Who are your starting Safeties

Who are you going to replace him with? If Meriweather isnt ready, Doughty will be playing strong safety. You will be replacing him with Gomes, who is also mistake prone. You even admitted in an earlier post that Doughty will struggle in the passing game as a Free Safety. So he is not a legitimate replacement for a Free Safety. I agree with donofriose, his main purpose as a free safety is to not get beat deep on passing plays.

Not sure why you think that believing the DL and LB's should do something in the run game is placing blame elsewhere. If we are relying on the free safety, and no one else, to stop the run game, then we are in serious trouble even of we had a healthy Ed Reed in his prime back there.

A safety needs to be able to be in good position to tackle or at least slow down the ball carrier - period. It's football 101 and unacceptable - especially at safety. If Rambo can't do this, it's like playing with one less player in some cases. You can't afford to concede that. Especially with what the eagles may try in the first game. The redskins can't try to sell out every time a ball carrier is near Rambo to help him out. They're going to get gashed one way or another. Bottom line is - he has to improve and he has to do it quickly.

I know there's a need to replace the safeties in every redskins fans' minds because the redskins were so bad in the passing game last year. But if Rambo's not ready, you can't put him in there in the first game. If the eagles focus to exploit him, he may the biggest reason if the skins lose. Don't worry if the redskins need to start doughty or Gomes. They'll be good because they are experienced, can tackle, can hit, can blitz, and can help in coverage. And the biggest thing is that the redskins defense would be better around either of them- especially in the passing game. Not only is this the case, but Doughty had a hell of a game in his last outing against the Seahawks.

A safety needs to be able to be in good position to tackle or at least slow down the ball carrier - period. It's football 101 and unacceptable - especially at safety. If Rambo can't do this, it's like playing with one less player in some cases. You can't afford to concede that. Especially with what the eagles may try in the first game. The redskins can't try to sell out every time a ball carrier is near Rambo to help him out. They're going to get gashed one way or another. Bottom line is - he has to improve and he has to do it quickly.

Again, who are you going to replace him with? If its just stop the run, we can put Kehl at Londons spot and play London as the Free Safety. But we all know that wont work. His primary responsibility as a Free Safety is in the passing game. He makes mistakes, but if the replacement will make more mistakes, then I very easily can say that he deserves to be in there.

What do you mean they cant sell out if the ball carrier is near Rambo? If the ball carrier is near Rambo then our defense has already failed all over the place unless Rambo started in the box. When he has done that, he has played the run better. He forced a fumble on a run while playing in the box, but that is still not his primary job. If we are relying on the Free Safety to stop the run, we will have arguably the worst run defense in the game, regardless of who we play there.

Edit:

I know there's a need to replace the safeties in every redskins fans' minds because the redskins were so bad in the passing game last year. But if Rambo's not ready, you can't put him in there in the first game. If the eagles focus to exploit him, he may the biggest reason if the skins lose. Don't worry if the redskins need to start doughty or Gomes. They'll be good because they are experienced, can tackle, can hit, can blitz, and can help in coverage. And the biggest thing is that the redskins defense would be better around either of them- especially in the passing game. Not only is this the case, but Doughty had a hell of a game in his last outing against the Seahawks.

Doughty can not play free safety. He is to slow, he is a Strong Safety. He does play the run well, but is a liability in pass coverage. Thats why he needs to be a Strong Safety where he will draw TE's and RB's in coverage when he has to play that. As for Gomes, if Gomes is better, then he should start. But the coaches apparently dont see Gomes as a better Free Safety, otherwise Rambo would already be second string.

Again, who are you going to replace him with? If its just stop the run, we can put Kehl at Londons spot and play London as the Free Safety. But we all know that wont work. His primary responsibility as a Free Safety is in the passing game. He makes mistakes, but if the replacement will make more mistakes, then I very easily can say that he deserves to be in there.

What do you mean they cant sell out if the ball carrier is near Rambo? If the ball carrier is near Rambo then our defense has already failed all over the place unless Rambo started in the box. When he has done that, he has played the run better. He forced a fumble on a run while playing in the box, but that is still not his primary job. If we are relying on the Free Safety to stop the run, we will have arguably the worst run defense in the game, regardless of who we play there.

You know that there's going to be a situation where Rambo may be the first defensive player that the ball carrier may meet. If you and I know Rambo is weak at this- then guess who also knows it? The eagles. And guess what they're going to focus on if he's on the field. You can't cater the defense to help a safety out. Safeties are the ones that are supposed to do the helping. And it's not acceptable to concede one less tackler on defense in space or any other situation. For what? In hopes that a rookie will force a fumble or have a good learning experience for next time? Like I said, this is one of the basics and something you can't afford not to have. A safety that can't put himself in the proper position to tackle.

You know that there's going to be a situation where Rambo may be the first defensive player that the ball carrier may meet. If you and I know Rambo is weak at this- then guess who also knows it? The eagles. And guess what they're going to focus on if he's on the field. You can't cater the defense to help a safety out. Safeties are the ones that are supposed to do the helping. And it's not acceptable to concede one less tackler on defense in space or any other situation. For what? In hopes that a rookie will force a fumble or have a good learning experience for next time? Like I said, this is one of the basics and something you can't afford not to have. A safety that can't put himself in the proper position to tackle.

The same works for safeties that are weak against the pass. If an OC sees terrible help over the top, where do you think he is going to attack? You can not base safety play solely on the run. In fact, I will continue to argue that pass defense is the free safeties main job, thats where his main rating has to come from. We saw that last year from our safeties who were weak against the pass. Doughty played last year and so did Gomes. Where did that get us?

I keep saying this- Rambo cannot be in the first game if he can't put himself in better position to tackle in space. Everything and everyone else being discussed is just noise. I don't care if he's a free or strong safety- he needs to tackle in space. This is just football basics.

The same works for safeties that are weak against the pass. If an OC sees terrible help over the top, where do you think he is going to attack? You can not base safety play solely on the run. In fact, I will continue to argue that pass defense is the free safeties main job, thats where his main rating has to come from. We saw that last year from our safeties who were weak against the pass. Doughty played last year and so did Gomes. Where did that get us?

So the better option would be to start a raw rookie that can't put himself in the proper position to tackle in space?

I keep saying this- Rambo cannot be in the first game if he can't put himself in better position to tackle in space. Everything and everyone else being discussed is just noise. I don't care if he's a free or strong safety- he needs to tackle in space. This is just football basics.

so who is your starting free safety?

I keep saying this- Rambo cannot be in the first game if he can't put himself in better position to tackle in space. Everything and everyone else being discussed is just noise. I don't care if he's a free or strong safety- he needs to tackle in space. This is just football basics.

If Vick shows that he can no longer pass... sure. We can pull the safeties and corners and replace them all with LB's.

Tackling. It's football basics! You can't have a player that you know that can't do it.