earthquake, we got our man. This is gonna be fun.[/quote]


i know i have been saying it i am drooling at the mouth

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[QUOTE=canthetuna;307550]
the labels I think can be dropped in this instance...

2 pretty great all around safeties... better for confusing offenses...[/QUOTE]

I really like the sound of this!!! Keep them all guessing!!!

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

Welcome back Cover 1. We missed you.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[quote=canthetuna;307550]no.... la ron is a great coverage guy... i understand he never gave up a td in his college carreer... and taylor is a frreaking linebacker...

BUT... taylor can cover if that's what he's trying to do, and Landry looks good blitzing with all that speed... so I'm sure he'll be using them both for both positions...

the labels I think can be dropped in this instance...

2 pretty great all around safeties... better for confusing offenses...[/quote]

The labels are back! And we're gonna love 'em!

Hey, maybe that can be their nickname: The Labels.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

Haha, i like it. Dirty Dirty and the Grim Reaper. Muahaha!

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

am i the only person that feels like we have 5 linebackers playing and is worried about that? I mean i love ST but i dont consider him a very good cover safety

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[quote=Duffman003;307594]am i the only person that feels like we have 5 linebackers playing and is worried about that? I mean i love ST but i dont consider him a very good cover safety[/quote]

Fear not.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[quote=Duffman003;307594]am i the only person that feels like we have 5 linebackers playing and is worried about that? I mean i love ST but i dont consider him a very good cover safety[/quote]

Look they are both fast so it really doesn't matter much. In GW's Defense I don't believe that there is a difference between the two. He does the same but different things with both. What I have noticed is that in his defense there are 11 football players and they all pretty much do everything, and that means play defense.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[quote=angryssg;307596]Look they are both fast so it really doesn't matter much. In GW's Defense I don't believe that there is a difference between the two. He does the same but different things with both. What I have noticed is that in his defense there are 11 football players and they all pretty much do everything, and that means play defense.[/quote]

Well, except for last year. Last year they did everything [I]but[/I] play defense.

Also, I think what most people expected after drafting LL is that we wanted to have two players who could be interchangeable and keep defenses guessing. It appears, after GW's comments, that that is not exactly the case. We will in fact see more of ST patrolling the deep part of the field, and see more of LL up close to the line of scrimmage, that's why he is differentiating their positions clearly, something he didn't do last year. I think what we may have seen last year with Sean, is that he is better suited playing with the ball in front of him. I sense that his apparent drop in coverage ability was perhaps more a result of him having to do things he is not best suited for. LL frees him up to cover ground as the play unfolds and make plays in the air. Of course, they will not be predictable because both can do a lot of things, but their roles are already being outlined. The real unpredictability factor is going to come from who's blitzing and who's covering out of the remaining players not named Sean. With LL up close to the line, you don't know what he's going to be responsible for: Blitz? Cover the TE or RB? Run support? Drop out on a WR while a CB blitzes the edge? His versatility will open up the defensive playbook. That, and the fact that we'll have head hunters on both levels behind the line of scrimmage, is what will keep our opponents up at night.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[quote=TenandSix:Unacceptable;307599]Well, except for last year. Last year they did everything [I]but[/I] play defense.

Also, I think what most people expected after drafting LL is that we wanted to have two players who could be interchangeable and keep defenses guessing. It appears, after GW's comments, that that is not exactly the case. We will in fact see more of ST patrolling the deep part of the field, and see more of LL up close to the line of scrimmage, that's why he is differentiating their positions clearly, something he didn't do last year. I think what we may have seen last year with Sean, is that he is better suited playing with the ball in front of him. I sense that his apparent drop in coverage ability was perhaps more a result of him having to do things he is not best suited for. LL frees him up to cover ground as the play unfolds and make plays in the air. Of course, they will not be predictable because both can do a lot of things, but their roles are already being outlined. The real unpredictability factor is going to come from who's blitzing and who's covering out of the remaining players not named Sean. With LL up close to the line, you don't know what he's going to be responsible for: Blitz? Cover the TE or RB? Run support? Drop out on a WR while a CB blitzes the edge? His versatility will open up the defensive playbook. That, and the fact that we'll have head hunters on both levels behind the line of scrimmage, is what will keep our opponents up at night.[/quote]

I think that you may have their roles reversed a little. If the skins are going to put a safety in the box it should be Taylor not Laron.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[quote=angryssg;307600]I think that you may have their roles reversed a little. If the skins are going to put a safety in the box it should be Taylor not Laron.[/quote]

That's what I was kind of thinking pre-draft, but according to our defensive coordinator it's the other way around. The entire interview is on redskins.com. It makes sense, too.

