Doc Walker One-on-One Interview with Vinny Cerrato

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by 70Chip

It's hard to disagree with this. We definitely need to get younger up front. I just sense that too many people are in denial about the dismal state of our receiving corps. It's just as easy to assume everything will magically improve on the line as it is with the receivers which is what I hear. "I'm sure Thomas and Kelly will come around." Really? Why on earth do you think that? I'd rather put my money on Jansen being the Comeback Kid than on those two doing anything. You can't just chalk everything up to the fact that the offensive line is less than All-Universe. Not you, but a lot of people in here.

It's like a baseball team that averages less than 1 run a game and then blames the pitching because they only have 1 Cy Young candidate instead of 4.

The other thing is that the defense is at fault as well. They don't give up points often, but if you allow the other team to control the ball and chew up clock (which unquestionably happened), well then you are going to be responsible for the limited amount of points your team scores. One defensive TD all year? For real?

In general, the receivers, the OL, and the defense (specifically, the outside linebackers and the play-calling, not so much the DL now) have vast room for improvement.

And, I don't disagree for you that it's not a foregone conclusion that the next great receiving tandem of the Skins is in house. But Davis looks good, and in Kelly's case, what we have is a lack of information, not necessarily negative feedback.

[70Chip]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

The other thing is that the defense is at fault as well. They don't give up points often, but if you allow the other team to control the ball and chew up clock (which unquestionably happened), well then you are going to be responsible for the limited amount of points your team scores. One defensive TD all year? For real?

In general, the receivers, the OL, and the defense (specifically, the outside linebackers and the play-calling, not so much the DL now) have vast room for improvement.

And, I don't disagree for you that it's not a foregone conclusion that the next great receiving tandem of the Skins is in house. But Davis looks good, and in Kelly's case, what we have is a lack of information, not necessarily negative feedback.

I'm sure Greg Blache would be the first to say he wants more turnovers and points off turnovers and to generally create more chaos and general disarray. In a way, the fact that they DIDNT do much if any of that makes their defensive ranking even MORE impressive. I don't mind people criticizing the defense in areas where they need improvement. You can always improve.

I think what bothers me is that they make these arguments as a way of explaining our offensive ineptitude. If I was a member of the Redskins defense and I heard people saying, "Well, too bad the offense didn't get a little more help from the defense - we might have done something", I wouldn't know whether to laugh or to cry. Any criticism of the defense should be kept seperate from the problems our offense faces RIGHT NOW because those problems are far more serious and deeply entrenched than the defensive ones. Once Zorn gets same of his basic issues sorted out, then I would be willing to entertain an analysis of field position and turnover ratio and so forth. We have to be able to move the ball before we start going there.

[GridIron26]

Originally Posted by 70Chip

I'm sure Greg Blache would be the first to say he wants more turnovers and points off turnovers and to generally create more chaos and general disarray. In a way, the fact that they DIDNT do much if any of that makes their defensive ranking even MORE impressive. I don't mind people criticizing the defense in areas where they need improvement. You can always improve.

I think what bothers me is that they make these arguments as a way of explaining our offensive ineptitude. If I was a member of the Redskins defense and I heard people saying, "Well, too bad the offense didn't get a little more help from the defense - we might have done something", I wouldn't know whether to laugh or to cry. Any criticism of the defense should be kept seperate from the problems our offense faces RIGHT NOW because those problems are far more serious and deeply entrenched than the defensive ones. Once Zorn gets same of his basic issues sorted out, then I would be willing to entertain an analysis of field position and turnover ratio and so forth. We have to be able to move the ball before we start going there.

Good post

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by 70Chip

I'm sure Greg Blache would be the first to say he wants more turnovers and points off turnovers and to generally create more chaos and general disarray. In a way, the fact that they DIDNT do much if any of that makes their defensive ranking even MORE impressive. I don't mind people criticizing the defense in areas where they need improvement. You can always improve.

I think what bothers me is that they make these arguments as a way of explaining our offensive ineptitude. If I was a member of the Redskins defense and I heard people saying, "Well, too bad the offense didn't get a little more help from the defense - we might have done something", I wouldn't know whether to laugh or to cry. Any criticism of the defense should be kept seperate from the problems our offense faces RIGHT NOW because those problems are far more serious and deeply entrenched than the defensive ones. Once Zorn gets same of his basic issues sorted out, then I would be willing to entertain an analysis of field position and turnover ratio and so forth. We have to be able to move the ball before we start going there.

On this, I think it's the other way around. The reason I was so adamant that we recognize our defensive weaknesses way back in December is so that we don't end up looking at the offense (improperly) as some inept unit based on the fact that the point totals were down.

I absolutely agree that the defense and the offense have to be separate entities. Just not if points for/against is being used as the measuring stick. That's essentially why the league uses yards to rank defenses and offenses, because points are far more dependent on the other unit.

But, obviously the offenses below average ability to score is something that can only be solved by fixing the offense. The defenses inability to get off the field is something that can only be solved by fixing the defense. We can spend our first pick on one side of the ball, but not both, so that's where the tricky part is.

The fact that the offense is so much further from greatness than the defense shouldn't detract from the fact that the offenses current ability to not self-destruct under Campbell is valuable within itself to the point where we can get value from the offense without addressing the receivers and OL.

But if we want to one day have a great offensive unit, it's clear that plenty of current players just won't cut it.

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

On this, I think it's the other way around. The reason I was so adamant that we recognize our defensive weaknesses way back in December is so that we don't end up looking at the offense (improperly) as some inept unit based on the fact that the point totals were down.

I absolutely agree that the defense and the offense have to be separate entities. Just not if points for/against is being used as the measuring stick. That's essentially why the league uses yards to rank defenses and offenses, because points are far more dependent on the other unit.

But, obviously the offenses below average ability to score is something that can only be solved by fixing the offense. The defenses inability to get off the field is something that can only be solved by fixing the defense. We can spend our first pick on one side of the ball, but not both, so that's where the tricky part is.

The fact that the offense is so much further from greatness than the defense shouldn't detract from the fact that the offenses current ability to not self-destruct under Campbell is valuable within itself to the point where we can get value from the offense without addressing the receivers and OL.

But if we want to one day have a great offensive unit, it's clear that plenty of current players just won't cut it.

I wonder if this team is destined to be a defensive team, kinda like the Ravens and Titans. I just feel that over the past 5-6 seasons the defense has been the strength.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Ruhskins

I wonder if this team is destined to be a defensive team, kinda like the Ravens and Titans. I just feel that over the past 5-6 seasons the defense has been the strength.

No one is destined to be anything, but some teams just can't evaluate talent on one side of the ball.

But for us, most of the established talent (sans Haynesworth) is on the offensive side. All we need to do is fix the major holes in the middle and on the outside, and we can have a good offense. It doesn't seem that hard, we've just failed at it so far.