Merged: The Pass Rush... & turnovers...

[TheMalcolmConnection]

I'll make a bold prediction for the year: Landry leads in sacks.

Not that bold, but I bet we'll have quite a few sacks, but Landry will lead the team with 8-9. I think Carter and Daniels will get some pressure, but mostly just to occupy blockers leaving Landry wide-open.

[holcknowsbest]

here is my bold prediction....we will lead the nfc in total defense and give up fewer points than the bears. and will have the number 1 defense against the run this year. thats my extremely bold prediction.

[That Guy]

our lb corp should be a billion times better this year. you can't overstate the improvement from holdman -> fletcher/godfrey/mcintosh. that guy was beyond bad.

our dbs are much better now, since we're 4 deep with starters at cb and 3 deep at safety. our nickel/dime/quarter packages will be beast.

our dline still sucks though. griffin is amazing, if he's not hurt. the rest are okay, but none of them are above average.

[4mrusmc]

Originally Posted by 70Chip

I don't anticipate a big rush from our front four but you would like to see some improvement. Not that many teams in the league get great pressure with four , so I don't get into a twist about it. The key is you have to be able to lock down the receivers with the other seven. This is the area where we failed last year and where we need to improve the most. We must get better secondary play. Springs being healthy is the biggest help there

Also, I anticipate a better yield from our blitzes because of better, healthier personell. Landry blitzes well. Ditto Godfrey. And Washington and Pray-Low will both be healthy(soon) and they are fantastic blitzers.

Turnovers are something that happen because you are doing other things well. I think once we break the seal in that regard, it will be Katey bar the door as the great Ken Beatrice used to say.

Well said 70chip. I think that a front four that can apply preasure and cause mad havoc with assorted bodies flying all over, will do much to create confusion. And confusion equals turnovers.

[Oakland Red]

Hope for a much better pass rush and many more turnovers:

The Cover 3 | postgameheroes.com

Here is an analysis of the new Cover 3 scheme that the Redskins are employing this season. The author suggests it fits the personnel of the Redskins very well. He's got a personal problem with Carlos Rogers, and probably exaggerates about him unfairly. (Where he talks about "Rogers' patented cushion" it was 2nd and 16 and you would think he would give him a substantial cushion). However, it is overall an informative piece to me.

[JWsleep]

Nice link, Red. I don't know how much we showed in terms of variation out of that formation yet--that's always been a strength of GW. That will help. Plus, they say they are having the DL attack more rather than just occupy blockers.

But whatever happens, we need pressure. If you don't get pressure, even a mediocre QB can pick you apart. And given enough time, almost any WR will get open. We'll see.

As for TOs, I think they will come. I feel like we're kind of jinxed on that right now--people dropping easy picks (not just Carlos), and fumbles bouncing back to the other team, etc. That will even out one of these days!

[70Chip]

Originally Posted by Oakland Red

Hope for a much better pass rush and many more turnovers:

The Cover 3 | postgameheroes.com

Here is an analysis of the new Cover 3 scheme that the Redskins are employing this season. The author suggests it fits the personnel of the Redskins very well. He's got a personal problem with Carlos Rogers, and probably exaggerates about him unfairly. (Where he talks about "Rogers' patented cushion" it was 2nd and 16 and you would think he would give him a substantial cushion). However, it is overall an informative piece to me.

Fantastic link, Oakland.

My hope is that they mix the cover 3 with cover 1. In both defenses Taylor is Centerfield and Landry is near the line. They can be used interchangably. I actually prefer cover 1 because you can bring extra blitzers and the CBs aren't backed way off. I think we need to make our corners challenge the opposing WR rather than giving cushion. I hate that cushion. I think we are a better man to man defense than we are a zone defense. This includes LBers and secondary.

Also,in obvious passing situatiuons you can bring in Pray-Low and Fox to play deep with Taylor and have the CBs play man underneath. This is the 3 Man Under as you Maddenites are aware.

If I have one worry going ino the season about our defense it is their ability to play zone. Early on (and especially against a wiley vet like Green), I would rather blitz a ton and challenge my corners to step up to the plate in single coverage. Green will absolutely pick a zone apart if he's not pressured.

[backrow]

Thanks Oakland Red, and thanks Dillweed!

[Redskins8588]

Call it irony but our Deffense only obtained 19 sacks, meanwhile our O-Line only gave up 19 sacks. Talk about consistancy...

[memphisskin]

Originally Posted by TheMalcolmConnection

I'll make a bold prediction for the year: Landry leads in sacks.

Not that bold, but I bet we'll have quite a few sacks, but Landry will lead the team with 8-9. I think Carter and Daniels will get some pressure, but mostly just to occupy blockers leaving Landry wide-open.

I was all set to say that if Landry led us in sacks then we are in trouble, BUT didn't Springs tie for the team lead in '05? My bold prediction is that we have at least five players register 6+ sacks. Which five, well I'm not that bold...

[GusFrerotte]

IF any DB leads us the Skins in sacks we will be in trouble. IF we blitz Landry or Taylor too often with our weaker than normal secondary look out for giving up a big play, especially if one or both of our starting CBs are out. We need increaded production from our D line. Relying on either Landry or Taylor blitzing all the time will bite us in the butt at times. We are thin at CB, and if one starter goes down we will need ST and Landry to help out the scrub backup CB.

[EARTHQUAKE2689]

I think our defense will be a top 10 this season as long as Taylor and Fletcher stay healthy everyone else will fall into place and I see a double digit sack season from Carter.

[RobH4413]

Great read on the cover three. I've always felt that safeties make the cover 3 so potent. It's usually the deal breaker as to whether or not the system works. Many people were upset about selecting LaRon, and have two very high paid safeties back there.

Most people consider it a waste of money to spend that much on positions usually deemed "unimportant". I've always felt in this scheme, it's exactly the opposite. We need play makers back there if we want to win.

GW got his toys, and we should expect some pretty awesome results.

[RMSkins]

Now that we finally have the right pieces (Fletcher, McIntosh, Landry) to run the Cover 3 defense the way it's supposed to be run, we should be able to get extremely creative with our blitz packages to get more pressure on the QB than just relying on our front 4 to get pressure, and now that Taylor is free to roam out in centerfield, and Springs, and Rogers don't have to worry about getting beat deep we should see a lot more turnovers, and sacks coming our way this year.

[RMSkins]

Originally Posted by memphisskin

I was all set to say that if Landry led us in sacks then we are in trouble, BUT didn't Springs tie for the team lead in '05? My bold prediction is that we have at least five players register 6+ sacks. Which five, well I'm not that bold...

That is an extremely bold prediction my friend. I wouldn't take it to the bank if I were you.