On Blache
 

I'm a bit disappointed that when we've got all these threads talking about firing Zorn or that Campbell shouldn't be our QB that one thread talking about the defensive coordinator gets locked before the OP gets a chance to respond.

From what I've seen and heard Blache follows a similar attitude as Williams did when he was here. Which is the defensive backfield and linebackers are more important than the line.

Granted he's only been in charge of theD one off season, but in that period we didn't try to build up ther line until we got two ends hurt in the same practice.

The way I figure as Defensive Coordinator there's only three people ahead of Blache in importance. Snyder, Cerrato, Zorn. None of them are D people. That means, if he says "the defense needs this player" he's the guy they're going to listen to.

On the idea of firing Zorn, I happen to think that when a team has struggled offensive for numerous years consecutively that constantly changing the O so there's no consistency is bad for the team.

The D has been good, but mostly unspectacular for years. Few sacks. Few turnovers. Some nice hits, but most of the time the offensive players are still getting something positive before those big hits. So I think it's time for a new philosophy.

And I'd be willing to say they must just get tired around 10-12 minutes left, except I've seen them come out the last drive or two playing with their old intensity.

Re: On Blache
 

Marvin Lewis might be available next year.

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=Skins fan 44;512111]Marvin Lewis might be available next year.[/quote]

I've heard the Bengals owners accept that as many injuries as they had this year makes it hard to win games.

Re: On Blache
 

Marvin Lewis has 2 years to go on his contract in Cincy.


The Bengals are notorious for not paying coaches to "not coach" their team. If history is any guide, Marvin Lewis will be back in Cincy next year...

Re: On Blache
 

I'm not sure Blache is a big issue. The D was disappointing today but at the end of the day they gave up 17 points, a good offense should have been able to drop at least 28 on the Bengals today. Our offense has been slacking for years now and the D is the only thing that has kept us from being a total disaster.

Re: On Blache
 

I said this another thread and I'll say again. The defense has been a top ten group the whole year. We're good at points allowed, yardage and 3 and outs. We don't sack the QB because we can't. We don't have pass rushers. The one real playmaker we had was tragically killled. The offense puts them in shitty postions all the time...like today when Santana had to show off after he scored....then our sorry as hell kicker kicks it out of bounds. Blache and his group has held it together considering the circumstances. We're not the most talented defesne but those guys get the job done. For anyone to call out Blache and the defense simply do not know a damn thing about football.

Re: On Blache
 

If our offense would have been average (instead of mediocre), we wouldn't be having this discussion. Our defense is good, but it is not as great as let's say Baltimore. In my opinion, the defense has been carrying this team probably since Gibbs came back. And I think we're getting to the point where the defense cannot do that anymore. I mean look at today, the offense did not have a first down until the 2nd Qtr!! Tell me of a defense that can play a whole game without getting tired under these circumstances. A lot of ppl on this thread have been calling for a better pass rush, turnover, and a strong showing in the last few minutes of the game. But if you're playing defense while your team is down, you're not going to have may blitz opportunities. If your defense is constantly on the field, you're going to run out of steam. And we've seen in a couple of games the offense waste opportunities created by the defense with a pick or a fumble recovered. I mean if your offense doesn't creat points of turnover, then you can't fault the defense. I'd be curious to know our total points of turnovers have been this season; which I would bet that it would be low.

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=Joe Kidd;512127]I'm not sure Blache is a big issue. The D was disappointing today but at the end of the day they gave up 17 points, a good offense should have been able to drop at least 28 on the Bengals today. [B]Our offense has been slacking for years now and the D is the only thing that has kept us from being a total disaster.[/B][/quote]When you think about it, we haven't had a consistently above average offense around here since Norv was coach. I'm with you on Blache - his D has kept us in every game this season. My only complaint, his guys absolutely cannot catch INTs - it seems that D. Hall is the only defensive player with decent hands.

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=SouperMeister;512146]When you think about it, we haven't had a consistently above average offense around here since Norv was coach. I'm with you on Blache - his D has kept us in every game this season. My only complaint, his guys absolutely cannot catch INTs - it seems that D. Hall is the only defensive player with decent hands.[/quote]

Sadly when our DBs have caught an INT, the offense has not been able to capitalize.

Re: On Blache
 

skinsfan69:

I don't know anything about football.

