Raheem Morris

[redskins4lif]

it was just a thought and maybe worth a try i mean nothing else seems to work for this secondary. Which for me i think safety needs to be concern number 1 in the off season with 1b being a corner

[NC_Skins]

Originally Posted by Ruhskins

By the way, do people realize we have 8 INTs and 3 defensive TDs in 7 games?

This defense is similar to Gregg Williams defense in New Orleans. They gave up lots of yardage, but lead the league in turnovers which gave their offense chances of scoring.(which they did) The problem with defenses like this is, if your offense doesn't score or you fail to get a turnover, you are likely ****ed.

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by rbanerjee23

So we've resorted to name calling -- the offense played a very average game, mixing long drives with missed opportunities (0-2 in the RZ like you mentioned) and way too many turnovers. The defense played a pretty good game overall forcing Eli into two interceptions. But with about 3 minutes left in the game, the redskins offense marched down the field on a Giants defense that is pretty much the same one that won the SB and suffocated the 49ers (arguably the best team in the NFC). That one drive, in my opinion, made up for their earlier miscues. You mentioned that the had a small lead, true -- but there was also a minute and a half left in the game and the Giants had to go 77 yards. The redskins defense was unable to stop them when it counted and that is what cost the game. You can call me simple-minded if you wish but it doesn't change the fact that the Redskins offense did a bad job not putting the game away, but the Redskins defense actively lost the game.

And the Redskins offense fumbled the ball away at the end, but to me that's irrelevant.

Let's break this down from the beginning.

The Redskins Offense was inside the 2 yd line of the Giants, and could only muster three points in the opening drive. We could have been 7-0 if we score a TD.

In the second quarter, the offense was inside the red zone again and could only come up with 3 points. We could have been up 21-7.

In the third quarter, we scored no points (neither did the Giants). This quarter featured a fumble on the Giants 41 yd line and RG3 being picked off at the Giants 42 yd line. We score at least 3 pts in each of those times, we are up 27-13; if we don't we are still up 21-13

In the 4th quarter, RG3 fumbles at the Giants 27, a place where at worst we could have come up with 3 points. If we don't fumble and score at least 3 pts, we are up 24-20 (and that's counting a TD that the Giants scored off the RG3 pick in the 3rd quarter).

After the Eli pick, the Redskins are only able to put up 3 points, which makes the game 27-20, a TD at this point helps the Redskins putting some distance between themselves and the Giants at 31-20.

The last five minutes of the game are much much different if the offense doesn't have a lot of those mistakes. I am not trying to excuse the defense or the horrible blown coverage at the end of the game. But given the lack of talent on this team, we can't beat teams like the Giants with errors on both sides of the ball. Yet people act like the offense had a flawless game and it was ONLY because of the defense that they lost the game.

[The Goat]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

As usual some people put way too much stock in coaching and stuff like play calling.

Talent wins you games in this league. We don't have enough of it in the secondary right now.

But we have more than enough talent in the front seven (present active-roster) to compensate for the secondary and still be at least a middle-of-the-pack defense i.e. our overall defensive talent is far better than bottom five or six in points/yards. Far better.

Our DBs are actually performing pretty damn well this season. Safety is an issue, but coaching is bigger than the injuries. One of the biggest adjustment failures Hazlett makes is to fail to change the game-plan for his back-ups. B Merriwether is a superior safety to M Williams. Williams lacks speed and some agility. So as d coordinator you force Williams to play further back, especially when it's end of the game and a TD spells the end. You don't let the opposing center snap the ball without checking Williams is 25+ yards off the LOS.

Hazlett called his 2nd best game of the season, but it was still average at best.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by The Goat

But we have more than enough talent in the front seven (present active-roster) to compensate for the secondary and still be at least a middle-of-the-pack defense i.e. our overall defensive talent is far better than bottom five or six in points/yards. Far better.

Our DBs are actually performing pretty damn well this season. Safety is an issue, but coaching is bigger than the injuries. One of the biggest adjustment failures Hazlett makes is to fail to change the game-plan for his back-ups. B Merriwether is a superior safety to M Williams. Williams lacks speed and some agility. So as d coordinator you force Williams to play further back, especially when it's end of the game and a TD spells the end. You don't let the opposing center snap the ball without checking Williams is 25+ yards off the LOS.

