Landry wins NFC Defensive Player of the Week

[SirClintonPortis]

Just another reason Blache had to go: misusing the players we have.

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by Jontrem

Landry is starting to remind me of a young Steve Atwater the way he has been blowing people up from all over the field. The switch back to his natural position has really revived his career. I would say watching him play has been the most fun I have had as a Skins fan since Taylor was murdered.

Not a bad comparison, but luckily Landry is faster than Atwater.

[The Goat]

Originally Posted by InsaneBoost

I always hear this, but didn't he play FS as LSU?

Yes, for the most part Landry was a FS, center-fielder type, at LSU. Opposing offenses avoided the deep ball against LSU's defense and it had a lot to do w/ Landry.

Still, FS is not his natural position at this level (sorta obvious at this point). Observers far more knowledgeable than me will be able to say why this is the case but I have a few guesses.

Landry so far lacked/lacks the skill to play FS. IMHO it's a more difficult position than SS. At FS it's all about reading the offense (even directing the offense), taking near-perfect angles and having tremendous discipline. Landry struggled mightily in that position, I guess even to the pt where he lost the confidence to put the hurt on ball-carriers. More than anything I noticed he was constantly a step or two late getting to the ball before this season.

SS seems to have less overall responsibility, doesn't have to think quite as much, gets to react more than direct. Landry's physical ability is off the charts and combined with his skill enough to maybe make him the best SS in football.

[Jontrem]

Originally Posted by The Goat

Yes, for the most part Landry was a FS, center-fielder type, at LSU. Opposing offenses avoided the deep ball against LSU's defense and it had a lot to do w/ Landry.

Still, FS is not his natural position at this level (sorta obvious at this point). Observers far more knowledgeable than me will be able to say why this is the case but I have a few guesses.

Landry so far lacked/lacks the skill to play FS. IMHO it's a more difficult position than SS. At FS it's all about reading the offense (even directing the offense), taking near-perfect angles and having tremendous discipline. Landry struggled mightily in that position, I guess even to the pt where he lost the confidence to put the hurt on ball-carriers. More than anything I noticed he was constantly a step or two late getting to the ball before this season.

SS seems to have less overall responsibility, doesn't have to think quite as much, gets to react more than direct. Landry's physical ability is off the charts and combined with his skill enough to maybe make him the best SS in football.

I agree that a player needs a different skill set to succeed as a FS in the pros VS college. The most important of those is discipline, something Landry lacked to a certain degree, however a lot of the blame has to be at the feet of Blache as 1 he failed to realize that LL could be better utilized at SS and 2 he never did anything top help LL be a QB of the secondary as a FS is supposed to be!