So please review the plays for me in the fourth quarters of the Cowboys, Ravens and Bengals games when the Skins needed a defensive stop to get the ball back with a chance to win or tie the game. Tell me how the "Top 10" defense produced when it mattered.

I'll hang up now and wait for my answer...

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=skinsfan69;512134]I said this another thread and I'll say again. The defense has been a top ten group the whole year. We're good at points allowed, yardage and 3 and outs. We don't sack the QB because we can't. We don't have pass rushers. The one real playmaker we had was tragically killled. The offense puts them in shitty postions all the time...like today when Santana had to show off after he scored....then our sorry as hell kicker kicks it out of bounds. Blache and his group has held it together considering the circumstances. We're not the most talented defesne but those guys get the job done. For anyone to call out Blache and the defense simply do not know a damn thing about football.[/quote]You took are single best defensive drive of the day, and used it as an argument that Blache never does anything wrong.

We have nothing but pass rushers at defensive end. That's all Chris Wilson, and Jason Taylor can do. Carter is a strong pass rusher. Even Evans is stronger against the pass than he is the run. Yet, they still never get sacks. Gee, it couldn't be because a man who claims that "[URL="http://www.bearshistory.com/lore/passrushrevival.aspx"]sacks don't matter[/URL]" is coaching the defense?

[quote]In 2003, Dick Jauron disciple Greg Blache told the media that "sacks don't matter" in the scheme of his defense, and his players backed up his words, [B]finishing with a franchise-low 18.[/B][/quote]

Re: On Blache
 

Just understand that as long as Blache is the coordinator, sack totals aren't going to increase. Low sack totals were a staple in Chicago, and our 21 sacks this year aren't much better.

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=sportscurmudgeon;512187]skinsfan69:

I don't know anything about football.

So please review the plays for me in the fourth quarters of the Cowboys, Ravens and Bengals games when the Skins needed a defensive stop to get the ball back with a chance to win or tie the game. Tell me how the "Top 10" defense produced when it mattered.

I'll hang up now and wait for my answer...[/quote]

that's pretty much what I'm talking about there.

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=GTripp0012;512193]Just understand that as long as Blache is the coordinator, sack totals aren't going to increase. Low sack totals were a staple in Chicago, and our 21 sacks this year aren't much better.[/quote]

Again, that's what I'm concerned about there.

Looking at the teams that win the Super Bowl, and hell even the ones who just beat us I can't help but think sacks do matter.

Re: On Blache
 

The Skins have a good D but it doesnt make stops when the game is on the line, doesnt win games, doesnt turn games around. Somehow they need to find a way to take that next step from good to great.

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=Ruhskins;512147]Sadly when our DBs have caught an INT, the offense has not been able to capitalize.[/quote]

That's a good point but it doesn't let the D completely off the hook. They've dropped too many INTs, it's just not acceptable.

I do agree the offense is a big problem. When you're scoring 10 points a game you're just not going to beat many teams in this league no matter how good your defense is.

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=GTripp0012;512190]You took are single best defensive drive of the day, and used it as an argument that Blache never does anything wrong.

[B]We have nothing but pass rushers at defensive end. That's all Chris Wilson, and Jason Taylor can do. Carter is a strong pass rusher. Even Evans is stronger against the pass than he is the run. Yet, they still never get sacks.[/B] Gee, it couldn't be because a man who claims that "[URL="http://www.bearshistory.com/lore/passrushrevival.aspx"]sacks don't matter[/URL]" is coaching the defense?[/quote]

Why don't you think they get sacks? Is it because Blache tells them not to rush the passer? Please! These comments make no sense what so ever. Yes we have guys that specialize in sacking the QB but they're not very good at it actually doing it. All the guys you mentioned would not start for NY or Dallas.

Re: On Blache
 

like momma says if you don,t have anything good to say don,t say anything at all..
so i,ll just be quiet and deal with this slide this team keeps finding themselve being in every year at this point in the season...

thats about it ....

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=birdz4gibbs;512323]like momma says if you don,t have anything good to say don,t say anything at all..
so i,ll just be quiet and deal with this slide this team keeps finding themselve being in every year at this point in the season...

thats about it ....[/quote]

This is the first time in three years the team has had a "slide" in December....

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=skinsfan69;512268]Why don't you think they get sacks? Is it because Blache tells them not to rush the passer? Please! These comments make no sense what so ever. Yes we have guys that specialize in sacking the QB but they're not very good at it actually doing it. All the guys you mentioned would not start for NY or Dallas.[/quote]


Or the D-philosophy doesn't allow for it.

