RedskinRat
11-07-2006, 12:15 PM
Same Position, but Different Jobs - washingtonpost.com (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/06/AR2006110601268.html)
In the short term of the Washington Redskins' season, it is unlikely that a single event has embellished the fates of two men more than what occurred in the waning seconds to Redskins safeties Adam Archuleta and Troy Vincent on Sunday.
Vincent, playing in only his second game as a member of the Redskins, was the hero in the wild 22-19 win over Dallas, blocking the field goal attempt with six seconds left that first kept the Redskins from losing a heartbreaking game and then led them to a stunning win, when fellow safety Sean Taylor picked up the loose ball and ran 30 yards, setting up Nick Novak's winning 47-yard field goal.
Had Vincent not interceded, the lasting image of Sunday afternoon would not have been the elation that at least for one afternoon elevated a slumping team but of a loss caused by the return of a constant nemesis: the Redskins' inability to defend the deep middle part of the field.
With 13 seconds left in a tie game, Dallas tight end Jason Witten beat Archuleta down the right hash mark for a 28-yard catch from quarterback Tony Romo that for the moment appeared to set up the winning field goal for the Cowboys.
Those two plays in the final seconds seemed to take on a certain symbolism, for that day assistant head coach-defense Gregg Williams replaced Archuleta with Vincent in the starting lineup. It marked Williams's first major change of the season in his defensive lineup and was the first time this season that Archuleta, the safety the Redskins signed to a six-year, $30-million contract with $10 million guaranteed -- the biggest contract for a safety in NFL history -- did not start a game for the Redskins.
AND:
It appears that Archuleta's new role will be closer to the line of scrimmage, where he can shut down the run and blitz the quarterback. Against Dallas, when Williams employed a 3-2-6 formation, he used Archuleta as a third safety, in his words a cross between a linebacker and safety. Of Archuleta's skill set, pass coverage -- especially in the Redskins' scheme where a safety is asked to cover deep patches of the field while still reacting to run coverage -- represents his weakest area.
Admin/Mods, please move to News Wire, thanks.
In the short term of the Washington Redskins' season, it is unlikely that a single event has embellished the fates of two men more than what occurred in the waning seconds to Redskins safeties Adam Archuleta and Troy Vincent on Sunday.
Vincent, playing in only his second game as a member of the Redskins, was the hero in the wild 22-19 win over Dallas, blocking the field goal attempt with six seconds left that first kept the Redskins from losing a heartbreaking game and then led them to a stunning win, when fellow safety Sean Taylor picked up the loose ball and ran 30 yards, setting up Nick Novak's winning 47-yard field goal.
Had Vincent not interceded, the lasting image of Sunday afternoon would not have been the elation that at least for one afternoon elevated a slumping team but of a loss caused by the return of a constant nemesis: the Redskins' inability to defend the deep middle part of the field.
With 13 seconds left in a tie game, Dallas tight end Jason Witten beat Archuleta down the right hash mark for a 28-yard catch from quarterback Tony Romo that for the moment appeared to set up the winning field goal for the Cowboys.
Those two plays in the final seconds seemed to take on a certain symbolism, for that day assistant head coach-defense Gregg Williams replaced Archuleta with Vincent in the starting lineup. It marked Williams's first major change of the season in his defensive lineup and was the first time this season that Archuleta, the safety the Redskins signed to a six-year, $30-million contract with $10 million guaranteed -- the biggest contract for a safety in NFL history -- did not start a game for the Redskins.
AND:
It appears that Archuleta's new role will be closer to the line of scrimmage, where he can shut down the run and blitz the quarterback. Against Dallas, when Williams employed a 3-2-6 formation, he used Archuleta as a third safety, in his words a cross between a linebacker and safety. Of Archuleta's skill set, pass coverage -- especially in the Redskins' scheme where a safety is asked to cover deep patches of the field while still reacting to run coverage -- represents his weakest area.
Admin/Mods, please move to News Wire, thanks.