Lets keep things into perspective and not panic people!

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by sportscurmudgeon

Jim Haslett is a defensive coordinator who has had some good defenses and some bad defenses - - depending on the talent he had to coach on those defenses. This year, he has middling talent; it is not the worst in the league by a longshot; it surely is not near the best either.

I agree with what you had to say, however this is the part that really gets to me (about this whole situation, and not what you had to say). I feel that the team put themselves in a situation where the defense has no talent, because of the change of defensive scheme.

Right now it seems that the only player that has benefited from the 3-4 switch has been Orakpo (and you can add Lorezo Alexander).

In our 4-3 defense we had a really good DE in Carter, and I'm sure Orakpo would be just as (if not more) dominant if they played him at DE. You throw in Haynesworth in shape and playing his natural position (and Golston as the other DT) you have a monster D-Line in our 4-3.

Among LBs, Fletcher was a tackling machine and played the MLB position (in the 4-3) better than many in the league. I just don't feel he is having the same impact. Rocky has been better in the 3-4, but was a pretty good LB in the 4-3. We needed an SLB in the 4-3, and honestly that probably would have been our only major need in defense.

Laron Landry played out of position in our 4-3, and his play now has improved mainly due to that move to SS.

I'm not saying that I want Blache back, but I just feel that the team really shot itself in the foot by moving to the 3-4 when it really wasn't needed. If we had gotten a new DC (Jerry Gray or lure Mike Zimmer from Cincy as it was rumored). Our defense could have picked up where they left off and along the way try to improve on those issues they had, instead we are now learning a brand new scheme.

This reminds me a lot of the team that went 10-6 under Gibbs 2.0 and then for the next season he decided to bring in a brand new offensive system (Saunders) and we went 5-11 or 4-12 the next season. If it ain't broke (or that broke) don't fix it.