I think a healthy dose of the coverage misques falls in the lap of the coaches.
Towards the end of the year Coach Gray even accepted some blame about the defensive playcalls for the secondary:
I saw a secondary that didn't execute Cover 2 and Cover 4 defenses very well the entire season.
The transition or hand-off from Corner to Safety was horrible, the DBs almost never jammed the receivers at the line to slow them down which basically gave the WR a full head of steam to run right at the Safety.
Also, the CB/S just flat-out dropped some coverages far too many then what you would expect from a defense of our caliber but the common theme was that most if not all of these gaffs came in Zone Cover 2/Cover 4.
You mention Horton i distincts remember 2 games where he was playing deep 1/2 Cover 2 safety and was clearly beat.
The 1st was against the Rams but thankfully he got away with a shove and the QB was under enough pressure to force an underthrow:
NFL Videos: Redskins Defense Highlight, WK 02 vs. Rams 2009
The 2nd was against the Lions we're in Cover 2 Zone again and he gets beat commits PI and the Lions get 1st and goal.
Look @
3:09 mark:
NFL Videos: Lions 19, Redskins 14
3-9-WAS 48 (6:18) (Shotgun) M.Stafford pass incomplete short left to B.Johnson (C.Horton). DET-B.Johnson was injured during the play. His
return is Probable.
PENALTY on WAS-C.Horton, Defensive Pass Interference, 47 yards, enforced at WAS 48 - No Play.
Landry's misques were also in Cover 2/Cover 4 against the Bronco's Landry/Smoot and Hall combined to blow a Cover 2/4 coverage as did Rogers and Smoot.
Against the Saints Landry once in Cover 2 on a double move then got beat as he properly played his scheme assignment in Cover 4 but Smoot didn't.
NFL Videos: The Coaches: Saints chalk talk
NFL Videos: WK 13 Anatomy: Brees bombs away
I thought the mistakes made in execution of Cover 2(Zone)/Cover 4 defense coverages showed that our defense didn't properly understand the defense and therefore made mistakes they didn't make in other defenses that they were more comfortable with like Cover 1/Cover 3 (Where Landry was excellent).
I also think it was unconscionable for the coaching staff to allow that to happen.
-Oh,
I think Tryon is coming along well and if he continues to improve i could see him earn increased playing time.