John Clayton Addresses DE, Landry, And The WR's
 

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Q: Hey John. Big fan. My question is how do you see the combination of Jason Taylor and Andre Carter performing this year? How good can LaRon Landry be, and lastly, what's your take on the Skins' rookie wideouts?

Rob in D.C.
[B]
A: Modestly, the Redskins' defense should be able to get between 45 and 50 sacks. This is the best pass-rush combination for the team since Dexter Manley and Charles Mann. I believe both Taylor and Carter will have double-digit sacks. Landry can be a great one. He has range and hitting ability. The receiving corps -- tight ends included -- is deep and gives new coach Jim Zorn plenty of versatility. The key for the season, though, is injuries, and the long list of injuries concern me[/B].

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

I believe that we can get 50 to 60 sacks this year barring any injuries. I believe Landry will have a career that Sean Taylor would have had if it wasn't for tragedy. Landry is one of the most talented safeties to come up in a long time. It will take time for our rookie receivers to step up in this offense but they eventually will be productive. Look at Darrell Jackson's rookie season for Mike Holmgren.

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

I think that our LB corp might play a lot better as well if out D line plays as good as everyone think they will be. Man, it we can stay healthy, I think we'll have a very solid year.

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

If the Dline plays well, so does everyone behind them.

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

[quote=4olddc;460265]I think that our LB corp might play a lot better as well if out D line plays as good as everyone think they will be. Man, it we can stay healthy, I think we'll have a very solid year.[/quote]

Yes, IF we can stay healthy. Do we even have enough guys at this point to field a team Sunday night? Geez! we are snake bit with these injuries, and we haven't even played a game yet. We may not have 53 players left by September!

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

60 sacks won't happen... i just don't see how.

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

Wow 45 sacks is a lot i'm glad to see an expert that optimistic about our defense!

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

[quote=That Guy;460303]60 sacks won't happen... i just don't see how.[/quote]

hey... never say never

:)

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

Best since Manley, and Mann? That's saying something

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]I don't want to speculate and believe that this is going to be a great JT and AC year... We've had too many great trades blow up in our faces before. I'm reserving judgment. [/FONT][/COLOR]

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

[QUOTE=hesscl34;460473][COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]I don't want to speculate and believe that this is going to be a great JT and AC year... We've had too many great trades blow up in our faces before. I'm reserving judgment. [/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]

You make a good point. While anything can happen with this DE tandem, the only thing that I'd like to point out is that in previous years the team has made flashy trades and/or super star free agent signings, bringing a lot of expectations that (as you put it) blow up in our faces. However, I do feel that this situation with Jason Taylor is different, and it is not like the signings of Archuleta, Lloyd, Bruce Smith, and Deion Sanders.

I honestly don't like for the team to get much hype, but I do hope that this makes teams really think hard when they play our defense, knowing that there are two outstanding pass rushers in the line.

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

Taylor can still ball and put up double digit sacks. The only way I don't see that happening is if he gets inj...

I don't even want to say it.

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

[QUOTE=Hog1;460470]Best since Manley, and Mann? That's saying something[/QUOTE]

Not really. Probably says more to our lack of doing anything over the years to get anything like Manley and Mann

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

I enjoy hearing great things about the Redskins, but I want to see the finished product. On paper, everything looks good. I have confidence we will do well this year and surprise a lot of people.

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

[quote=Mattyk72;460464]hey... never say never

:)[/quote]



LOL......amen,after last year...well....you just never know.:food-smil

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

50 sacks for the year works out to 3.12 sacks per game. The last time the Redskins had at least 50 sacks was 1991. In fact, here's the whole list of season sack totals going back to 1982 and where we ranked in the league...

2007 -- 33 sacks, 16th
2006 -- 19 sacks, 32nd (yuck, worst ever in league history)
2005 -- 35, 20th
2004 -- 40, 9th
2003 -- 27, 27th
2002 -- 40, 9th
2001 -- 25, 29th
2000 -- 45, 8th
1999 -- 40, 14th
1998 -- 33, 26th
1997 -- 37, 21st
1996 -- 34, 17th
1995 -- 30, 20th
1994 -- 28, 21st
1993 -- 31, 23rd
1992 -- 39, 16th
[I]1991 -- 50, 3rd
1990 -- 45, 4th
1989 -- 40, 10th
1988 -- 43, 7th[/I]
[I]1987 -- 53, 4th [/I][B]*Strike shortened season[/B]
[I]1986 -- 55, 5th
1985 -- 52, 9th
1984 -- 66, 2nd
1983 -- 51, 6th
1982 -- 32, 3rd[/I][B] *Strike shortened season[/B]

Take note that from 1982 - 1991, otherwise known as "The Glory Years", Joe Gibbs' Redskins never finished worse than the top ten in the league in sack totals.

Dexter Manley and Charles Mann have to be the most underrated DE tandem in NFL history.

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

I know it's almost idiotic to suggest this... but is it possible that Jason Taylor is not as good as his numbers suggest? I'm NOT saying he will be a bust but it seems like people almost expect 15 sacks this year from him which i don't think is a given.

