Gibbs takes the heat, but is Grilliams really to blame?

[Paintrain]

From day one Gibbs said that Williams is responsible for the defense, tell us who you want and we'll get him.. Let's look at some of the players not deemed worthy of $ in Grilliams system and what could have been..
MLB-Trotter.. Granted he struggled badly in DC but Williams never brought him to camp. Told him to stay away and cut him June 1st.. He's again become the rock of the Eagles LB corp.. This move was the precursor for the downfall of the defense..
OLB/MLB-Pierce.. Ok, so you let Trotter go, then you replace him with a faster younger version and you let HIM go.. Letting Pierce go is the single biggest error (moreso than Brunell) of the Gibbs II era. Keeping Trotter and Pierce would have avoided moving Marshall to MLB, had him as added depth, and drafting Merriman (see below) wouldn't have forced us to move this year's 2nd round pick for McIntosh.
CB-Smoot and Harris.. Spectacular? No. Solid, definitely. Better than Rogers and Wright? Without question. Now Harris was burnt more than anyone last year but as a nickel back he wasn't as bad as when he was pressed into duty and even then he wasn't as bad as Kenny Wrong. Keeping Smoot would have allowed us to draft Shawn Merriman which would make a huge difference in our defense.
S-Bowen & Clark.. Clark obviously moreso than Bowen is sorely missed but in the system Bowen was serviceable when pressed into duty. Losing Prielou was a huge blow no doubt, but Bowen was better than Vincent or Vernon Fox..

I know I'm re-stating the obvious with alot of things but the domino effect of letting Trotter go is devastating if you look at it.. Thanks Grilliams!

[TheMalcolmConnection]

Hindsight is always a bitch.

That being said, I still believe that a lot of this is GW's ego. He thinks he can make a star out of anyone.

[SmootSmack]

The irony is you're forgetting that Pierce was only put in there because Michael Barrow couldn't stay healthy enough to play.

However, up until this year Williams has done a good job so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

[gabe1984]

I agree with you except for what you think about Bowen. The man could hit, but he used to give up a lot of big plays by taking bad angles at tackles, I don't miss him too much.

[jbcjr14]

Originally Posted by gabe1984

I agree with you except for what you think about Bowen. The man could hit, but he used to give up a lot of big plays by taking bad angles at tackles, I don't miss him too much.

Bowen's gone?[/sarcasm] Shit, I though he was still here and he just changed his number to #40!

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by jbcjr14

Bowen's gone?[/sarcasm] Shit, I though he was still here and he just changed his number to #40!

Bowen was better than AA. Anyone want to argue that?

[FRPLG]

Trotter was garbage here. Not even playing at a level worthy of a roster spot. I think blaming Williams for not wanting a guy who had done nothing and looked 100% washed up is heaping on a little bit. Not giving Williams a bye on the other stuff which I agree with but Trotter was not a mistake. And his level of play in Philly hasd been only adequate if you ask a lot of fans. He is asked to do only a few things and he does them ok. His biggest help is in leadership. I am not crying over the loss of Trotter. Trotter leaving put Pierce in position to be the guy he is today. Who's to say Pierce isn't languishing on special teams if we keep Trotter?

[jbcjr14]

I wasn't arguing...I was implying they both weren't very good fits apparently for GW's plan.

[Sean"Big Hurt"Taylor]

No one knew that Trotter was going to pan out as a stud middle linebacker. If you think about it we did sign Michael Barrow to become the starter at middle linebacker for us before his injury. I do not think that Pierce was even in our plans in the beginning he was just depth. The when the inury took place Pierce got his chance and was made a star by Gregg Williams. Not that I think we should haven't kept him but he was made a star by williams. He just has to understand you have to have players some of the time at key positions which I think he knows now. He will get this ship back together but it will take players.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

To be perfectly honest, we could start next season with the SAME PLAYERS we have now, and as long as they are healthy, would at LEAST be a top fifteen defense.

[12thMan]

I'm sorry, I'm not giving Wiliams the benefit of the doubt. He had one exceptional year, '04. During the '05 season the defense was getting thrashed for big plays the same way, and really it wasn't until that five game stretch toward the end that they hunkered down to finish in the top 10.

This past season seemed like a continuation of the 2005 season if you ask me. I get the feeling that if the Redskins field a top 15 defense next year that some may feel Williams has somehow redeemed himself. I differ, only because once you finish near the bottom one year, it's not difficult to start to climb the ladder in the other direction.

I think Gregg Williams is a solid, capable defensive coordinator in the NFL. I also think his perceived, and I say perceived because I don't personally know him, stems from him wanting to be and perhaps envionsioning himself as a head coach again, which is fine.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

I'm sorry, I'm not giving Wiliams the benefit of the doubt. He had one exceptional year, '04. During the '05 season the defense was getting thrashed for big plays the same way, and really it wasn't until that five game stretch toward the end that they hunkered down to finish in the top 10.

Perhaps, but 2004 wasn't his first year coaching defense in the NFL

[MTK]

Trotter isn't the kind of MLB that could lead a Williams' defense. He's just not heady enough. Trotter is best when he's in attack mode moving downhill. He's not a cover guy and he's not a guy that can QB your defense. Anyone that's still complaining about us letting him go just doesn't know jack about what this defense is all about.

The fact that GW didn't even want him in camp is telling. It tells you he clearly knew he wasn't the guy to run his D. Nuff said.

[Redskins_P]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Trotter isn't the kind of MLB that could lead a Williams' defense. He's just not heady enough. Trotter is best when he's in attack mode moving downhill. He's not a cover guy and he's not a guy that can QB your defense. Anyone that's still complaining about us letting him go just doesn't know jack about what this defense is all about.

The fact that GW didn't even want him in camp is telling. It tells you he clearly knew he wasn't the guy to run his D. Nuff said.

I agree. Trotter is a perfect fit for Jim Johnson's defense, but not GW's or anyone elses for that matter.

Put Trotter on anyone elses defense and he won't be nearly as good as he is under Johnson's scheme. He's the perfect definition of a "system" guy.

[MTK]

The D line was seriously banged up in '05 and once they got healthy the entire D responded.