I'm looking for a good answer to this question

[fent]

i honestly think that if you're not going to play Lavar, you have to use the creative blitzing. there isn't another option. i don't see any players on our defense other than Lavar that can just flat out put fear in the QB (see mike vick last preseason) so we have to be creative. between springs, harris, and rogers, we have the ability to play man to man in the defensive backfield. this ability should allow players like bowen and washington to chase down the QB. in every game to date i've been looking for the blitzing, but it hasn't come. maybe if we're going to play Taylor on offense, we can get creative and put moss out there for a speed rush?

[IMALILTEAPOT]

Originally Posted by rskinsfan10

This seems to be on par with the thread that I created, so I'm merging it.

ok, i was gonna post this in this thread, but i didnt want to change subjects

[ShaggySkins]

Originally Posted by rskinsfan10

We've also heard LaVar himself say that he would do whatever is asked of him (he said that way before this drama started, and he has said it throughout it all).

What is said to the media and what is said behind close doors are not always the same thing. If everythign was so great like GW, Gibbs, and Lavar seem to say it is we wouldn't be having this problem. Something is wrong behind closed doors and what is said in the media IMO has to be taken with a grain of salt.

[rskinsfan10]

Originally Posted by fentonator

maybe if we're going to play Taylor on offense, we can get creative and put moss out there for a speed rush?

[Skins4life]

I agree 100%. Lavar is a playmaker, freelance or not. We saw what can happen in Denver when the turnover ratio is not in our favor. Agreed that we are not blitzing enough, but there is an answer out there that we, as fans, are not getting. Here is a crazy yet good question. All of this talk of Holdman not being good enough and Lavar should replace him, why not put Lavar in as a starting D end?? I mean, there would be no arguement for replacing Holdman on that one. JUST GET HIM OUT THERE.

[Skins4life]

[quote=fentonator]i honestly think that if you're not going to play Lavar, you have to use the creative blitzing.


yEP - We are really starting to see that if we do not panic the QB, or get him flustered, he will NOT toss an INT. It just sucks to see Dallass make McNabb go down (and Brunell) that much, and can't even touch anyone.

[skinfan43]

It's just a mind-boggling mess at the moment. I believe if GW feels he can't trust a player, they won't play. One play can equal 6 points for an offense, and i believe GW would rather have that play come out of a simple case of getting beat, not "doing your own thing" or taking a over-risky chance. (BTW, although the offense is improving, we STILL need to start getting more than 20 points a game, PERIOD, our D ain't keeping that from happening)
Just like the situation last year (and up until he got cut this year) with Mike Barrow, i REALLY feel there's some vital answers to all of our questions that we're not, and may never get...things on the inside, between all the coaches, LaVar, and let's not forget Snyder - who most certainly is pulling his hair out wondering why his newly-bonus-paid star LB isn't playing... AT FREAKIN' ALL!! We can talk all we want about how we feel LaVar should be utilized, but something (or THINGS) else we don't really know fully is keeping that from happening. We can only hope and pray that the coaches and LA will mend their fences, WHATEVER the hell they are, and work at making this a FREAKIN' #1 DEFENSE.
And, no, I'm not unhappy with how our D has played so far this season...but like many of you, I just KNOW it has the capability of being truly dominant, and there's a pretty important piece to the puzzle that we need to find a way to fit in to complete it. (And no doubt the media won't let this die, and at least the ''answer dam" might forced to be broken sometime soon, i mean, this IS LaVar Arrington, NOT Mike Barrow )

[whistleandthumb]

I'm sure Akh can help us out here, but does anyone know were we stand in comparison to the rest of the league on creating 3 and outs? I know Denver had about 5 straight 3 and out drives last week, which was unbelievable... but not as unbelievable in seeing what we did with all that opportunity (that's another topic...).

Gibbs was absolutely right yesterday when he said that as great as our offense is, we're not going to put up many points if we keep having to drive the length of the field. We need to better our starting field position through turnovers, which we aren't getting right now. I think the INT's will eventually come, as we have a pretty strong secondary, when they're healthy, but we can't be a truly successful team with a minus turnover ratio. We need to be causing fumbles and creating pressure that leads to INT's. LaVar can do all those things, and, yet, he isn't being used.

At a certain point, you have to recognize that his raw talent, while not always fitting in the system, is too great to not have out there. Even if he totally operates outside the system that the other 10 players are in, he can be a major factor. With the exception of Sean Taylor, we don't really have another player as gifted athletically as LaVar, and we shouldn't be wasting the opportunities that he could provide us.

[SkinsKY]

Originally Posted by rskinsfan10

I've read and heard alot of people say "if it ain't broke then don't fix it" in regards to LaVar and the defense, with the insinuatioin being that there is no need to play LaVar because the defense is ranked where it is.

