On Blache

Personally, I've thought the O's come together a couple of times late in the game. Such as the fourth down TD against the Ravens and the 80-some yard drive that didn't get anything against the Bengals but still got them to the half yard line. That suggests something was coming together on the O. Then the D gives up another score and the O has to abandon what finally started working because a one score game is now a two score game.

The problem is that when the offense finally "comes together" late in these games, the defense has been out in the field a lot and they are running out of steam. I could be wrong, but in the Bengals game, the Redskins did not complete a 1st Down until well into the 2nd Qtr. So you have an entire quarter of the offense going 3 and out, and the defense playing a lot.

What happened on that last drive when the Bengals held the ball for something like 8-9 minutes? The Skins have been burned in the 4th quarter a bunch this year, for whatever reason in crunch time they falter. I'm not saying it's all on Blache, but there's just something there that makes you wonder why they can't close teams out in the 4th.
I'd say that our D faltered in the first 1/4 thes week and not in the fourth.

I think GT's points from the breakdown of the cincy game are well taken. In a nutshell, the D plays tough enough to keep us in games but at crucial times the blitz calls are so predictable that any qb can spot them. Smoot matched up 1 on 1 v. Housh. on 3rd down is asking for trouble.

I know Blache could be under pressure from Zorn to get more pressure on the qb, so I'll at least give him an out there. And we don't have any good blitzers really (maybe Horton). But the blitzes never surprise anyone, including me!

I'd say that our D faltered in the first 1/4 thes week and not in the fourth.
I have posted this many a times, but for as good as our D is, they have been horrible every 1st quarter. They usually picked up as the game went along, but as our offensive struggles have risen, they have, of late, faltered in the 4th quarter too. 2nd and 3rd quarters, the D has been stellar.

I'd say that our D faltered in the first 1/4 thes week and not in the fourth.

He's got a good point, they controlled the clock for over 7 minutes in the 4th quarter on one drive.

The problem is that when the offense finally "comes together" late in these games, the defense has been out in the field a lot and they are running out of steam. I could be wrong, but in the Bengals game, the Redskins did not complete a 1st Down until well into the 2nd Qtr. So you have an entire quarter of the offense going 3 and out, and the defense playing a lot.


well, the Post just did an article on this today. In the first half, in the past five losses we've had the ball just slightly more than half the half. In the 3rd after 15 minutes rest they've held the ball an average of 6:36. That's not bad. Over the first 45 minutes the other team has only held the ball 2 minutes and 13 seconds longer than us.

Seems to be a lot of discussion over whether or not Blache should be credited for adjustments that help us play better as a game goes along. This is a good discussion, as the Redskins rarely stay with a bad gameplan for an entire game. Is that a credit to our DC? I don't know.

I generally think Blache waits too long to make adjustments, but going through the game film probably distorts reality a little bit as there is not much time between plays to analyze whats going on where he has plenty of time.

I can not say conclusively that the Redskins would be a better defense without Greg Blache calling the shots. I can say with great confidence that they would not be any worse.

We may miss Blache as a DL coach if/when he retires, but I think (my opinion is) that a change in defensive coaching will -- if not immediately -- generate positive results in the long term.

I hope I'm right, because if the problem with the pass rush is personnel related, we're pretty much screwed for the future one way or another.

Talk abut a laugher... wow.... you ARE the best analyist on this site...

1st) Bulger IS listed... 136 passing yards vs Skins... over 40 on the last heave... spectacular.. it's called READING... left to right, top to bottom...

2nd) Leftwich did well, but has not played any other significant time at ALL this season to compare...

3rd) Orlovsky' numbers were break even...60% comp/88 QBR - 58.4% comp/80.3 overall .. definitely NOT much worse against others like YOUR ignorant statement was...

YOU failed to mention Romo, who we played just FOUR games ago who had a 72.4 QBR and 2 Ints in the game. Matter of fact... he had his 2nd & 4th worst QBRs against us (out of 11 games)...

I can keep going...

How about McNabb? 196 yds, 58.6% comp, 0 TDs, 79.1 QBR vs Skins - 60.9% comp,86.7 QBR overall...

or Eli Manning?? 54.3% & 61.8% comp, 61.1 & 88.5 QBRs vs Skins - 60.3% comp, 86.4 overall...

So that leaves ONE QB this ENTIRE 14 GAME SEASON who had a remotely BETTER day than usual.. Ryan Fitzpatrick with an amazing 55% comp and one London Fletcher or Mike Green CATCH away from a QBR in the 60's...