He played in an 'ok' division but nothing compared to the competitiveness and talent of the NFC east. I'd like to see him play in a down of football on a team other than the Miami Dolphins before I jump to the conclusion that we have created the greatest tandem of DE's in pro football history. Am I crazy?

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

[QUOTE=Rajmahal33;460546]I know it's almost idiotic to suggest this... but is it possible that Jason Taylor is not as good as his numbers suggest? I'm NOT saying he will be a bust but it seems like people almost expect 15 sacks this year from him which i don't think is a given.

He played in an 'ok' division but nothing compared to the competitiveness and talent of the NFC east. I'd like to see him play in a down of football on a team other than the Miami Dolphins before I jump to the conclusion that we have created the greatest tandem of DE's in pro football history. Am I crazy?[/QUOTE]

Our pass rush [I]has[/I] to be better now than it was before.

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

[quote=That Guy;460303]... i just don't see how.[/quote]

Ok, That Guy, here's how it works: One of the players on the Redskins Defense tackles the QB of the opposing team. The Redskins Defense then repeats this 59 more times.

Hope this helps.

:oink:

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

[quote=Rajmahal33;460546]I know it's almost idiotic to suggest this... but is it possible that Jason Taylor is not as good as his numbers suggest? I'm NOT saying he will be a bust but it seems like people almost expect 15 sacks this year from him which i don't think is a given.

He played in an 'ok' division but nothing compared to the competitiveness and talent of the NFC east. I'd like to see him play in a down of football on a team other than the Miami Dolphins before I jump to the conclusion that we have created the greatest tandem of DE's in pro football history. Am I crazy?[/quote]

I think you are over thinking this.

Is Strahan any less of a player because he only played for the Giants?

Taylor logged 11 sacks last year on a team that won 1 game. Think about what he could do when he's surrounded by more talent.

I'm not expecting 15 sacks, but 10-12 is pretty reasonable I think.

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

It's not as easy to get sacks now as it use to be given the rule changes (ie QB can throw away, can't touch a QB high or low...). That being said, the Giants proved that pressures are just as important as sacks.

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

[quote=SmootSmack;460489]Not really. Probably says more to our lack of doing anything over the years to get anything like Manley and Mann[/quote]
[B]Au contraire Naysayer,[/B]
[B]My good friend Beem calls your "not really", and raises you a "most underrated DE tandem in NFL history".[/B]
[B]What say you?[/B]


50 sacks for the year works out to 3.12 sacks per game. The last time the Redskins had at least 50 sacks was 1991. In fact, here's the whole list of season sack totals going back to 1982 and where we ranked in the league...

2007 -- 33 sacks, 16th
2006 -- 19 sacks, 32nd (yuck, worst ever in league history)
2005 -- 35, 20th
2004 -- 40, 9th
2003 -- 27, 27th
2002 -- 40, 9th
2001 -- 25, 29th
2000 -- 45, 8th
1999 -- 40, 14th
1998 -- 33, 26th
1997 -- 37, 21st
1996 -- 34, 17th
1995 -- 30, 20th
1994 -- 28, 21st
1993 -- 31, 23rd
1992 -- 39, 16th
[I]1991 -- 50, 3rd
1990 -- 45, 4th
1989 -- 40, 10th
1988 -- 43, 7th[/I]
[I]1987 -- 53, 4th [/I][B]*Strike shortened season[/B]
[I]1986 -- 55, 5th
1985 -- 52, 9th
1984 -- 66, 2nd
1983 -- 51, 6th
1982 -- 32, 3rd[/I][B] *Strike shortened season[/B]

Take note that from 1982 - 1991, otherwise known as "The Glory Years", Joe Gibbs' Redskins never finished worse than the top ten in the league in sack totals.

Dexter Manley and Charles Mann have to be the most underrated DE tandem in NFL history.
__________________
Somebody else for president.

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

[QUOTE=Rajmahal33;460546]I know it's almost idiotic to suggest this... but is it possible that Jason Taylor is not as good as his numbers suggest? I'm NOT saying he will be a bust but it seems like people almost expect 15 sacks this year from him which i don't think is a given.

He played in an 'ok' division but nothing compared to the competitiveness and talent of the NFC east. I'd like to see him play in a down of football on a team other than the Miami Dolphins before I jump to the conclusion that we have created the greatest tandem of DE's in pro football history. Am I crazy?[/QUOTE]

I'm not going to say you're crazy, but to think that a guy's numbers shouldn't mean as much because he plays in a "weaker division" is a little ludicrous. For starters, every team in the NFL has lineman who can play, to suggest otherwise is just wrong. Second, and most important, is: Who else was on that defense? Jason Taylor was the main focus of every line he played against, that will probably be the same here, but it may not. Jason is going to face more double teams and chips, but even if he doesn't get there all the time, he's going to occupy offensive lines meaning Andre Carter, who is a better pass rusher than anyone else on the Miami Dolphins last season, is probably goign to get there more often. Finally, this is the same division where Winston Justice gave up four sacks to Osi last year, so to suggest that the talent in the NFC East is that much better than every other division is just plain wrong.

