Haslett to accept Defensive Coordinator

In a 3-4 I think you can move AH around, he doesn't need to be pegged as a NT or DE.

I like Haslett, my only concern with his aggressiveness is that it makes the defense vulnerable to the "big play", such as sending an all out blitz and paying for it by having a bomb thrown down field. I have seen that a lot in his years of coaching.

Why are we even thinking about changing the defense?? I wonder whether Gray would've been a better fit. If it ain't broke, don't fix it...

Why is Haslett a good move? It seems like he's been part of average to below-average defenses in the past. And there's even talk of switching to 3-4? Continuity on the defense has been its strength for the past 4-6 years..

I mean, sure our defense gave up big plays & mental lapses, but they still were top 5-10 each year in yards, etc.

And if we blitz more w/Haslett, we're really going to leave the CB's one-on-one more.. Hope Hall learns how to tackle.. And hope Tryon/Barnes pan out.

AAARRRgGggGGGHHHH
Translation of bolded part:
I mean, sure our defense gave up game winning scores at the end of games and TD's on the opponents opening drive most of the time, but they were still in the top 5-10 each year without getting TO's or defensive points.

Seems like a complete waste of his talents to me. The NT's job is to just clog. AH has the talent to do more than clog...he's got a 100 mil contract to show for THOSE talents...not the ability to clog.

Do you think there's anyone on our team who is suited to play NT right now?

while i agree that our D's high ranking (in yds allowed) isnt indicative of their actual performance this year, I dont remember a team running the ball down out throats teh whole game and not being able to stop them like the boys game last year. to have a team run the ball down your throats is embarrasing and i dont think that happened this year.

last years boys game was hard to watch. this year, it was hard watching landry and our secondary.

Seems like a complete waste of his talents to me. The NT's job is to just clog. AH has the talent to do more than clog...he's got a 100 mil contract to show for THOSE talents...not the ability to clog.

I probably agree, but it's hard to say that's reason for avoiding the 3-4. Maybe we don't get to use AH's talents with him as a NT, but maybe doing that opens up opportunities for the rest of our defense. Basically, if our defense is better, I don't care what AH wants or whether we're fully using his talents. It's all about net-gain.

In a 3-4 I think you can move AH around, he doesn't need to be pegged as a NT or DE.

Agreed, I personally see him as our Richard Seymour even though physique wise he's built more like Vince Wilfork. Remember Seymour has reached 8 sacks twice in his career and I believe both years came in the 3-4. That matches Haynesworth career high in 2008. They always talked about using Haynesworth as an end, I guess nows the time to make the switch full time. As long as Hasslet allows Haynesworth to shoot the gaps we'll be fine. Allignment wise I would think that he would play a similar position to what he plays in the 3-4


Right now the main thing we're missing in the short run is an extra nose and a pass covering OLB. Of course Adalius Thomas might be available this offseason regardless of a new CBA.

--W---A--N---E---S
---O--O--O--O--O--TE

W= Will Linebacker
A = Albert Haynesworth
N= Nose
E = End
S= Sam

Ends - Hayensworth, Golston, Alexander, Jarmon, Griffin
NT - Montgomery

OLB - Orakpo, Carter (~~eh~), Chris Wilson, Rocky McIntosh
ILB - London, Blades, Rocky (again), Henson (Maybe he'll actually get a chance to play)

I like Haslett, my only concern with his aggressiveness is that it makes the defense vulnerable to the "big play", such as sending an all out blitz and paying for it by having a bomb thrown down field. I have seen that a lot in his years of coaching.

Its a trade-off. If you want to be aggressive, you're going to give up some big plays here and there... unless, of course, your dbs consist of Derrell Revis, Nnamdi Asomugha, Troy Polamalu, and Ed Reed. The only essentially eliminate the big play, is to be very "passive." The problem with Blache was that we WERE passive, yet we still have up the big play. Still, if we had had an even average offense, we would have won A LOT more games this year and been in the playoffs. Our defense let us down at some critical points, but overall, they did their job the vast majority of the time.

That said, I certainly think guys like Haynesworth, Orakpo, and Landry will benefit from a more aggressive system.

Seems like a complete waste of his talents to me. The NT's job is to just clog. AH has the talent to do more than clog...he's got a 100 mil contract to show for THOSE talents...not the ability to clog.

I agree. Haynesworth could certainly play NT and be very good at it... it would just be a waste of his talent. If Shanahan lives up to his word at adjusting schemes to fit the talent, we will do one of two things:

1) trade Haynesworth (for nothing less than the equivalent of a 1st round pick in 2010 and 2011)

2) Stick with a 4-3 base defense

I agree. Haynesworth could certainly play NT and be very good at it... it would just be a waste of his talent. If Shanahan lives up to his word at adjusting schemes to fit the talent, we will do one of two things:

1) trade Haynesworth (for nothing less than the equivalent of a 1st round pick in 2010 and 2011)

2) Stick with a 4-3 base defense

Or how about you just mix in some 3-4 looks now and then?