Worst Defense in the NFL

[Longtimefan]

Originally Posted by dblanch66

It is definitely due to the loss of such players as Pierce, Smoot, Ryan Clark, Arrington (hate to say). Despite being better players at their positions than what we have now, they also had fire, attitude and leadership qualities. We all have bitched and moaned about Lavar's attitude ad naseum, but I remember when he was the spirit of the team. When that fades and ultimately becomes acrimonious, the team will suffer and it has. The Redskins have absolutely NO identity on defense. On offense, we had Santana and Clinton. But with CP's injury, we lost the lynch pin and spirit of the O. There is more to the game than just physical talent. The Redskins have no IDENTITY. That's what needs to change in order to have success next year.
Dallas Sucks.

The defense played very well last year (9th overall) without Pierce, Smoot, and very little by way of contribution from LaVar for the last two seasons. Lemar Marshall was an overachiever at the MLB position, and this season played after having offseason shoulder surgery. The loss of Pierson Prioleau and Ryan Clark, coupled with the injuries to Shawn Springs really hurt the secondary, but not to the extent we go from 9th in the league to last. The defense this year did not play with the same disposition it did the past two seasons. They were not attacking the ball in the same fashion which in many ways explains their lack of take-a-way's. I'm inclined to agree with Phillip Daniels when he said he felt it was overconfidence. "We thought we could just roll our helmets out there and get a win".

[riggoraider]

Originally Posted by Longtimefan

The defense played very well last year (9th overall) without Pierce, Smoot, and very little by way of contribution from LaVar for the last two seasons. Lemar Marshall was an overachiever at the MLB position, and this season played after having offseason shoulder surgery. The loss of Pierson Prioleau and Ryan Clark, coupled with the injuries to Shawn Springs really hurt the secondary, but not to the extent we go from 9th in the league to last. The defense this year did not play with the same disposition it did the past two seasons. They were not attacking the ball in the same fashion which in many ways explains their lack of take-a-way's. I'm inclined to agree with Phillip Daniels when he said he felt it was overconfidence. "We thought we could just roll our helmets out there and get a win".

You are right there was definitely a change in the defense this year. Earlier in the year we would blitz AA constantly and he was not getting anywhere near the QB and when we did not blitz him he was getting burned on deep passes. His partner Sean Taylor, who has the same talents as a Ed Reed, Palamalou and Roy Williams, does not know when and when not to go for the big hit so often times he whiffs and the receiver/ running back that he is trying to kill is running untouched down the field. Carlos Rogers can not defend a #1 receiver so he is better when Springs is not hurt...

Linebackers: The past couple of years I could almost count on Washington or Marshall to make a big play in a game but this year it was not happening and Warrick Holdman was just taking up space on the field.

Defensive Line: Andre Carter was probably our best aquisition this year and I think that his great play will carry over to next year. Golston played well early in the year but I think that he hit a rookie wall or something and he did not produce in the back part of this season but I think that he and Salave'a can do alright at the tackle positions ( I love Salave'as' aggresiveness when he is not hurt) but the other DE position has to be addressed in the offseason, neither Daniels nor Wynn is going to make this defense any better.

all and all we have lots of work to do to this squad

[riggoraider]

Originally Posted by mheisig

Lest anyone doubt that this defense sucks big time:

"Overall, the defense ranks 30th in yards allowed per game, 32nd in yards allowed per pass, 22nd in rushing defense, 29th in passing defense, 32nd in interceptions per pass play and 32nd in sacks per pass play. It is tied for 24th in points allowed and has a scoring differential of minus-63, also 24th in the league. Opposing quarterbacks have thrown 29 touchdown passes against Washington and just six interceptions -- the worst ratio in the NFL -- and have a 99.4 passer rating, a mark that also puts the Redskins last in the league."

Source: A Record-Breaking Season, at Bottom - washingtonpost.com

In trying to take the optimistic approach to our defense...

We have the same defensive coordinator that we had the last 2 seasons when the defense was very good and if it only took a few player departures to get us in the position that we are in now, maybe just maybe, a few good aquisitions can turn the defense back around.