Hazlett called his 2nd best game of the season, but it was still average at best.

Perhaps if we still had Orakpo and Carriker.

Still comes down to talent to me in the secondary. Our safeties have been weak.

[hooskins]

Originally Posted by Bucket

You know what an awesome secondary would look like?

Champ Bailey - CB
Carlos Rogers -CB
D. Hall - Nickel
Sean Taylor - FS
Laron Landry - SS

Man that would bring a tear to any D. Cordinator's eye.

Dont forget Ryan Clark.

[Ruhskins]

I wonder what would have happened if we had gotten Eric Berry instead of Trent Williams in 2010?

[CultBrennan59]

Originally Posted by Ruhskins

I wonder what would have happened if we had gotten Eric Berry instead of Trent Williams in 2010?

We would be saying "Damn RG3 is getting killed with Polumbus at LT and Black at RT; no time to throw at all! JPP had 5 sacks today?!?! Cut this guy! I wonder what would have happened had we of drafted Trent Williams instead of Eric Berry"

and for the defense or if we'd win "Man Berry is the only bright spot in our secondary; He can't cover everybody; Erics sucking today; You know we actually have a good chance at winning the NFC East because nobody has a CLEAR CUT good secondary..."

[mooby]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Perhaps if we still had Orakpo and Carriker.

Still comes down to talent to me in the secondary. Our safeties have been weak.

You know how I know it's Mike Shanahan's fault? The fact that he couldn't turn Rex Grossman or John Beck into RG3-lite in 2011 tells me everything I need to know about this so-called "talent" evaluator.

[imaskin4life]

Originally Posted by Ruhskins

I wonder what would have happened if we had gotten Eric Berry instead of Trent Williams in 2010?

I was kinda depressed when I saw that pick but I think Williams plays a more important role (believe it or not) now that we have a QB.

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by imaskin4life

I was kinda depressed when I saw that pick but I think Williams plays a more important role (believe it or not) now that we have a QB.

I think in the end TW was the better choice for the pick. However, I feel that for the past couple of seasons we've had backups and/or injury prone players at safety. I hope we can soon find capable starters at safety.

[donofriose]

Originally Posted by imaskin4life

I was kinda depressed when I saw that pick but I think Williams plays a more important role (believe it or not) now that we have a QB.

You win superbowls around a quarterback, offense linemen and a passrushe. Before eric Berry was injured he was a beast of course the chiefs have him playing out of position but Trent Williams is playing at a pro bowl level. Of course individual Olinemen are a little overrated (Giants are a perfect example of that) but still Trent Williams has ben playing great.

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by donofriose

You win superbowls around a quarterback, offense linemen and a passrushe. Before eric Berry was injured he was a beast of course the chiefs have him playing out of position but Trent Williams is playing at a pro bowl level. Of course individual Olinemen are a little overrated (Giants are a perfect example of that) but still Trent Williams has ben playing great.

How were the Chiefs playing Berry? Just curious.

[donofriose]

Originally Posted by Ruhskins

How were the Chiefs playing Berry? Just curious.

He is a true Free safety and they having playing mainly strong Safety. Kind of like Laron Landry but reversed. Landry was a great strong safety but we tried to make him a Free safety. different responsibilities... His rookie year Berry played Free and did great.

[jdc65]

In my opinion, Raheem Morris should be made the D coordinator at the break, barring a miraculous and unforeseen turnaround by the defense before then. While it clearly isn't all Haslett's fault, the overall defensive play has been unacceptable. 3 years now under Haslett and the D has gotten progressively worse. Someone needs to take a fall.

Morris has been disappointing as a secondary coach, but he does have a decent resume, and is the best qualified candidate on the team to take over on an interim basis. Give him the opportunity to coach half a season, and see if he can improve the defensive play.

The mindset of the defense just has to change, and I don't see how Haslett can reverse 3 years now of substandard production. It's clear from watching the games and comments made by departing players that the defensive schemes were, and are, a weakness.