Smoot Lays the Smack Down (Redskins vs. Panthers)

[The Goat]

I think we learned a lot about our defense especially in this game. We are absolutely terrible, like bottom of the barrel, against mobile QBs. It's everything from what I can see: players, coaching, etc.

- Orakpo (and I love the guy) cannot contain his end and often gets caught over-pursuing or is just plain beaten by the QB and/or running back. Kerrigan on the other hand is smarter about containment, but then we have breakdowns across the d-line. When we signed Barry Cofield I didn't understand the excitement among some of us. He played in a great defensive system in NY and was surrounded by monsters. Now it's obvious why they didn't flinch to let him walk. This guy is the epitome of underwhelming. You could make the argument he's out of position I guess and would be better at end, but then why did we sign him? His name is Turd Ferguson from now on lol.

- Haslett doesn't seem to have a clue how to scheme against mobile QBs either. He brings pressure from one side but leaves the other open for running (escape) lanes. The defense has just looked clueless most of the time facing Newton, Vick, and even a very compromised Romo.

- Offensively we are a team w/o an identity. Sort of committed to the run but as soon as Tim got injured it was pass, pass, pass. Beck is probably better than Grossman but I don't think he's gonna win us games, rather make fewer big mistakes. So why become a pass only offense? Especially when you know you can't win the game today because the defense is getting shredded on most drives.

- The other identity crisis (and this goes on MS and BA) is whether we're trying to rebuild the offense and figure out who will play best next year or win now. We brought in Gaffney, who is average at best, and Stallworth (blah) in FA who both take a lot of snaps, but passed on Plaxico who is effin killing it. But then we put a rookie WR in to evidently try and win the game at the end? This is a big problem IMO. It looks and feels like a lack of leadership and direction among the braintrust.