I think Taylor and Carter are still starters elsewhere but I've heard the Blache's set-up actually encourages them to make sure it isn't a run before heading all out to the QB

Re: On Blache
 

As I said in another thread...

Our Defense (and definitely Blache) is NOT TO BLAME!!

The ONLY stat that matters is POINTS ALLOWED... or am I wrong??

* Our defense has not given up more than 24 points in a game all season (Pittsburgh is only other team to say that) - 12 teams are AVERAGING allowing more than 24 per game!! And one is a playoff team (Arizona)

* OUR defense averages giving up 19.0 per game - 7th in the NFL!!

* Our defense is doing this with an offense that is NOT controlling the clock or punters who are pinning teams back.

* Our defense SEEMS to be the problem because they have NO ROOM FOR ERROR... lol... if they give up 2 touchdowns in one game, we all know it's over (i.e. the Ravens game)

* Look at the games where our D gives in late in the 4th and they were games where our Offense went 3 & out for most of the 1st half (Dallas, Baltimore, Cincinnati) and the D was on the field for much of the day... holding the other team at bay...

Really, when you think about it, Blache deserves A LOT of credit.. I think... We have absolutely no pass rush (which puts pressure on our secondary), but Blache's philosophy is "the team that runs more productively will win the majority of games" ...

So his scheme is allowing us to have a top passing defense (opposing pass offenses have terrible numbers against us - 55% completions & 75.1 QB rating) while still being an above average run stopping team (ranked 10th, 3.8 ypc)... this equals not many points allowed.... WHICH IS WHAT REALLY MATTERS...

and although I HATE not getting pressure, the stats above don't lie...

Re: On Blache
 

I'm not a huge fan of Blache's scheme and philosophy of not trying to generate pressure by blitzing and us not creating many turnovers, but that being said, if we just averaged 20 PPG, we wouldn't be talking about Blache or the defense at all.

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=Hail to the Redskins;512515]As I said in another thread...

Our Defense (and definitely Blache) is NOT TO BLAME!!

The ONLY stat that matters is POINTS ALLOWED... or am I wrong??

* Our defense has not given up more than 24 points in a game all season (Pittsburgh is only other team to say that) - 12 teams are AVERAGING allowing more than 24 per game!! And one is a playoff team (Arizona)

* OUR defense averages giving up 19.0 per game - 7th in the NFL!!

* Our defense is doing this with an offense that is NOT controlling the clock or punters who are pinning teams back.

* Our defense SEEMS to be the problem because they have NO ROOM FOR ERROR... lol... if they give up 2 touchdowns in one game, we all know it's over (i.e. the Ravens game)

* Look at the games where our D gives in late in the 4th and they were games where our Offense went 3 & out for most of the 1st half (Dallas, Baltimore, Cincinnati) and the D was on the field for much of the day... holding the other team at bay...

Really, when you think about it, Blache deserves A LOT of credit.. I think... We have absolutely no pass rush (which puts pressure on our secondary), but Blache's philosophy is "the team that runs more productively will win the majority of games" ...

So his scheme is allowing us to have a top passing defense (opposing pass offenses have terrible numbers against us - 55% completions & 75.1 QB rating) while still being an above average run stopping team (ranked 10th, 3.8 ypc)... this equals not many points allowed.... WHICH IS WHAT REALLY MATTERS...

and although I HATE not getting pressure, the stats above don't lie...[/quote]


You are wrong. A non-stat matters too. When those points are given up. Those breakdowns happen when the Skins are still technically in the game. And I don't believe it's just them being tired, because they manage to get it together if there's a drive or two later. But by then it's to late. The Skins go from trying to make up one score in say eight minutes, to making up two scores, a totally different prospect, that calls for totally different plays.

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=Paintrain;512516]I'm not a huge fan of Blache's scheme and philosophy of not trying to generate pressure by blitzing and us not creating many turnovers, but that being said, if we just averaged 20 PPG, we wouldn't be talking about Blache or the defense at all.[/quote]


I agree. I'm not saying the D is bad. It's just not good enough that he should be untouchable.

And changing the O will on;y make next season worst. There's no such thing as a system that a coach just installs and it miraculously brings about everyone's best right away.

