Why the 2007 defense will be in the top 10

[skins009]

I couldn’t disagree with this post more. I think our defense will be average at best next year. I say again, who is gonna rush the passer? Who is gonna stuff the run? In order for us to be a successful team next year, our offense is gonna have to immerge as a top 5 SCORING unit. Then hopefully teams will be one dimensional. That’s the only hope our D has at stopping anyone. I remind everyone that our D was second worse in the entire NFL last year. This would be like an Oakland Raiders fan saying their offense is gonna be dynamic next year.

[LINEBACKER]

I think the biggest key to a turnaround next year is upping our turnover ratio. I'm afraid we are still gonna be gashed by the run game and game again. But with speedy Landry blitzing or even helping the run that allows ST to be the ball hawk... I beleive ST will display the coverage skills that he was acclaimed for when he first entered the league.

I would love our defense to have some gaudy stats like 50yds rushing 150yds passing /game but its amazing how much more turnovers equate to wins. Tenesee's late season surge last year was just as much a product of Pacman's picks as the much acclaimed heroics of Vince Young.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by skins009

I couldn’t disagree with this post more. I think our defense will be average at best next year. I say again, who is gonna rush the passer? Who is gonna stuff the run? In order for us to be a successful team next year, our offense is gonna have to immerge as a top 5 SCORING unit. Then hopefully teams will be one dimensional. That’s the only hope our D has at stopping anyone. I remind everyone that our D was second worse in the entire NFL last year. This would be like an Oakland Raiders fan saying their offense is gonna be dynamic next year.

I gotta agree with you. We were 31st overall last year. To move into the top 10 would be a huge, very rare jump statistically. If we stay healthy and the new additions pan out, then I can see us maybe getting into the top half of the league. I just hope we run the ball 40 times a game to help keep our defense off the field....

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by GMScud

I gotta agree with you. We were 31st overall last year. To move into the top 10 would be a huge, very rare jump statistically. If we stay healthy and the new additions pan out, then I can see us maybe getting into the top half of the league. I just hope we run the ball 40 times a game to help keep our defense off the field....

But weren't we top 10 in 2005? So if we can drop so much in one year why can't the opposite happen?

[holmester]

Originally Posted by GMScud

I gotta agree with you. We were 31st overall last year. To move into the top 10 would be a huge, very rare jump statistically. If we stay healthy and the new additions pan out, then I can see us maybe getting into the top half of the league. I just hope we run the ball 40 times a game to help keep our defense off the field....

You agree with him yet how much more rare is it for a team to drop from the top ten to 31st then vice versa. I dont think Ryan Clark and Walt Harris were that important. I know in 05 Clark and Harris played better then Arch and Wright(due to springs being out) in 06 but I see Landry being an up grade over Clark and an improved Rogers being alteast on par with Harris, more then likely better. Then figure in Fletcher whos degree of leadership this D hasn't seen in a long time, Carter's play in the second half of the season which should carry over, and 2 young up and coming interior D-lineman in Montgomery and Golston to add into the DL rotation. I think this defense is definitely capable of making the same leap it did from 05-06 but in the opposite direction if healthy.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

Originally Posted by diehardskin2982

Pierce was undrafted, so was Antonio gates, also Willie Parker

Arron Kampman DE of greenbay 5th round, Mark Anderson DE Chicago 5th round
Kevin Kaesviharn safety of the saints 6 ints most among safeties~undrafted

So Yes I feel i can put alot on measurables because where your drafted doesn't mean anything. Talent is talent. Fight in the Dog!

Oh, I'm not saying by any means that our undrafted guys can't be total beasts.

But to EXPECT that as our saving grace for the year is only going to set you up for disappointment if they don't pan out (like the majority of undrafted rookies do).

While I, just like you, hope they become perennial Pro Bowlers, the likelihood of that happening is very slim and if they don't pan out, no sweat, because I didn't expect them too anyway. I'm looking at our tangible acquisitions of proven players in the league and to THAT end, I agree with the title of your thread (well maybe 12th or 13th).

[holmester]

Dammit Smoot you quick postin jerk.

[Drift Reality]

Lets be realistic here:

1. There is no reason to say HB Blades is going to be a top NFL MLB in three years. He has not played one snap in the NFL.
2. Who are Justin Hickman and Byron Westbrook? I'm being sarcastic here. These guys are UDFA man. They may be good athletes but lets reserve judgment before penciling them in as NFL starters.
3. Golston and Montgomery are marginal starters. We may have a potential starter in Golston but no way is he going to be an impact player.
4. Our defensive line is the least talented in our conference.

Now, I do agree that LBF and Smoot are solid acquisitions. I'm also optimistic that Landry can become an impact-type player, but I think we have to be realistic here in saying that our front seven is average to below-average when you compare it to the front-seven of most other teams that made the playoffs last year.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by holmester

This is a pretty broad statement that really doesnt have much backing. Getting Fletcher was great cause now our linebackers are fine, Smoot and Macklin were good for CB depth, and I think Landry's gonna be great with Taylor but I think our defense is gonna come down to one thing. Since GW is going away from the Cover 2/Tampa 2 this year and looks to be heading more towards the cover 1 our defense is gonna come down to how well our top corner plays. With the Cover 1 Landry will be blitzing helping put pressure on QB's to make mistakes and helping with run support alot leaving Taylor deep to help the CB's. It's almost impossible for a free safety to help cover the whole field (if anyone could do it, it would be Taylor) so he's gonna have to trust one of our CB's to be pretty close to a shut down corner, that way he know's who will need help. I think this is why they were so pressed on getting Dre Bly because of his skills in man-to-man. So unless over the offseason Darrell and Deion have turned Rogers into the beast we thought we drafted its up to Springs. If springs can stay healthy all year i think the d will be back in the top 10 but if not I think were in trouble.

