Must-Read Article on GW and the Defense

"Reeling Redskins awash in troubles" (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?id=2672668)

This one is long, but a definite must-read for any Skins fan. Probably the most well-rounded analysis of the team I've read in a long time, and some pretty good inside information too.

If this guy is right it confirms a lot of my suspicions about GW and the defense. I think it's absolutely right on that our opponents have this defense figured out. Our blitzes get picked up every time like the offense knew it was coming, and our secondary is left all alone.

What's really scary is the detrimental effect on guys like Taylor. I've noticed his play seems to be going downhill this season and just chalked it up the defense being bad overall. It's a damn shame if a screwball scheme and bad coaching is what's ruining this guy.

Safeties and cornerbacks meeting separately and not being on the same page with calls is just asinine. This team has deep, deep problems if this article is for real.

You just beat me to posting this, but WOW!


Again I'm the one who wants consistancy this offseason...but man when coaches start to lose players, things get REAL ugly.

I'm going to reserve judgement unitl after the game this weekend....but this is not what I want to hear.

However I will comment on one thing....

Our Fucking Secondary dosent meet as a unit????

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? I dont even know what to say about that, that is freaking unbelivable.

I don't think that Williams is as much to blame as the article makes out. He's playing Cover 2 to try to protect that horrendous secondary which won't meet together. Indeed, Cover 2 is not ideal for stopping the run, but good defenses do it all the time. Dallas comes to mind. Us, last year. I do think the blitzes are predictable, but the players can't expect a free run at the QB every time. Sometimes you have to work to get the QB.

So, who's the talker? The article could have been written by Archeletta's agent. Or Archeletta himself. Ditto Carter, Holdman, Rogers, Wright, etc., who are all given a free pass in the story. Gibbs needs to stomp on this shit right away. Any player that runs to ESPN (which is an organization that loves to hammer the Skins) to vent their grievances should be fired. I don't care who they are or how right they are. It is inexcusable.

I don't think that Williams is as much to blame as the article makes out. He's playing Cover 2 to try to protect that horrendous secondary which won't meet together. Indeed, Cover 2 is not ideal for stopping the run, but good defenses do it all the time. Dallas comes to mind. Us, last year. I do think the blitzes are predictable, but the players can't expect a free run at the QB every time. Sometimes you have to work to get the QB.

So, who's the talker? The article could have been written by Archeletta's agent. Or Archeletta himself. Ditto Carter, Holdman, Rogers, Wright, etc., who are all given a free pass in the story. Gibbs needs to stomp on this shit right away. Any player that runs to ESPN (which is an organization that loves to hammer the Skins) to vent their grievances should be fired. I don't care who they are or how right they are. It is inexcusable.

That is almost entirely Williams' problem. Williams is the defensive coach. He put separate coaches over the corners and safeties. If his corners and safeties aren't meeting, that's a problem between those two coaches, which is ultimately a problem for GW. Gibbs or GW should have put a stop to that immediately - that is purely a coaching problem, not a player problem.

You just beat me to posting this, but WOW!


Again I'm the one who wants consistancy this offseason...but man when coaches start to lose players, things get REAL ugly.

I'm going to reserve judgement unitl after the game this weekend....but this is not what I want to hear.

However I will comment on one thing....

Our Fucking Secondary dosent meet as a unit????

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? I dont even know what to say about that, that is freaking unbelivable.

My reaction exactly. I must have said "You've got to be f-ing joking" a half-dozen times.

The real lousy part about all this is that it points to a deep rooted problem with the coaching, overall organization of the team and morale. Those problems aren't fixed overnight by bringing in a good free agent DE or drafting a better corner. These are problems that start at the top and trickle down to everybody.

if this is true i think GW has got to walk or be fired. i hate hearing that sean taylor is getting worse by a coach. i just want to punch that coach in th face and say leave sean taylor alone.

GW has to go

it's worth noting that all those quotes are from only one player. maybe the idea that GW has lost his players is a bit much. but yeah, that thing about the secondary not meeting as a unit-- i hope gibbs starts laying into everyone on this kind of sh*t.

Thank you for posting this very interesting article. It furthers my hypothesis that the coaches and players are not on the same page. Little did I know that even the coaches are disconnected from each other...

when GW talks about his defenses preformances, i always think wow what a dick, he seems very arrogant to me too. i can see where the player is coming from.

we need a new def.coor. GW has GOT TO GO NOW.

That is almost entirely Williams' problem. Williams is the defensive coach. He put separate coaches over the corners and safeties. If his corners and safeties aren't meeting, that's a problem between those two coaches, which is ultimately a problem for GW. Gibbs or GW should have put a stop to that immediately - that is purely a coaching problem, not a player problem.

A valid point. The problem is that meeting together might help the communication and avoid blown coverages, but it's not going to make Rogers or Wright better athletes or give them better instincts. As for Taylor, I don't think he's played as badly as all that. He doesn't look 100% healthy to me which has nothing to do with scheme.

Ultimately Williams is responsible for the defense. It's his. He owns it. But, I don't buy the argument that his personality is causing the problem. That's just whining from someone who's lack of ability is most likely the real culprit.