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=Hail to the Redskins;512515]As I said in another thread...

Our Defense (and definitely Blache) is NOT TO BLAME!!

The ONLY stat that matters is POINTS ALLOWED... or am I wrong??

* Our defense has not given up more than 24 points in a game all season (Pittsburgh is only other team to say that) - 12 teams are AVERAGING allowing more than 24 per game!! And one is a playoff team (Arizona)

* OUR defense averages giving up 19.0 per game - 7th in the NFL!!

* Our defense is doing this with an offense that is NOT controlling the clock or punters who are pinning teams back.

* Our defense SEEMS to be the problem because they have NO ROOM FOR ERROR... lol... if they give up 2 touchdowns in one game, we all know it's over (i.e. the Ravens game)

* Look at the games where our D gives in late in the 4th and they were games where our Offense went 3 & out for most of the 1st half (Dallas, Baltimore, Cincinnati) and the D was on the field for much of the day... holding the other team at bay...

Really, when you think about it, Blache deserves A LOT of credit.. I think... We have absolutely no pass rush (which puts pressure on our secondary), but Blache's philosophy is "the team that runs more productively will win the majority of games" ...

So his scheme is allowing us to have a top passing defense (opposing pass offenses have terrible numbers against us - 55% completions & 75.1 QB rating) while still being an above average run stopping team (ranked 10th, 3.8 ypc)... this equals not many points allowed.... WHICH IS WHAT REALLY MATTERS...

and although I HATE not getting pressure, the stats above don't lie...[/quote]Points allowed is pretty important, but for the argument you are making -- that they should shoulder no blame -- you are totally 100% wrong.

And it's because you don't know how to use statistics to help you decide what the problems are. It's because you are trying to use them to prove that you are right, when you are not willing to consider the possibility that you are wrong.

You say that our offense doesn't control the clock. That's not true. They are top ten in time of possession.

You say that they have no margin for error, because if they give up two touchdowns in a game, they lose. I'll guarantee you that any defense that allows a TD to the Bengals on 25% of it's drives will lose.

We have no pass rush because Blache doesn't care about sacks.

We have a below average pass defense because he sells out to stop the run.

Our opponents that have horrible passing numbers against us also have worse numbers against everyone else. We've played Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Seattle, St. Louis, Cleveland, Detroit, and now Cincinnati. That was our entire non-divisional schedule in the time since our 4-1 start. We haven't played them very well at all on defense.

And most importantly, whenever we need a third down stop, we give up easy completions and can't get off the field.

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=Joe Kidd;512127]I'm not sure Blache is a big issue. The D was disappointing today but at the end of the day they gave up 17 points, a good offense should have been able to drop at least 28 on the Bengals today. Our offense has been slacking for years now and the D is the only thing that has kept us from being a total disaster.[/quote]


I have seen this phenomena before(defense starting to breakdown late in the season due to lack of an offense). It was 1987 and my uncle's last stint as the Buckeye HC in Columbus. He lost Nate Harris, his starting flanker to flunking out, and was compelled to kick Chris Carter off the team for taking that agent's money and continuously lying about it to both my uncle and OSU AD Rick Bay. The defense lead by Chris Spielman was stellar, keeping the anemic Buckeye offense in game after game til they played Lorenzo White and MSU. The Spartans kicked their ass, and the D fell apart after that for the next few games giving up lots of points to the likes of Wisconsin and Iowa. Sad thing was the offense finally got their act together, but the D gave up more points than they could score. Thing is our D is very good, but it is not a killer D like the Ravens or Pittsburgh. You put enough pressure on a D that is only very good and they will break eventually if they are the ones keeping the team afloat. In short, I don't think you can heap too much blame on Blache for what he has to work with.

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=GusFrerotte;512558]I have seen this phenomena before(defense starting to breakdown late in the season due to lack of an offense). It was 1987 and my uncle's last stint as the Buckeye HC in Columbus. He lost Nate Harris, his starting flanker to flunking out, and was compelled to kick Chris Carter off the team for taking that agent's money and continuously lying about it to both my uncle and OSU AD Rick Bay. The defense lead by Chris Spielman was stellar, keeping the anemic Buckeye offense in game after game til they played Lorenzo White and MSU. The Spartans kicked their ass, and the D fell apart after that for the next few games giving up lots of points to the likes of Wisconsin and Iowa. Sad thing was the offense finally got their act together, but the D gave up more points than they could score. Thing is our D is very good, but it is not a killer D like the Ravens or Pittsburgh. You put enough pressure on a D that is only very good and they will break eventually if they are the ones keeping the team afloat. In short, I don't think you can heap too much blame on Blache for what he has to work with.[/quote]


Thing is, I don't think you need to assign a lot of blame to Blache to feel it's time for a change.