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

[QUOTE=Hog1;460581][B]Au contraire Naysayer,[/B]
[B]My good friend Beem calls your "not really", and raises you a "most underrated DE tandem in NFL history".[/B]
[B]What say you?[/B]


50 sacks for the year works out to 3.12 sacks per game. The last time the Redskins had at least 50 sacks was 1991. In fact, here's the whole list of season sack totals going back to 1982 and where we ranked in the league...

2007 -- 33 sacks, 16th
2006 -- 19 sacks, 32nd (yuck, worst ever in league history)
2005 -- 35, 20th
2004 -- 40, 9th
2003 -- 27, 27th
2002 -- 40, 9th
2001 -- 25, 29th
2000 -- 45, 8th
1999 -- 40, 14th
1998 -- 33, 26th
1997 -- 37, 21st
1996 -- 34, 17th
1995 -- 30, 20th
1994 -- 28, 21st
1993 -- 31, 23rd
1992 -- 39, 16th
[I]1991 -- 50, 3rd
1990 -- 45, 4th
1989 -- 40, 10th
1988 -- 43, 7th[/I]
[I]1987 -- 53, 4th [/I][B]*Strike shortened season[/B]
[I]1986 -- 55, 5th
1985 -- 52, 9th
1984 -- 66, 2nd
1983 -- 51, 6th
1982 -- 32, 3rd[/I][B] *Strike shortened season[/B]

Take note that from 1982 - 1991, otherwise known as "The Glory Years", Joe Gibbs' Redskins never finished worse than the top ten in the league in sack totals.

Dexter Manley and Charles Mann have to be the most underrated DE tandem in NFL history.
__________________
Somebody else for president.[/QUOTE]

I hear you Hog1, but you can't forget about Dave Butz. That guy was a monster and always held up double or triple teams. Heck, he would still make plays while being double and trippled teamed!!

Now, don't get me wrong. I miss manley and mann. I miss hearing Manley saying things like, "I'm gonna ring his clock!" Or "Mike Ditka is some sort of bumb!" And then he would apologize for it later saying he meant no offense by it!

I'm just saying that you got to factor Butz into those sack totals.

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

[QUOTE=Hog1;460581][B]Au contraire Naysayer,[/B]
[B]My good friend Beem calls your "not really", and raises you a "most underrated DE tandem in NFL history".[/B]
[B]What say you?[/B]


50 sacks for the year works out to 3.12 sacks per game. The last time the Redskins had at least 50 sacks was 1991. In fact, here's the whole list of season sack totals going back to 1982 and where we ranked in the league...

2007 -- 33 sacks, 16th
2006 -- 19 sacks, 32nd (yuck, worst ever in league history)
2005 -- 35, 20th
2004 -- 40, 9th
2003 -- 27, 27th
2002 -- 40, 9th
2001 -- 25, 29th
2000 -- 45, 8th
1999 -- 40, 14th
1998 -- 33, 26th
1997 -- 37, 21st
1996 -- 34, 17th
1995 -- 30, 20th
1994 -- 28, 21st
1993 -- 31, 23rd
1992 -- 39, 16th
[I]1991 -- 50, 3rd
1990 -- 45, 4th
1989 -- 40, 10th
1988 -- 43, 7th[/I]
[I]1987 -- 53, 4th [/I][B]*Strike shortened season[/B]
[I]1986 -- 55, 5th
1985 -- 52, 9th
1984 -- 66, 2nd
1983 -- 51, 6th
1982 -- 32, 3rd[/I][B] *Strike shortened season[/B]

Take note that from 1982 - 1991, otherwise known as "The Glory Years", Joe Gibbs' Redskins never finished worse than the top ten in the league in sack totals.

Dexter Manley and Charles Mann have to be the most underrated DE tandem in NFL history.
__________________
Somebody else for president.[/QUOTE]

Never said that Mann and Manley weren't awesome. Just saying that the Redskins (and I know Beem would agree here) that they haven't exactly taken strong measures until now to restore that greatness on the ends.

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

[quote=Miller101;460586]I hear you Hog1, but you can't forget about Dave Butz. That guy was a monster and always held up double or triple teams. Heck, he would still make plays while being double and trippled teamed!!

Now, don't get me wrong. I miss manley and mann. I miss hearing Manley saying things like, "I'm gonna ring his clock!" Or "Mike Ditka is some sort of bumb!" And then he would apologize for it later saying he meant no offense by it!

I'm just saying that you got to factor Butz into those sack totals.[/quote]

NO DOUBT, they did not do it alone. It was a wicked Swarming D through those years

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

[quote=SmootSmack;460587]Never said that Mann and Manley weren't awesome. Just saying that the Redskins (and I know Beem would agree here) that they haven't exactly taken strong measures until now to restore that greatness on the ends.[/quote]

I believe the actual response was "Not really"?

However, I would agree with you that we have not done ............enough since, to bring back that type of dominance.
HTTR, and kick the Colt's pre-season, meaningless, no starters in the game ass's!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: John Clayton Addresses The Skins
 

For God sakes let the season start.