Doc Walker One-on-One Interview with Vinny Cerrato

You make a really good point on how improving the defense actually improves the offense. If we generate 2 turnovers and a TD per game that would be historically good, but I see what you are saying. Adding Smith or Oher at RT isn't going to dramatically improve our offense overnight. However adding a pass rusher to Haynesworth and Hall can make our defense instantly more imposing and can lead to the turnover numbers you were talking about.

Improving the offense would also have the affect of improving the offense.

Improving the offense would also have the affect of improving the offense.

Obviously, but my point was one offensive player (RT) isn't going to instantly make the offense more potent but that additional player on defense can help in creating turnovers, improving field position and putting points on the board. A right tackle's not going to do that.

Like it or not, Snyder is the owner of this team and probably will remain the owner for the rest of his life. Giving Snyders penchant for being a moron when it comes to the non-business side of football, and his insistance on getting involved in things he shouldnt, I think we are better off with Cerrato than we would be with almost anyone else. He has a good relationship with Snyder and if Snyder brougth someone else in, i think they would just be a puppet and we would be right back to where we were in the early 2000s. Cerrato seems to have us pointed in the right direction. this team is definitely better right now than it was a year ago, and we still have the draft ahead of us.

I think the problem is that Snyder is a business man, and business minded people tend to apply those same concepts to areas where business practices just won't work (I see that a lot in Education).

I definitely agree that Vinny has the team in the right direction, and the comment about drafting Jarod Mayo last year is proof that many times the FO has the right plan, but circumstances get in the way. I think it is safe to say that Vinny and Zorn are making the decisions with DS' input. Once again, I'm fine with that, I'm glad we're not Dallas where Jerry Jones is owner, GM, scout, and pretty much coach.

Obviously, but my point was one offensive player (RT) isn't going to instantly make the offense more potent but that additional player on defense can help in creating turnovers, improving field position and putting points on the board. A right tackle's not going to do that.

I think that Haynesworth was the big free agent, so they signed him. Now everybody is turning him into an offensive threat because everybody knows that the offense was the problem last year. When offense is the problem you should try to fix the offense. Don't sign a defensive tackle, because he's the big splashy name and then tell me it's going to cure the offensive woes as well.

If we don't get better in the passing game, none of these other things will matter. The Redskins whole future is dependent on the emergence of Thomas, Kelly, and/or Davis as positive factors. No one can say how that turns out, so there is nothing to discuss, so we start inventing arguments. Defense is not the problem. The offensive line is not the problem (you don't like our O-LIne? Take a look at Arizona's and they went to the big game. Their LT had three holding calls and they still might have won) THE RECEIVERS and to a lesser extent the QB IS THE PROBLEM.

I think that Haynesworth was the big free agent, so they signed him. Now everybody is turning him into an offensive threat because everybody knows that the offense was the problem last year. When offense is the problem you should try to fix the offense. Don't sign a defensive tackle, because he's the big splashy name and then tell me it's going to cure the offensive woes as well.

If we don't get better in the passing game, none of these other things will matter. The Redskins whole future is dependent on the emergence of Thomas, Kelly, and/or Davis as positive factors. No one can say how that turns out, so there is nothing to discuss, so we start inventing arguments. Defense is not the problem. The offensive line is not the problem (you don't like our O-LIne? Take a look at Arizona's and they went to the big game. Their LT had three holding calls and they still might have won) THE RECEIVERS and to a lesser extent the QB IS THE PROBLEM.

Arizona had a good line compared to ours (I'm sure it's a younger line). I mean how else do you protect a statue like Warner? Plus, AZ's receiving corps is 10 times better than ours (no comparison). Their run block sucked, but their passing game made up for that deficiency.

I do agree that the offensive line must be dealt with, but let's not forget that adding Dockery was huge. I don't think there was a great offensive lineman out there in free agency (other than Jordan Gross and Jason Brown), but Dock was a big improvement. I do hope they address the offensive line in the draft, but as I said before, the guys that are currently there need to step it up as well.

I thin everyone expects the rookies to develop and contribute, and for JC to improve from last year as well. I think improving the offensive line will help, but you're right there has to be improvements in the passing game as well. I don't mind the Redskins improving their defense, other teams are improving areas where their strength lies (i.e. Giants and their 20-deep defensive line). While we had a good defense last year, it wasn't an elite defense like Baltimore's or Pittsburgh's.

Improving the offense would also have the affect of improving the offense.

