Switch to 3-4 Defense a Failure

At the time, I hated this decision, and disliked Haslett orchestrating it even more. If you're going to a 3-4, bring in a guru like Wade Phillips, who has done great things with that scheme. Lastly, retooling to a different defensive scheme has put other pressing issues on hold, especially addressing offensive deficiencies at WR and OL.

I would like to see the team mix in some 4-3 after the bye. Can the results possibly be worse than we've seen to date? Opinions welcome.

I agree

There's many factors on why the defense has played bad this year. Injuries to 2 crucial starters is one reason. Replacing Atogwe and Landry with the likes of Madieu Williams and Reed Doughty is another reason. DeAngelo Hall looking very much past his prime is yet another reason. Josh Wilson should only be a nickle back at best, but he's a starter. A little bit has to do with Mike Shanahan as a talent evaluator. There are a lot of factors at work here that are contributing to the low level of play from the defense. The Redskins had a 13th ranked defense last year once the 2011 season was over. They've slipped to 29th or 30th mainly because of the factors I mentioned. The problem is simply not the 3-4.

At the time, I hated this decision, and disliked Haslett orchestrating it even more. If you're going to a 3-4, bring in a guru like Wade Phillips, who has done great things with that scheme. Lastly, retooling to a different defensive scheme has put other pressing issues on hold, especially addressing offensive deficiencies at WR and OL.

I would like to see the team mix in some 4-3 after the bye. Can the results possibly be worse than we've seen to date? Opinions welcome.



Many of the Shanahan regime apologists will say that the team DOES incorporate some 43 looks into the 34 base defense. They just mix it up with pre snap looks, but about 20-30% of our defense is actually 43 defense, leaning heavily on nickel packages after 1st down. This is the thing. If you are going to run it like that and disguise it, why not play to the strengths of the squad you inherited, and "tailor it to the strengths of the players", kind of like what he did with RG3 on the O side of the ball. If we had more speed just with our MLB's, I think you would see alot more progress, but our MLB's, Fletcher included, are just flat out not fast enough, so the seams on middle of the field have to have an eye kept on them, so they safeties cannot roam as much as they should be allowed to. Nosetackle is a important part, as everyone knows, but even with the guy we have at the spot, Cofield is just not commanding or even DEmanding enough double teams to ensure success; run game suffers, pass rush suffers. The lack of speed on this team is kind of astounding.

I think at the end of the day, especially with the bye week, we would perform better running a 43 from this point on to the end of the season. The personnel doesn't fit, we are on a collision course with having the worst defense in the history of the NFL, and something has got to give. This issue cannot be ignored, and that is just what Mike Shanahan is doing. He is ignoring that there is a problem. Acknowledgment of the problem at this point is not enough. We have 2 weeks to make something happen. Switch back to the 43, drill the team to death, and I almost guarantee our defense would improve by next game. No way it could get worse, and I have a feeling that alot of people would be pleasently surprised with the outcome of the change. Fletcher would immediately become the focus of the defense, and with what we have right now, might as well lean on him as much as you can to make some plays. The 34 has come, it has failed, lets all please move on.

I think it was the wrong decision at the time but we cannot switch back because at this point we lack the line backing personnel and have a log jam at defensive line

IMO I do no think the switch to 3-4 from 4-3 is as much to blame as the choice to run and lead the entire defense - Haslett.
The switch to 3-4 did set us back YEARS because we did not have the personnel to run it and with limited cap room and draft picks we had at the time was never taken into consideration.
While Haslett might be a good LB and front 7 coach in the class room and on the practice field. Haslett does not have the ability to lead a defense from the sidelines during a game. He can not adjust on the fly and tends to choke. Just my 2cents.
Time for him to go.

Right decision, wrong coach, don't have all the players needed (or healthy) to execute it effectively.

At the time, I hated this decision, and disliked Haslett orchestrating it even more. If you're going to a 3-4, bring in a guru like Wade Phillips, who has done great things with that scheme. Lastly, retooling to a different defensive scheme has put other pressing issues on hold, especially addressing offensive deficiencies at WR and OL.

I would like to see the team mix in some 4-3 after the bye. Can the results possibly be worse than we've seen to date? Opinions welcome.

Oh they done some retooling alrighty, Hassletusdown is the biggest tool in the tool shed.

If Shanny stays I would like for him to make a run at Mike Nolan as DC. I wasn't a big football fan back when he was the DC for us in 97-99. But what he did in SF, DEN, BAL, ATL even MIA was good. He has done a great job adjusting scheme with the personnel he has. That is something Haslett has not done IMO.

If Shanny stays I would like for him to make a run at Mike Nolan as DC. I wasn't a big football fan back when he was the DC for us in 97-99. But what he did in SF, DEN, BAL, ATL even MIA was good. He has done a great job adjusting scheme with the personnel he has. That is something Haslett has not done IMO.

Oh sweet Mother of Pearl no!!!!!! I was a big football fan in 97-98 and i thought his D was terrible. Never forget being up 35-14 on the Boys and getting beat. Ill never forgive that one.