This is a really good post, good thought process regarding the Xs and Os here.

Best way to think about our defense is to pretend you're an offensive coordinator and try to gameplan for the 'Skins. As I look at our D, the number one weakness in my opinion is run defense up the middle. Until the Redskins prove they can stop it, I'm going to run up the middle on first down every damn time. I'm going to force Joe Salave'a, Kedric Golston, and Cornelius Griffin to show that they've got what it takes to stop me. If I can get 5 yards on first down, I'm in a 2nd and five.

2nd and five seriously limits what Gregg Williams can do schematically. If he wants to blitz me on 2nd and 5, I'll take that any day of the week as my hot routes can pick up 5 yards. I'm also quite comfortable continuing to pound away on the ground.

Maybe GW wants to bring LaRon Landry up in the box against me to help stop the run on 1st down. As soon as I see that, I'm going to max protect and run play actions. I'll have two WRs on the outside with LaRon Landry attacking the line, leaving Sean Taylor as the only safety. I'll need a savvy QB to be able to look Taylor off, because if the QB can't hold Taylor with his eyes, then my QB is going to toss interceptions.

Where my gameplan runs into trouble, first and foremost, is if suddenly the Redskins defensive line becomes stout against the run. As an offensive coordinator I'm concerned about the savvy London Fletcher in the middle. If he is reading my offense well and getting his linemen in the right places, I might have trouble getting into 2nd and 5. I might find myself in 2nd and 10 or 2nd and 8 a lot. And in that case, I'm going to get blitzed from God knows where.

Secondly, as holmester said, if the 'Skins CBs are monsters in coverage, my plan is shot to hell as Landry is going to shut down my running game, and I'll have nowhere to go with the ball. But I'm not as worried about that as Springs has shown a penchant for injury, and Rogers and Smoot both underachieved last year.

For the Redskins defense, it hinges on two things: Can we stop the run well enough to allow GW to get back to his exotic blitzes? And can our secondary cover well enough to dedicate an 8th man in the box to wreaking havoc on the run game and on blitz attempts?

I'm hopeful. But who knows.

[over the mountain]

i actually read all the posts!! probaly the only one on here to do that . . .

i would bet my dog that the skins D will be better next year b/c of the upgrades mentioned but i still see some areas of concern:

1 - can the O sustain some drives and not go 3 n out (2nd year for saunders and campbell so that should improve)
2- when we only rush the front 4 are we going to have any pressure or are opposing qbs going to have all day like last year (yes i know now that we have the secondary fixed GW can use other positions to produce pressure like he used to do but that brings me to my next point)
3 - our secondary was down right confused last year, will they be able to line up and play the right assignments this year? (i hope fletch can help read the plays and that gray is gone, dont know if it was true that he had the safeties not wathcing what the o line does right after the snap but he has failed imo)

on the plus side we get to play dallas, giant, eagles 2 times each and i really dont think highly of any of their offenses (unless mcnabb gets back to form, dallas is a threat of romo is a fake) so the nfc east is wide open . . i see us closely winning the nfc east with a balance of O and D this year

go skins

[BrunellMVP?]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

But weren't we top 10 in 2005? So if we can drop so much in one year why can't the opposite happen?

Becuase its much easier to be bad than to be good. It takes no effort to fall, you simply have to do nothing, it takes a lot of effort to climb.

[BrunellMVP?]

does anyone know how to change you name? mine needed to go a long time ago...

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

But weren't we top 10 in 2005? So if we can drop so much in one year why can't the opposite happen?

Never said it couldn't happen, I just said it would be a rare jump. You very seldom see teams go from nearly dead last in overall D all the way to top tier-caliber in one season. Don't get me wrong, I hope it happens, I just don't think it's probable.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by BrunellMVP?

Becuase its much easier to be bad than to be good. It takes no effort to fall, you simply have to do nothing, it takes a lot of effort to climb.

Exactly.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by GhettoDogAllStars

Really, we have nowhere to go but up. We were just about the worst defense in the league last year. It shouldn't be too difficult to improve. Just the fact that we're healthy should put us into the top 20. A few more turnovers, and we could be top 15.

Yeah, this is pretty much the only reason I can see us improving defensively this year is that it just couldn't have been any worse.

More turnovers will come. You can't really do anything roster-wise to create more turnovers. Just teach the fundamentals, tackle and strip, and hope for the best. There is no chance we don't force at least two more turnovers than last year. Just catch the ball, Carlos.

Our secondary is still going to get toasted all year though. While our pass rush will be better than last year, it still isn't going to be very good. Taylor and Landry are going to spend all day backpedaling.

But the big difference will be that the linebackers will be much better in coverage this year. It's going to make a big difference in third down situations where we were awful on both sides of the ball.