[djnemo65]

Of course the defense is the reason we are 5-10, everyone knows that, but what worries me is the lack of accountability or sense of crisis. Williams needs to be up there on the lectern saying look, we are costing our team a chance to be in the playoffs, it's my responsibility, I'm going to do my best to fix it, we know this is a problem, etc. That's how Gibbs was in 04 when it was the offense ranked 30th.

At some point it stops mattering how good you were the last couple years. Dropping from 9th to 30th with upgraded personnel that you were responsible for acquiring is not okay....It's just not! And I don't get the sense that Williams is worried enough.

And for all of you guys out there defending Brunell, that's okay, but back off Campbell. I don't think you could have asked much more from a second year player given the terrible circumstances.

[The Huddle]

Originally Posted by djnemo65

Of course the defense is the reason we are 5-10, everyone knows that, but what worries me is the lack of accountability or sense of crisis.

I don't think there's anything close to a consensus that the defense is the reason this team is 5-10. Yes, the play of the defense as been awful, but the offense doesn't finish drives and has suffered from questionable playcalling. Sometimes the other team is going to score 27 points, and you just have to find a way to score 28. This team is bad across the board. On the whole, they haven't been able to stop other teams when they've had to and they haven't scored touchdowns when they've needed to.

Ultimately, Gibbs is the one who is accountable fror everything.

[onlydarksets]

Originally Posted by The Huddle

I don't think there's anything close to a consensus that the defense is the reason this team is 5-10. Yes, the play of the defense as been awful, but the offense doesn't finish drives and has suffered from questionable playcalling. Sometimes the other team is going to score 27 points, and you just have to find a way to score 28. This team is bad across the board. On the whole, they haven't been able to stop other teams when they've had to and they haven't scored touchdowns when they've needed to.

Ultimately, Gibbs is the one who is accountable fror everything.

But the offense shouldn't have to score 28 week-in week-out. The D is the reason for probably 6-8 of our losses, with the offense responsible for 2-4. You can't just base it on the number of points scored, though, because many times the D just couldn't keep the other team off the field.

Also, the offense has shown signs of life and of identity lately. The D has just been consistently bad.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by The Huddle

I don't think there's anything close to a consensus that the defense is the reason this team is 5-10. Yes, the play of the defense as been awful, but the offense doesn't finish drives and has suffered from questionable playcalling. Sometimes the other team is going to score 27 points, and you just have to find a way to score 28. This team is bad across the board. On the whole, they haven't been able to stop other teams when they've had to and they haven't scored touchdowns when they've needed to.

Ultimately, Gibbs is the one who is accountable fror everything.

How much worse would the D have to be for you to place the majority of the blame on them for this miserable season??

The D has hit rock bottom. They have been gashed by just about every back they've faced, and they've given up a ton of big plays in the passing game. Outside of about 2-3 solid performances they've been downright awful, the worst overall D we've seen here in years.

I have no problem saying they are the main reason we are 5-10. No problem at all.

[dgack]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

How much worse would the D have to be for you to place the majority of the blame on them for this miserable season??

The D has hit rock bottom. They have been gashed by just about every back they've faced, and they've given up a ton of big plays in the passing game. Outside of about 2-3 solid performances they've been downright awful, the worst overall D we've seen here in years.

I have no problem saying they are the main reason we are 5-10. No problem at all.

Allow me to join the not-quite-consensus-but-growing-mob who also have no problem saying the D is the reason we are 5-10.

[The Huddle]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

How much worse would the D have to be for you to place the majority of the blame on them for this miserable season??

The D has hit rock bottom. They have been gashed by just about every back they've faced, and they've given up a ton of big plays in the passing game. Outside of about 2-3 solid performances they've been downright awful, the worst overall D we've seen here in years.

I have no problem saying they are the main reason we are 5-10. No problem at all.

Okay, you don't have a problem saying the defense is the main reason the team is 5-10. I don't have a problem with you saying it either, even if I don't think it's entirely true.

I have acknowledged the the defense has been awful. It's certainly part of the equation...but come on. The Redskins have failed to score at least 20 points 9 times this season, and it would have been 10 if not for a garbage time touchdown against the Colts. That's bad, but what's worse is that they lost 7 of those 9 games. In three of them (first Giants game, first Cowboys game, first Philly game) the offense didn't score a touchdown. In two others, they only scored one.