True, but as Pain pointed out, a defense that creates more turnovers and scores more points is going to do more for our offense than upgrading Heyer/Jansen with a rookie RT.

Think of it this way, the level of performance between experienced OTs like Heyer and Jansen and a ROOKIE OT is not that huge.

However, the differnece in performance between a rookie DE or SAM taken at 13 would be a HUGE upgrade over Wynn or Blades. The left side of our defense is completely wide-open right now. Wynn is old and Blades is undersized. Teams could just run to that side all day. Upgrading one of those positions with a stud is crucial to the success of our defense in 2009. If we don't make significant strides there, then the benefits from paying Haynesworth and Hall are going to be comparatively minor.

I know i've criticized Jason Campbell alot, but one thing ive always said is that he's the kind of guy thats not going (to win or) LOSE any games for us. He is solid at managing games. History has shown us, time and again, that a team with that kind of QB and a DOMINANT, PLAYMAKING defense can be dangerous.

Arizona had a good line compared to ours (I'm sure it's a younger line). I mean how else do you protect a statue like Warner? Plus, AZ's receiving corps is 10 times better than ours (no comparison). Their run block sucked, but their passing game made up for that deficiency.



Arizona's passing game works because of their QB and Receivers and in spite of a line that is in no respect superior to the Redskins. Warner is a statue. A statue that get's rid of the ball quickly.

Of course the Redskins would be better if Campbell had 5 seconds to throw every time, but there is not a QB in the leauge that gets that kind of protection anymore. You have to unload it because no matter who the Redskins have up front, the pressure is coming. It's the nature of the game today.

Given the discussion of Mayo I went searching for info on him from last year and found this little gem.

Titans Select RB Chris Johnson With The 24th Pick - ESPN Video - ESPN (http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3368963&categoryid=3364749)

You'd think he was talking about Darren McFadden, except...

Raiders Select RB Darren McFadden With The Fourth Pick - ESPN Video - ESPN (http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3368923&categoryid=3364749)

Arizona's passing game works because of their QB and Receivers and in spite of a line that is in no respect superior to the Redskins. Warner is a statue. A statue that get's rid of the ball quickly.

Of course the Redskins would be better if Campbell had 5 seconds to throw every time, but there is not a QB in the leauge that gets that kind of protection anymore. You have to unload it because no matter who the Redskins have up front, the pressure is coming. It's the nature of the game today.

Theres another thread where we can talk about Campbell and i think he's been discussed to death. For 2009, he is our quarterback. With that established, it makes more sense to look at what we can do to this team to be more successful with him as our QB.

Our defense was good last year, but it wasnt dominant. didnt create many turnovers or score many (if any) points on defense. Our offense was by far the weaker unit, but our defense rarely gave our offense the ball with a short field. As a result, the pressure was always on the offense.

If we can add a stud pass rusher to our already upgraded defense, we're going to have mroe sacks, more pressures and more turnovers. The pressure will be taken off the offense. Campbell will have more opporunities to throw the ball in the red zone and now he'll have atleast TWO large targets in Cooley and Davis. If either Davis or Kelly steps up, then we can become a legitimate redzone threat. Worst case scenario, we get a field goal or two a game that we wouldnt have otherwise. Last year, we lost alot of games by that much.

More than anything else, adding an elite pass-rusher will ensure that doesnt happen again this year.

True, but as Pain pointed out, a defense that creates more turnovers and scores more points is going to do more for our offense than upgrading Heyer/Jansen with a rookie RT.

Think of it this way, the level of performance between experienced OTs like Heyer and Jansen and a ROOKIE OT is not that huge.

However, the differnece in performance between a rookie DE or SAM taken at 13 would be a HUGE upgrade over Wynn or Blades. The left side of our defense is completely wide-open right now. Wynn is old and Blades is undersized. Teams could just run to that side all day. Upgrading one of those positions with a stud is crucial to the success of our defense in 2009. If we don't make significant strides there, then the benefits from paying Haynesworth and Hall are going to be comparatively minor.

I know i've criticized Jason Campbell alot, but one thing ive always said is that he's the kind of guy thats not going (to win or) LOSE any games for us. He is solid at managing games. History has shown us, time and again, that a team with that kind of QB and a DOMINANT, PLAYMAKING defense can be dangerous.
The Ravens and Titans have shown us examples of this for years. Hell, the Giants won a SB with this a couple of years ago.