Who are your starting Safeties

Let me say this for the UMPTEENTH time - he CAN'T play if he has this problem with the basics of tackling. Only IF he shows that he fixed this problem then that's when you put him into the discussion.

Have you seen a starting safety (free or otherwise) play in the NFL that consistently makes this mistake, have any kind of longevity? It's a secondary concern who plays in his place if he's making this mistake consistently, but he needs to be on the bench. He has 2 games to prove that he has fixed this problem, if not, and they start him (which I doubt), Vick and McCoy will eat him alive.

You wont answer the question. Who is a better replacement? Gomes isnt the answer, and Doughty can in no way handle free safety. If he is the best player for the job, regardless of deficiencies, then he plays. And according to Shanny and Haslett, he is the best for the job right now.

Again... If we are relying on our free safety to stop the Eagles running game, we have already lost that game. If the free safety is who we are relying on to stop the run, then we need to put in a different MLB and move London to free safety.

As for free safeties having longevity, some free safeties made a name for themselves as a center fielder. Playing almost exclusively against the pass.

The problem with Rambo is taking angles in the open field. I agree thats a problem, but according to the coaches of the Redskins, he is the best suited for the job. Because they understand that for a free safety, the most important job is defending the passing game.

When we get that free safety who the coaches rate as better than Rambo, then Rambo will sit. I dont really care if he is sitting or not. I want the best player available at each position. And as of right now at the free safety spot, thats Rambo.

Rambo clearly needs work, but he's a rookie. It's to be expected. He just needs to settle down and get some confidence going.

Part of the reason we were even average against the run was because teams didn't bother to run. They knew they could beat us through the air. I'm with Skinzman; Rambo is the best option and should start. He might get beat by Vick or McCoy a few times, but we can't pull him out of the Eagles' game and deny him valuable experience just so we win the game.

Experience be damned if it means for a greater chance to lose. Maybe this is the disconnect- I'm thinking that winning is the priority.

You wont answer the question. Who is a better replacement? Gomes isnt the answer, and Doughty can in no way handle free safety. If he is the best player for the job, regardless of deficiencies, then he plays. And according to Shanny and Haslett, he is the best for the job right now.

Again... If we are relying on our free safety to stop the Eagles running game, we have already lost that game. If the free safety is who we are relying on to stop the run, then we need to put in a different MLB and move London to free safety.

As for free safeties having longevity, some free safeties made a name for themselves as a center fielder. Playing almost exclusively against the pass.

The problem with Rambo is taking angles in the open field. I agree thats a problem, but according to the coaches of the Redskins, he is the best suited for the job. Because they understand that for a free safety, the most important job is defending the passing game.

When we get that free safety who the coaches rate as better than Rambo, then Rambo will sit. I dont really care if he is sitting or not. I want the best player available at each position. And as of right now at the free safety spot, thats Rambo.

If he's still making this mistake, I'd think about playing him on obvious passing downs. I would start Reed Doughty at strong and Meriweather at free.

And I can't remember any safety making this mistake consistently in the NFL. Like I said before, one time (even for a long touchdown) you can chalk it up to being a rookie and a learning experience, but twice in his first 2 NFL game appearances is nothing to dismiss. It means that he didn't correct the problem and it wasn't a learning experience the first time around because he didn't learn.

If he's still making this mistake, I'd think about playing him on obvious passing downs. I would start Reed Doughty at strong and Meriweather at free.

And I can't remember any safety making this mistake consistently in the NFL. Like I said before, one time (even for a long touchdown) you can chalk it up to being a rookie and a learning experience, but twice in his first 2 NFL game appearances is nothing to dismiss. It means that he didn't correct the problem and it wasn't a learning experience the first time around because he didn't learn.

Thats assuming that Meriweather is healthy and can stay healthy. Which im not sold on yet. But if our defense is better with those two as a combo, im not against it.

I also dont buy that twice in his first two games means he didnt or cant learn it. The NFL can take some time to learn and get adjusted to game speed. Look at Alfred Morris, as a rookie, he made plenty miss tackles on him. Some of the players being well established players. Two missed tackles in two games, with one being an open field tackle against Chris Johnson running all by himself, is not some crazy thing that never happens.

Thats assuming that Meriweather is healthy and can stay healthy. Which im not sold on yet. But if our defense is better with those two as a combo, im not against it.

I also dont buy that twice in his first two games means he didnt or cant learn it. The NFL can take some time to learn and get adjusted to game speed. Look at Alfred Morris, as a rookie, he made plenty miss tackles on him. Some of the players being well established players. Two missed tackles in two games, with one being an open field tackle against Chris Johnson running all by himself, is not some crazy thing that never happens.

Whether or not he's still learning how to handle that situation or adjust to game speed is not really the issue. The real issue is knowing that he's still having this problem and starting him against the eagles. I'm okay with him still learning, but while he's learning - he needs to be on the bench, at least at the start of the game. If he's out there most of the game (assuming this problem continues), there's going to be more than a good chance that he's going to be exploited by Vick and McCoy. That's something I'm not willing to just accept and be happy with.

Whether or not he's still learning how to handle that situation or adjust to game speed is not really the issue. The real issue is knowing that he's still having this problem and starting him against the eagles. I'm okay with him still learning, but while he's learning - he needs to be on the bench, at least at the start of the game. If he's out there most of the game (assuming this problem continues), there's going to be more than a good chance that he's going to be exploited by Vick and McCoy. That's something I'm not willing to just accept and be happy with.

Defending the run is an issue Rambo's had since college. It's going to take more than a few games for him to improve in that area. If you want him to warm the bench while he's learning, he'll probably be on the bench the whole season and the secondary will have lost a valuable playmaker. Better he gets burned by Vick or McCoy now, gets valuable game experience, and learns how to stop the run by improving his game mistakes, than to let a lesser safety start just because Rambo's strength isn't defending the run. He's going to have to learn sometime; might as well let it be now. He'll learn much faster in games than he ever would in practice.

Last year, we made the playoffs despite a poor secondary. Rambo is an upgrade over any other safety we have except Meriweather, or maybe Phillip Thomas. I would be much more comfortable in the playoffs with a 16-game tested rookie Rambo than the other older safeties on the roster. My opinions.

safety looks like it'll be an issue all year.

might as well let rambo go (be the starter). gomes is terrible, jackson is still banned, and meriweather may or may not be healthy. if he's not reed is probably the 2nd safety.

we just have to hope the rush is good to cover up the problems that are going to exist there this year. I think that's pretty much it as far as safeties are concerned.

edit: clarification.

might as well let rambo go,I think it's early, and we have no better depth. *groan*

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