ST is the perfect jump ball saftey who dishes out a lot of punishment. He has the height, speed, hops and wingspan to break up plays, get interceptions and intimidate WR's. The over the middle pass is his domain. Coming into our house and going over the middle is going to be a dangerous chore with him patrolling the middle, we just need to reign him in a tad so he doesn't bite on the fake. If he's close enough to make the play, he is exceptionally suited to that role.

LL is the hunt down the play ball hawk who can blitz, tackle and cover. He'll be hard to spot because of his stature and versatility. You come around that corner on the sweep, and there he is, driving you into the ground, that is, if he isn't already around the edge on a blitz wrapping you up before you even get there.

On third and long, they'll split the field in halves and they'll both patrol back there, pick your poison.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[quote=Duffman003;307594]am i the only person that feels like we have 5 linebackers playing and is worried about that? I mean i love ST but i dont consider him a very good cover safety[/quote]
I'm with you. right now the skins have 2 safety's who lack in coverage skills. that worked pretty well last year with Taylor and Arch, huh? i do not like this pick at all

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

It sounds more like Williams has looked at the tape and realized that there was a lot of confusion in the secondary last year. This is going to be a way to simplify things. Having Laron frees up the corner blitzes again. It also will help Taylor's coverage in that Taylor won't have to play run first and then try to recover. That's what was killing him last year. He was always trying to do two things, covering for other guys.

I thought that having Landry would make he and Taylor interchangable and help desguise the defense. I still think that he will do that, I just think that Williams has decided to limit Taylors role so that he can stop thinking and just play. He can disguise the defense using Landry by blitzing from safety, corner or LB.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[quote=dmek25;307614]I'm with you. right now the skins have 2 safety's who lack in coverage skills. that worked pretty well last year with Taylor and Arch, huh? i do not like this pick at all[/quote]

Give it a chance before you jump under the bus.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[quote=Sheriff Gonna Getcha;307557]I think it's a good move. ST's biggest asset is not his ability to whack people, it's his ball skills. I love the idea of ST roaming around in the backfield looking to pick passes.[/quote]

SGG, I also think it's a good move.
However, I think he whacking skills are at least equal to his ball skills. Kinda hard to pick one over the other with ST.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

I am guessing we won't run anything like a traditional safety coverage. We have two guys who can do multiple things well. They'll both play a hybrid and we'll eschew having a designated strong and free. Oh maybe they'll be called one or the other but they wont play that much differently. Situation and a desire to mix it up will mean they both are covering and blitzing.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

As long as they spend 14-16 hours a day working on his anti-pump fake biting skills then I'm okay with ST playing back there with Landry blitzing.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

I'm watching the GW press conference right now and it's getting me pumped up.

I'm paraphrasing, but here is some of what I got from the interview:

"Sean Taylor will be in position now to go get the ball... Last year we brought him up in the box a lot, but I want him to go get the ball this year",

"Landry likes to hunt people down, if you watch his sugar bowl game film, he wasn't just winning his man to man match ups, he was hunting people down... and that's what we want to do on defense"
[B]
"When we had a pro workout with some players, the best person who had a workout wasn't LaRon... Jason Campbell was the best out there. You can tell he has put a lot of work in. From a defensive stand point I can see that how much work he's put in, and thats good" [/B]

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

Interesting move by GW. I think he's looking to simplify things by limiting their roles and not putting so much on their plates.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

I think once the two safeties get acquainted with one another that STs tendency to bite on every pump fake will get better. Last year ST tried to do everything and that hurt him all the way around. I think GWill wants to keep this relatively simple to start and slowly add more and more wrinkles to it.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[quote=Daseal;307658]I think once the two safeties get acquainted with one another that STs tendency to bite on every pump fake will get better. Last year ST tried to do everything and that hurt him all the way around. I think GWill wants to keep this relatively simple to start and slowly add more and more wrinkles to it.[/quote]I think you are right to an extent.

