Switch to 3-4 Defense a Failure

Bellichick has proven he cannot coach defenses anymore. They are not forcing players to play out of scheme. Carriker is a good 3-4 end. Cofield is an average NT, could we upgrade yes we could but he is not the biggest problem right now. Jenkins has not proven anything but he is a prototypical 3-4 end. Orakpo and Kerrigan are good 3-4 outside linebackers. I agree we need to upgrade the 3-4 ILBs but our linebackers would not be good if we played a 4-3 or a 3-4. It is not like these players are out of position. The secondary is obviously terrible. We don't have players that would fit well in a 4-3 or a 3-4, because the truth is those players are just not good.

I don't think that is the biggest problem either, but it is a problem I am puzzled as to why we never found a more suitable player for that position. I think we have some young guys that would fit better at that position (Neild, Baker), but I don't think Cofield belongs in that spot (personally I feel he'd be a much better DE in our D).

I don't think that is the biggest problem either, but it is a problem I am puzzled as to why we never found a more suitable player for that position. I think we have some young guys that would fit better at that position (Neild, Baker), but I don't think Cofield belongs in that spot (personally I feel he'd be a much better DE in our D).

I agree with this, I'm not sure why they couldn't find a decent NT too but I think it probably means that they truly believe that Cofield is the answer.

I agree with this, I'm not sure why they couldn't find a decent NT too but I think it probably means that they truly believe that Cofield is the answer.

I heard Aikman say once that Cofield is not a conventional NT. Cofield in fact played NT at Northwestern. As for them not finding a decent nose tackle, the scouts are not looking at the NTs who play in 3-4 defenses nationwide like Alabama, Stanford, Maryland, Notre Dame, and other NCAA programs who run the 34 defense. When they signed Ma'ake Kemoeatu two years ago, they thought his size would be enough. But the guy couldn't play NT at all.

I heard Aikman say once that Cofield is not a conventional NT. Cofield in fact played NT at Northwestern. As for them not finding a decent nose tackle, the scouts are not looking at the NTs who play in 3-4 defenses nationwide like Alabama, Stanford, Maryland, Notre Dame, and other NCAA programs who run the 34 defense. When they signed Ma'ake Kemoeatu two years ago, they thought his size would be enough. But the guy couldn't play NT at all.

How do you know what scouts are looking at?

Kemo's problem here was he couldn't get healthy. He's made a bit of a comeback with the Ravens.

Former Utah standout Ma'ake Kemoeatu returns to the Baltimore Ravens after sitting out last season | Deseret News (http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765613406/Former-Utah-standout-Maake-Kemoeatu-returns-to-the-Baltimore-Ravens-after-sitting-out-last-season.html)

How do you know what scouts are looking at?

Kemo's problem here was he couldn't get healthy. He's made a bit of a comeback with the Ravens.

Former Utah standout Ma'ake Kemoeatu returns to the Baltimore Ravens after sitting out last season | Deseret News (http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765613406/Former-Utah-standout-Maake-Kemoeatu-returns-to-the-Baltimore-Ravens-after-sitting-out-last-season.html)

Simply because mostly every player involved in the defensive line rotation is either a free agent signing that played in the 4-3 defense with some other NFL team, a draft choice that played in a 4-3 in college such as Jarvis Jenkins at Clemson, or traded for some player that played in the 4-3 defense previously(Adam Carriker). It seems to me that the scouts would be doing the same thing that the Steelers and Ravens are doing. Terrace Cody played in a 3-4 defense at Alabama and was a 2nd round draft choice of the Ravens 2 years ago.

Not to mention Orakpo, Kerrigan, Riley, Keenan Robinson, and a few other LBs played as middle linebackers and/or defensive ends in a 4-3 defense in college and not in the 3-4. Its obvious as clearly as the eyes can see that the Redskins scouts are doing a poor job at scouting players who fit Haslett's 3-4 defense to a T. Sure, you can have natural DEs as Kerrigan and Orakpo play OLB in the 3-4, but they are not NATURAL 3-4 OLBs. They only fit because of their athletic ability and awareness. Same thing goes for Perry Riley. He didn't start a game in the 3-4 defense until his second year because he had to learn the scheme just like Keenan Robinson is doing now.

Simply because mostly every player involved in the defensive line rotation is either a free agent signing that played in the 4-3 defense with some other NFL team, a draft choice that played in a 4-3 in college such as Jarvis Jenkins at Clemson, or traded for some player that played in the 4-3 defense previously(Adam Carriker). It seems to me that the scouts would be doing the same thing that the Steelers and Ravens are doing. Terrace Cody played in a 3-4 defense at Alabama and was a 2nd round draft choice of the Ravens 2 years ago.

Not to mention Orakpo, Kerrigan, Riley, Keenan Robinson, and a few other LBs played as middle linebackers and/or defensive ends in a 4-3 defense in college and not in the 3-4. Its obvious as clearly as the eyes can see that the Redskins scouts are doing a poor job at scouting players who fit Haslett's 3-4 defense to a T. Sure, you can have natural DEs as Kerrigan and Orakpo play OLB in the 3-4, but they are not NATURAL 3-4 OLBs. They only fit because of their athletic ability and awareness. Same thing goes for Perry Riley. He didn't start a game in the 3-4 defense until his second year because he had to learn the scheme just like Keenan Robinson is doing now.

You and a lot of others are awfully hung up on this 3-4 thing.

Plenty of teams convert players coming out of college. Its not an uncommon thing at all. Not enough schools run a 3-4. You can't just limit drafting guys from 3-4 schools, that's really shrinking the pool of potential players.

You and a lot of others are awfully hung up on this 3-4 thing.

Plenty of teams convert players coming out of college. Its not an uncommon thing at all. Not enough schools run a 3-4. You can't just limit drafting guys from 3-4 schools, that's really shrinking the pool of potential players.

I understand what you're saying but it would benefit the coaches, the players they have, and the players that they will draft, sign, and trade for in the future if they just played the 4-3 defense.

Improve talent first and foremost (especially in the secondary) and everything else will take care of itself. The 3-4 vs the 4-3 talk is so overblown its unbelievable. Amazing how we heard very little of this debate last year when the D was actually decent.

Yeah. Talent can overcome a lot of shortcomings. Problem is Shanny has no idea what qualifies as talent on the defensive side of the ball.

And, judging from his first two seasons, he barly knows it on the offensive side.

You and a lot of others are awfully hung up on this 3-4 thing.

Plenty of teams convert players coming out of college. Its not an uncommon thing at all. Not enough schools run a 3-4. You can't just limit drafting guys from 3-4 schools, that's really shrinking the pool of potential players.

Why is any of that important for us? Name a 3-4, 3-4/hybrid that was/is any good without an elite NT?

So we lack the key ingredient, and then the same mistake takes some of our best players out of position. It forces Fletcher into single coverage away from the middle of the field, which never has to happen given the right scheme. It doesn't let Orakpo rush the passer every down.

The defense is indefensible. Injury is the cover story, but the devil is in the details. We lack the right guys for what we're trying to do, and we force guys we do have out of their best-fit position. It's there on every play, no chance of missing it.