Have We Seen The Last of Archuleta in a Skins Uniform?

[big_rod]

Originally Posted by offiss

AA want's out just as bad as we want him out, that is why they have an agreement to extend his bonus, I would be fairly sure that he is willing to kick back money if it lands him with the right team, he knows he's going to get a big check regardless, I just think he was so humilited last season that he has something to prove and knows he can't do it in Williams system, he knows his strengths and weakness's and wasen't used to his strength and from what I can remember he flat out called us liers about the condition of how he would be used when he signed. I think something will get done I just don't think he will bring back anything but some cap relief.

Offiss, you make so much sense. A large part of this thread has been spent around the notion that Archuleta sucked, which he did, as did the WHOLE DEFENSE! However, I think the defensive coaches (starting with G. Williams) needs to be held accountable, too.

I remember reading that some scouts around the league were surprised we even picked up Archuleta (and then puzzled at the way we utilized him). As Offiss pointed out, Archuleta seemed to have been lied to in how he was or would be used. It was very clear around the league that Archuleta is a great safety when used in "run support" and NOT in "pass" defense.

One thing I've always taken and remembered from John Madden that he said back in the late 80s (or perhaps 90s) was that (paraphrasing) "...a good coach always finds a way to utilize the talent that he has". A new coach, for example, can't come to his new team and institute a run and shoot offense when the personnel on the team are more structured around a smash mouth running style of team. He just doesn't have the wide receiver talent and conditioning to go pass, pass, pass. So, I say all this to say that I think Gregg Williams either misjudged Archuleta's talents in the pass defense or Williams simply forced something that just wasn't going to work. So again, I think accountability needs to be looked at by the defensive coaches as well.

Also, those (alleged) reports from The Washington Post about Steve Jackson moping on the sidelines during games because the secondary (safeties) was struggling, and then him and Jerry Gray having different meetings and philosophies with regard to defensive secondary strategies going on didn't help the matter either with the players on the field during game days.

This also points to the fact that Gregg Williams publicly said that (paraphrasing) "... NOW that Jerry Gray is here (since secondary coach Dwayne Smith moved on), we can employ even more packages because Jerry knows what I expect since we worked together back in Buffalo".

Those statements by Williams would suggest that he is very comfortable with Jerry Gray, and IF Steve Jackson is not getting the job done then perhaps Jerry Gray should be running the whole show in regard to the secondary; in an event like that, there would only be one consistent voice back there with no conflicting stuff being said to the players.

Some fans including myself were surprised that Steve Jackson wasn't also dismissed (again, based upon The Washington Post article)when Kirk Olivadotti was let go. Though I am under no illusion that it was Olivadotti's fault that the defense didn't play well, it was collectively all the defensive players and coaches that failed last season.

Anyway, that's my 200-cents!

ROD