I mean... obviously you WANTED me to call you out on being TOTALLY incorrect by carrying this on... right?You use '...' so much that I can't really get the flow of what your point is. I see a lot of potentially useful statistics, but they're just thrown at me in a way that I can't hope to understand what your point is.

Basically, your argument lacks logical flow. It's coming off somewhat like: "A bunch of horrible passers look especially horrible when playing the Redskins. Doesn't this prove that we're great!?!?! Also, points!" Well, no, but perhaps you are trying to prove something more concrete. I can't tell.

You're also using assumed change in QB Rating to make a point that QB Rating is poorly designed to prove. But I see what you are saying with the completion %....sort of.

My point: we're a below average pass defense --and I could throw a books-worth of stats at you to prove this-- and I don't feel like we should be based on the individual talent we have in the secondary AND on the pass rush

You use '...' so much that I can't really get the flow of what your point is. I see a lot of potentially useful statistics, but they're just thrown at me in a way that I can't hope to understand what your point is.

Basically, your argument lacks logical flow. It's coming off somewhat like: A bunch of horrible passers look especially horrible when playing the Redskins. Doesn't this prove that we're great!?!?! Also, points! Well, no, but perhaps you are trying to prove something more concrete. I can't tell.

You're also using assumed change in QB Rating to make a point that QB Rating is poorly designed to prove. But I see what you are saying with the completion %....sort of.

My point: we're a below average pass defense --and I could throw a books-worth of stats at you to prove this-- and I don't feel like we should be based on the individual talent we have in the secondary AND on the pass rush



OK this is the last comment I'll make on this subject.

You originally called ME out on not understanding statistics. Then you said that QBs we face have worse days against everyone else in the league.

I then pointed out that we are ranked in the top 10 in pretty much every pass defense category and that you were wrong. I showed, with CLEAR statistics that only one QB in 14 games has a romotely better day that usual. You read, and obviously understand what I was pointing out because of the next ludicrous statement you make in response, then act like YOU can't understand the logic of statement made because you can't make a truly valid argument to facts & numbers I present.

You actually make a mocking statement saying we have faced "A bunch of horrible passers"??

Romo? McNabb? Manning? Roethlisberger? Hasselbeck? Brees? Warner? These are horrible passers?

Whatever. I can't argue with this kind of talk anymore.

Look, I'm not trying to bash you here, but I will defend myself when someone attacks my intelligence.

I can't really make myself much more clear. Anyone who thinks we have a "below average pass defense" should NOT be trying to belittle or trash ANYONE else's statements.

If you are this site's premeir football analyst and feel like you have to belittle facts someone else points out, because you feel threatened (I guess), don't worry, most people don't have the time to put in the hours you do... including me. (Oh, sorry for the ... now you may not be able to understand my whole post)

I can not say conclusively that the Redskins would be a better defense without Greg Blache calling the shots. I can say with great confidence that they would not be any worse.

We may miss Blache as a DL coach if/when he retires, but I think (my opinion is) that a change in defensive coaching will -- if not immediately -- generate positive results in the long term.


Its hard to knock a top 5 defense.
I think that Blache is a decent DC but has limits.

His defense line appears designed to stop the run and struggles getting pressure.
Our ends rarely just go balls out at the QB is always seems like a controlled rush.
As opposed to the Colts, their defensive line is all about pass rush and they try to stop the run on the way to the QB.

Another problem that i've heard mentioned in this thread is that our blitzes lack disguise.
Blache doesn't really hide the fact that he is blitzing, opposing teams can easily read and adjust to our blitzes. This has put our corners (Smoot, Rogers) in a bad spot when we all out blitz.

Steelers, Ravens, Giants, Eagles, Bears all have a very creative blitz/package with lots of zone-blitz.
They show that 7-10 are blitzing but often only rush 4 but which 4 is difficult to figure out pre-snap.
The brief confusion this disguise creates is often enough to give the pass rusher the advantage, the confusion also distorts the QBs reads.
In the face of an blitz look QBs often check to a hot read, against a zone-blitz they might find a DE or LB sitting in the hot zone forcing him to hold the ball or even an interception.
(e.g. DT -Ngata & DE/LB Suggs both have 2 picks)

The defense has done enough to keep us in most games, but i agree with GT that Blache isn't getting the most out of our current defense in terms of pressure.

My problems with Blache:

1) Where has Chris Wilson been? Where was James playing time? (when we had him)-Where was Rob Jackson early in the season? Why wasn't their a rotation at DE earlier in the year?

2) Why doesn't Rocky blitz/rush more (instead cover where he isn't that great)

3) Why doesn't Blache turn the D-line loose more?

4) Why doesn't Zorn zone-blitz or disguise the blitzes?