A lot of what Taylor was doing last year seemed to be accounting for the run because he didn't trust the front 7 to do their jobs (and for good reason). So with Fletcher and Landry on board, there is theroretically more reason for Taylor to have faith in the front 7 to do their jobs.

However, breaking a bad habit is very hard to do. It's hardwired into his mind to be agressive whenever he sees play action. There is no guarentee that the coaches have nearly enough power to change that. You can tell him what he's doing wrong ad nauseum. You can threaten to sit him. But if he sees playaction and instinctively steps foward, he's always going to be out of position. At this point, there may be little our coaches can do for him.

If he works at it, he can get better at showing patience over time. But in effect, we may be changing the way he plays the game. The output may be an entirely different player, and that could be for the better, but also it could be for the worse.

There are zero certainties surrounding Taylor right now. He could be very good, or he could be very average. Or maybe he doesn't change, still lays the wood to backs and receivers over the middle and still costs us many points against the play action pass. Who knows?

I think one of the perks about Landry is he's a very technically sound player, and if we are very, very lucky, some of that might rub off on ST. But only if he's willing to take some pointers from a rook.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[quote=Mattyk72;307649]Interesting move by GW. I think he's looking to simplify things by limiting their roles and not putting so much on their plates.[/quote]

I hope and think he realizes they did a bit too much last year with a lack of good personnel. He probably sees his "amazing" system needs some tweaks, and I hope he is coming off his high horse. We can hope this an arrogant person's ways of realizing they were wrong.

Lets also keep in mind if he is to be Gibbs heir, then I think he realizes he cant fuck up this year.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

Well, no doubt that our cover-2 was WEAK last year, so moving to cover-1 has got to help.

I think that freeing up Taylor is good. The crucial thing is that if teams go away from Taylor, then LaRon can hold up his end in coverage. But his main role will be to crack skulls and help in the box.

Either way, we've imporved our secondary trememdously. And it's nice to hear GW trying to fix things--his rep is on the line here as well.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[quote=dmek25;307614]I'm with you. right now the skins have 2 safety's who lack in coverage skills. that worked pretty well last year with Taylor and Arch, huh? i do not like this pick at all[/quote]I do consider Landry to be a good cover safety. Taylor's a hitter. Landry has the complete game...or at least he will once he gets some NFL experience.

Still, its hard to justify passing on a once in a lifetime prospect (Okoye) at a need position.

Love the player (Landry), hate the pick.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

sean taylors ball skills are absolutely unbelievale and the thought of him being back where he can make plays(both ints and hits), is gonna be fun to watch. landry is perfect for us man because his ability to recognize and react is awesome. he will be making so many plays at or behind the line of scrimmage. man i swear we are so due for a big turnover year man, we havent had a bunch of turnovers in awhile. in 05 we had a good amount but not a huge amount, we are due and these two guys are gonna lead the charge.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[quote=angryssg;307600]I think that you may have their roles reversed a little. If the skins are going to put a safety in the box it should be Taylor not Laron.[/quote]

I think I will trust Gregg Williams on this one.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[quote=GTripp0012;307684]I do consider Landry to be a good cover safety. Taylor's a hitter. Landry has the complete game...or at least he will once he gets some NFL experience.

Still, its hard to justify passing on a once in a lifetime prospect (Okoye) at a need position.

[B]Love the player (Landry), hate the pick[/B].[/quote]
i guess this is sort of what i was trying to say. with a draft very deep in defensive linemen, why not take one?

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

Because defensive linemen have the highest bust rate in the NFL and our need for D Line help is overly exaggerated?

*I know DEs often bust, can't say the same for DTs necessarily.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

I find it comical that the Warpath members seem to know more about our defensive backfield than Gregg Williams.

I also find it funny that with one bad year (where he had zero help), Sean Taylor has lost all of the cover skills that he demonstrated in college and years one and two of his career. This lack of perspective can be very annoying at times.

Re: Sean Taylor at Free Safety and LaRon Landry at Strong Safety
 

[quote=Daseal;307696]Because defensive linemen have the highest bust rate in the NFL and [B]our need for D Line help is overly exaggerated?[/B]

*I know DEs often bust, can't say the same for DTs necessarily.[/quote]
i don't know how anyone can say this. Daniels or Salaava could not play for any other team in the league, let alone start. Griffith is on the downside of his career. that leaves Carter as the only legitimate NFL linemen we have. and the jury is still out on him