This is the NFL. 20 points per game isn't a good offense, it's an average one. Now if you want to get into reasons why the offense hasn't been consistantly effective- Portis, Campbell, Saunders, poor execution, inept playcalling, whatever you like- that's an entirely seperate matter. But the bottom line is that week after week, drives have stalled and critical points have been lost.

Is the defense awful? Sure- but I'm still not buying the idea that this team's woes are due to the defense any more than the offense.

[dgack]

Originally Posted by The Huddle

This is the NFL. 20 points per game isn't a good offense, it's an average one. Now if you want to get into reasons why the offense hasn't been consistantly effective- Portis, Campbell, Saunders, poor execution, inept playcalling, whatever you like- that's an entirely seperate matter. But the bottom line is that week after week, drives have stalled and critical points have been lost.

Is the defense awful? Sure- but I'm still not buying the idea that this team's woes are due to the defense any more than the offense.

We're 5 or potentially 6 games worse than last year, and yet, with 1 game to go, are only 500 yards below last season's offensive output. We have put up ~40 yards less than the 13-2 Chicago Bears.

I just don't buy your argument. Of course we don't have a juggernaut offense this year. Didn't have one last year, either. Neither does Chicago have one. The big difference is that this year we don't have a defense that can make plays to help the offense. That IS a legitimate way to win in the NFL. I think you'll find a nearby team proved that strategy successful in 2000, with an offense just as average as this one.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by The Huddle

Okay, you don't have a problem saying the defense is the main reason the team is 5-10. I don't have a problem with you saying it either, even if I don't think it's entirely true.

I have acknowledged the the defense has been awful. It's certainly part of the equation...but come on. The Redskins have failed to score at least 20 points 9 times this season, and it would have been 10 if not for a garbage time touchdown against the Colts. That's bad, but what's worse is that they lost 7 of those 9 games. In three of them (first Giants game, first Cowboys game, first Philly game) the offense didn't score a touchdown. In two others, they only scored one.

This is the NFL. 20 points per game isn't a good offense, it's an average one. Now if you want to get into reasons why the offense hasn't been consistantly effective- Portis, Campbell, Saunders, poor execution, inept playcalling, whatever you like- that's an entirely seperate matter. But the bottom line is that week after week, drives have stalled and critical points have been lost.

Is the defense awful? Sure- but I'm still not buying the idea that this team's woes are due to the defense any more than the offense.

So we have an average offense - fine.

But the defense is horrible.

Therefore it's very easy to place more blame on the defense.

The defense is on pace for some quite dubious records, another indicator how just how piss poor they are.

[gibbs4life]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

How much worse would the D have to be for you to place the majority of the blame on them for this miserable season??

The D has hit rock bottom. They have been gashed by just about every back they've faced, and they've given up a ton of big plays in the passing game. Outside of about 2-3 solid performances they've been downright awful, the worst overall D we've seen here in years.

I have no problem saying they are the main reason we are 5-10. No problem at all.

me neither matty...the offense has come together and the special teams has been solid but the defense ,why bother right.....
and they certainly have stunk up the joint this season.
so this whole offseason should be spent on the defense and resigning our own players and please use the draft get some picks and actually pick up some people. we don,t need another free agency fenzy offseason.

[The Huddle]

Originally Posted by gibbs4life

me neither matty...the offense has come together and the special teams has been solid but the defense ,why bother right.....
and they certainly have stunk up the joint this season.
so this whole offseason should be spent on the defense and resigning our own players and please use the draft get some picks and actually pick up some people. we don,t need another free agency fenzy offseason.

I agree with your ideas about the approach to the off-season- for once let's not pull a glitzy free agent shopping spree.

Can't see where the offense has "come together". St. Louis was the first time in eight games they've managed to break 20 points.

[hooskins]

It is all Brunell and Al Saunders......we should trade Portis and resign D.Green. SuperBowl or bust!!!1

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by hooskins

It is all Brunell and Al Saunders......we should trade Portis and resign D.Green. SuperBowl or bust!!!1

While this is obviously a joke, I do like the idea of bringing in Darryl Green as a CB coach.
Look at Russ Grimm in Pittsburgh, they are talking about him being the new head coach should Cowher retire.
Green has a ton of knowledge that could really help us.