[Beemnseven]

I'm saying injuries have exacerbated the problems of a defense that was already on the decline. Let's face it, when the pass rush hinges so heavily on the health of a cornerback who had a history of injuries to begin with, you know you had problems.

We already saw what happens to the defense when one guy, Cornelius Griffin, gets banged up. And remember, he wasn't that hot coming out of New York anyway. His performance after he signed with the Skins was every bit of a miraculous rejuvenation that was bound to fizzle out. Even when healthy, he and Salave'a's days of wreaking havoc and getting penetration were nearing an end. Now, they seem to absorb offensive linemen rather than bulldoze through them. Didn’t they realize how important Griffin is, and that if he gets injured, the defense really takes a hit? And that maybe instead of both Brandon Lloyd and Randle El, (while David Patten and James Thrash ride the pine) they should go after another playmaker for the D-line? Nope. Instead they spend draft picks on guys like Manuel White, or trade 3rd rounders for T.J. Duckett.

Guys like Philip Daniels and Renaldo Wynn seem to be fan favorites, but they were spare parts and rejects who might have trouble making rosters of other teams were it not for this organization’s often zealous pursuit and retention of so-called “leaders in the locker room”.

As far as linebackers go, if you notice, teams with linebackers that fly all over the field and make dazzling plays seem to be more of a reflection of the quality of the D-line in front of them. When things are going well with the front four, linebackers will make most of the highlight reels. We’re not seeing that this year with Washington, Holdman, and Marshall.

Bottom line, everybody’s a year older, they tend to rely on past performance and have this attitude like, “oh they did well last year, we don’t have to worry about that position”. Sure injuries have killed them. But good teams, championship teams, have contingency plans for that. The Redskins didn’t.

IMHO the defense has always been somewhat of an afterthought for this team. Giving us a high priced free agent every other year or so, but getting nowhere near the intense focus it deserved. But then again, I don’t know what I should expect for a team that is as careless with draft picks. They’ve never been an organization with a sense of building from the ground up anyway, which is why I maintain that we should have seen what was coming with this defense.