Redskins have the worst defensive line in the league

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by EARTHQUAKE2689

GTripp has a point there, everyone on the Defense sucked equally last year.

When your 5-11 there is PLENTY of blame to go around. The offense sucked almost as bad as the defense.

[Beemnseven]

Originally Posted by ChounsMan

Rather than simply state our D sux! I would give props to Williams & his excellent defensive system. It was only 2 years ago that the Skin's D was outperforming half the league with most of the guys still on the club, now with a heathy & improved secondary that should allow the LB's to play looser & commit more to the run. That will be the diifference in 07'.

Name me one team in the last 5 years that dominated with a weak secondary.... there are none. There's a reason why the skins drafted Landry

When you eliminate the deep threat, you allow your D to put 8 in the box & that's a classic run killing 46 formation.

Now we can debate offense all season long which I think will sputter through most of the 1st half, if they can stay healthy & the line improve we might have a shot to make a run in the 2nd half.

PEACE!

I don't think anyone here is simplifying things to the point that we're just dismissing the D-line just "because it sucks." There has been thoughtful, reasoned analysis backed up by facts with regard to the front four.

By the way, the Chargers have done pretty well over the past couple of years, and the knock on them has always been a secondary that's lacking. So you can have a good defense if your front seven holds its own.

[Defensewins]

Scouts Inc is wrong if they think Carter is our best DL. Not even close.
Griffen when healthy is our best.
Griffen is not inconsistent. When injured, just like any other player, his level of play is reduced. Don't call him inconsistent.
We do not have the worst DL. That is BS. We had a ton of injuries last season on defense and poor backups. Plain and simple.

[CHIEF CHUCKING MY SPEAR]

griffith is getting older and unfortually been hurt the last couple of year JS is always hurt, Carter is ok nothing special and Daniels stinks. The two young guy have some upside. So it not surprising that were ranked so low

[4mrusmc]

This article tells us nothing that we don't already know. Articles like this should be bulletin board material at Redskin Park. Also, articles like this will continue to be written until this team silences the critics. But, I too find it strange that our team has done nothing to address this glaring weakness. I come from the school of; if you cause mad havoc at the line of scrimage, and around the quarterback, then you do much to affect what the opposing offense can do in a game. To be successful I feel that this defense needs to set the agenda, and go after people with flying bodies coming from all over. Does our defense do this?

[sportscurmudgeon]

Someone said we should get the FACTS. OK, here are some to go and check out:


Where did the Skins rank in terms of yardage allowed last year?


Where did the Skins rank in terms of points allowed last year?


If I counted right, they ranked 24th in yardage allowed and 31st in points allowed.

Allowing yardage like that puts real presure on the offense to score quickly with big plays because the other team will be moving the ball once it goes back. Allowing points like that is what gives a team a pick as high as #6 in the draft in the following spring.

The FACTS are that the Skins were 5-11 last year and the defense was bad. They need to have the defense improve by 100% this year if they want to make the playoffs (even with an 8-8 record).

Now for subjective analysis:

If the problem is that Griffen tends to get hurt too much, the solution is not to limit his # of plays. When he is on the sidelines standing there and healthy, he's of no more value to the team than he is when he's hurt and not playing. If he is the guy that has to be in there to make things better, then don't take him out unless it is absolutely necessary. Griffen's history is that he's had two above average years in his career for whatever reasons.

Philip Daniels is a team leader. Five years ago, Philip Daniels was also a very solid player. Last year, he was a shadow of his former self as a player. Expecting him to put a move on Father Time and get back to where he was several years ago is unrealistic.

The reason the rookies got playing time last year is because the starters were ineffective. Notice that when those rookies got in the games, the defense did not become a ferocious unit. Rookies can improve; the Skins have to hope at least one or two of them improve a whole lot.

Whoever plays linebacker behind Andre Carter had better be ready to do a lot of tackling. If the Skins want a pass rush from the DL, Carter will have to provide much of it and he is most effective using speed to run around the OT. That leaves a gaping hole inside for teams to run into with draw plays. If that linebacker over there isn't a solid tackler, there will be no pass rush from the DL this season; Carter will have to "stay home".

If the Skins lose defensive linemen in training camp or if several of them have to play the season out with nagging injuries that won't go away, the defensive unit will be in big trouble because teams will run on them a lot.

I hope I separated the FACTS from the subjective analyses sufficiently...