With the offense struggling we need to switch from a D philosophy where they keep the O in the game, to where they try to win the game.

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=GTripp0012;512539]Points allowed is pretty important, but for the argument you are making -- that they should shoulder no blame -- you are totally 100% wrong.

And it's because you don't know how to use statistics to help you decide what the problems are. It's because you are trying to use them to prove that you are right, when you are not willing to consider the possibility that you are wrong.

You say that our offense doesn't control the clock. That's not true. They are [B]1) top ten in time of possession[/B].

You say that they have no margin for error, because if they give up two touchdowns in a game, they lose. [B]2) I'll guarantee you that any defense that allows a TD to the Bengals on 25% of it's drives will lose[/B].

We have no pass rush because Blache doesn't care about sacks.

[B]3) We have a below average pass defense[/B] because he sells out to stop the run.

[B]4) Our opponents that have horrible passing numbers against us also have worse numbers against everyone else[/B]. We've played Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Seattle, St. Louis, Cleveland, Detroit, and now Cincinnati. That was our entire non-divisional schedule in the time since our 4-1 start. We haven't played them very well at all on defense.

And most importantly, whenever we need a third down stop, we give up easy completions and can't get off the field.[/quote]



Whoa, Whoa, Whoa...

1) Check the time of possession over the passed 6 games...

2) I'll guarantee you that the Bungles are averaging 25.6 points allowed. They scored 20 against us. I'll guarantee you that 10 of their 13 other opponents have scored 20 or more vs them this year.

3) Below average pass defense?? HUH?? Opponents completing 55% of their passes (3rd in NFL), a 75.1 QB rating against us (7th), 6.35 yards per attempt (5th), only 188 ypg against (6th)... all of this is BELOW average??

4) Talk about "not knowing how to use statistics" to make an argument....
Roethlisberger - 29.4 completion % / 15.1 QB rating vs Skins - 59.4% comp / 80.2 QBR overall
Flacco - 47% comp / 64.4 QBR vs Skins - 58.7% comp / 76.9 QBR overall
Hasselbeck - 50% comp /54.7 QBR vs Skins - 52% comp / 57.8 QBR overall
Bulger - 136 yds passing vs Skins
Anderson - 37.8% comp / 57.9 QBR vs Skins - 50.2% comp /66.5 QBR overall

and for the big ones....

Brees - season low 216yds, 69.6 QB Rating vs Skins - 93.9 QBR overall
and
Warner - season low 192 yds, 53.3% comp, 81.5 QBR vs Skins - 68.4%/97.5 QBR overall

So how does every team pass the ball WORSE against other teams??




Seriously... do not talk about someone not knowing how to read statistics... enough with the attacks, if you disagree, fine, but people don't go attacking others when you make no sense at all yourself...

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=MrJL;512529]I agree. I'm not saying the D is bad. It's just not good enough that he should be untouchable.

[B]And changing the O will on;y make next season worst[/B]. There's no such thing as a system that a coach just installs and it miraculously brings about everyone's best right away.[/quote]

I applaud you MrJL. A moment of clarity. :)

Re: On Blache
 

I found this interesting. Check out where the top 10 teams in sacks are. [url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80d5a8ba&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true]Pressure-packed: Contenders increasingly becoming sack-religious[/url]

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=Hail to the Redskins;512572]Whoa, Whoa, Whoa...

1) Check the time of possession over the passed 6 games...

2) I'll guarantee you that the Bungles are averaging 25.6 points allowed. They scored 20 against us. I'll guarantee you that 10 of their 13 other opponents have scored 20 or more vs them this year.

3) Below average pass defense?? HUH?? Opponents completing 55% of their passes (3rd in NFL), a 75.1 QB rating against us (7th), 6.35 yards per attempt (5th), only 188 ypg against (6th)... all of this is BELOW average??

4) Talk about "not knowing how to use statistics" to make an argument....
Roethlisberger - 29.4 completion % / 15.1 QB rating vs Skins - 59.4% comp / 80.2 QBR overall
Flacco - 47% comp / 64.4 QBR vs Skins - 58.7% comp / 76.9 QBR overall
Hasselbeck - 50% comp /54.7 QBR vs Skins - 52% comp / 57.8 QBR overall
Bulger - 136 yds passing vs Skins
Anderson - 37.8% comp / 57.9 QBR vs Skins - 50.2% comp /66.5 QBR overall

and for the big ones....

Brees - season low 216yds, 69.6 QB Rating vs Skins - 93.9 QBR overall
and
Warner - season low 192 yds, 53.3% comp, 81.5 QBR vs Skins - 68.4%/97.5 QBR overall

So how does every team pass the ball WORSE against other teams??




Seriously... do not talk about someone not knowing how to read statistics... enough with the attacks, if you disagree, fine, but people don't go attacking others when you make no sense at all yourself...[/quote]Way to omit Leftwich, Fitzpatrick, Orlovsky, and Bulger because they don't support your argument. Better yet, thanks for checking to see that your argument is bunk, and then trying to throw out selective stats anyway, and hoping I wouldn't notice.

I thought we defended Warner and Brees pretty darn well [I]three months ago[/I]. Our offense also averaged 26.5 points between those games, and at the time, was clearly helping to contribute to our team success.

Thanks though, I needed a good chuckle. Carry on.

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=Hail to the Redskins;512515]As I said in another thread...

Our Defense (and definitely Blache) is NOT TO BLAME!!

[B]The ONLY stat that matters is POINTS ALLOWED... or am I wrong??[/B]

[/quote]


[IMG]http://www.chefrocker.com/walter/walter01.jpg[/IMG]

OVER THE LINE!

Re: On Blache
 

The D is just not the problem with this team at this point. Yes, we have let a few teams run out the clock in the 4th but if our O had scored 24 points it would not have mattered. We have leaned on the D way to long while our O has done nothing to help them along.

Re: On Blache
 

[quote=GTripp0012;512599]Way to omit Leftwich, Fitzpatrick, Orlovsky, and Bulger because they don't support your argument. Better yet, thanks for checking to see that your argument is bunk, and then trying to throw out selective stats anyway, and hoping I wouldn't notice.

I thought we defended Warner and Brees pretty darn well [I]three months ago[/I]. Our offense also averaged 26.5 points between those games, and at the time, was clearly helping to contribute to our team success.

Thanks though, I needed a good chuckle. Carry on.[/quote]

Every single expert that has followed the Redskins has basically said that the defense has done it's job. That Blache and his coaches are doing a nice job considering what they have to work with. These are people that played in the NFL and know more about football than you do. Yet you seem to try and over analyze everything...from some quote Blache said to talking about schemes that you probably know nothing about. Amazing.

Re: On Blache
 

I do think there's been a dropoff from Williams to Blache. His schemes are much more vanilla and pretty boring frankly, and overall I think Williams is a more knowledgeable and skillful coordinator.

Re: On Blache
 

Blache is not in the top 20 of problems on this team. The Redskins unwillingness to sink draft picks and money into rebuilding thier lines is not the Defensive Coordinators fault. he works with the talent he is given and he's done a damn good job with what he has if you ask me.

Re: On Blache
 

Exactly. The redskins have more issues in the FO than with Blache. He's laying with guys who are underachievers and past their prime on the d- line. Thats not Blache's fault.

Re: On Blache
 

This should not be an "either/or" discussion. It should be a "both/and" discussion. Or maybe a "neither/nor" discussion.

Greg Blache is not a great defensive coordinator. When he left Chicago, no one their held a "Pity Party" for the team or the fans or the rest of the coaching staff.

Here in Washington, Blache has no great players on the defense; he has three or four who are well above average and the rest are very ordinary on most Sundays.

Put those two things together and look at the 7-7 record and you have to say that Blache is doing fine with what he has. Neither Blache nor this assemblage of defensive talent is taking the Redskins - or any NFL team deep in the playoffs.

Re: On Blache
 

The defense needs some work, but the offensive side of the ball has the biggest issues. A lot of the woes of the defense could be fixed by our offense being more effective.

Re: On Blache
 

The D has been solid this year but at times they are prone to getting gashed at the worst times. When we need a stop late in a game they just can't seem to get it. Not saying that's all coaching but it's a part of it. I think there's more talent on the D then some people are giving them credit for.