I contend that there is something "broke that needs fixing", and that is the lack of pressure/sacks and turnovers. We are not applying as much pressure as we did last year, point blank. Since many of you contend that LaVar wouldn't help/isn't needed as far as these deficiencies (sp?) are concerned, then I would like to hear/read some solutions that you may have for the team to improve in these areas.

I'm looking for serious commentary.

Without reading the other posts (so I might seem unoriginal by this point), here are my thoughts:

We need more pressure. You're right Kenny. Especially with a hobbled secondary. We need to be able to help them out. That said, if Lavar leaves his responsibilities it makes our defense worse. In such an aggressive scheme, we can't afford to miss our assignments. We didn't force many turnover last year and from the looks of it, this defense is not intended to cause many. We play a lot of man coverage due to our crazy blitzes. Most teams who pick the ball frequently use a lot of zone coverage. With the blitzes we bring, it's more likely that balls will be thrown incomplete and uncatchable than be up for grabs.

Should we play Lavar? Only if he can maintain his responsibilities. It shouldn't be that hard to do. That fact leads me to believe there is more involved or Lavar is exceptionally hardheaded. It's impossible to tell since he's never on the field.

[NCskinsfanatic]

I've liked Lavar form the beginning, I may not have always agreed with his comments, especially this past offseason, but I've always liked him. LaVar is a talented LB, he has proved his worth on the field many times over IMO.

While we were very successful last year without him, I'd like to see us with him. I would like to see him back on the field but I want him to earn his way back on. I could very well be wrong, but I think that regardless of the offseason comments, injuries and/or accusations, Lavar very likely isnt starting for the reasons stated by the coaching staff. I think that if he isnt doing whats asked of him on a consistent basis in practice, then GW would indeed be hesitant to play him.

I feel like he's healthy, he's said he's 100%.I think he's still trying to adjust to staying home, playing within the system, and being a sound tackler.....not just a big hitter. He hasnt actually played a lot of games for GW at full speed in the last year and a quater.

But despite all this media attention and secong guessing I'm probably the most happy that Snyder has absoulutely nothing to say about it, in years past that would have been the headline ....Snyder medles again.... but thats just not how this franchise runs anymore and for better or worse I'm happy about that!

[IMALILTEAPOT]

Originally Posted by YoungSkin26

Ok, i dont like making threads that usually have been touched on a lot, but this is different. Does anybody think that one of the reasons why we havent produced many turnovers is because of our system? Our system is based on being very disciplined and having everyone do their job and not wander, doing whatever. But usually, turnovers, especially interceptions, are created because of free lancing and following ur instincts. I remember a couple of years ago when G. Will was in Buffalo, they had one year when they couldnt produce any turnovers. I dont know the exact stats( enter Akhorrus) but I know it was really noticeable for such a great defense. Does anybody think that the system might be a reason? And dont think that I am automatically disfavoring G Will, cuz IM NOT at all, but we havent gotten many turnovers this year, and last year we could of gotten more. Thoughts?

um, i dont wanna seem nagging, but i wanted to know other peoples thoughts

[gibbs!we!trust!]

Hey guys,

I need you guys to go to the NFL website and take the poll for who will win the NFC East. They have the cowgirsl leading the poll.

[Wild Bore]

All season long, members of this board have been pissed about all the sportswriters who profess to know more about how to run the Redskins than the coaches. Now, from reading this post and a few others about the same subject, I feel we ourselves are doing exactly what we have been criticizing the media pundits of doing. Many seem to feel they know better than the coaches and insist they know whats wrong with the defense (a top 5 defense, I might add) and that if only the coaches would listen to them, then everything will be alright.

Personally, I am really encouraged that we are now discussing (apparent) issues with the DEFENSE!

[redwolf1218]

Originally Posted by hail2skins

Very good question.

IMO we are not blitzing as much as we did last season. We all knew last season that we didn't have that pass rushing DE that we needed and the coaches knew it as well. How did they create this pressure then? They were creative with the blitz packages they created. They had people coming from everywhere and teams didn't know what to expect. We saw CB's blitzing, we saw linebackers and safeties coming. We saw stunts on the dline and delayed blitzes by the LB's and safeties. We saw a lot of stuff last season. This season we haven't seen all of that and maybe the coaches feel teams would be prepared for that or maybe they are just toying with teams.

Can Lavar solve the problem. It's very possible. Contrary to what I read above, Lavar did complain about playing DE when Marvin Lewis was in town but he DID NOT when GW came to town. In the preseason games along with the 2 regular season games he played in, Arrington played the DE position a lot and didn't complain about it. As a matter of fact he came out and said whatever the coaches need him to do, he'll do. That brings up another issue. Lavar only played in 2 regular season games last year and we were still able to create some pressure on the QB. How? By the coaches being creative with the blitz packages they created. It was done without Arrington last season. The question is can we be more effective with Arrington in the game and the answer to that question is yes. Teams have to gameplan/account for him being on the field. He's the one the QB will be looking for and pointing to as he approaches the line of scrimmage. Right now, that person is probably Sean Taylor (and Marcus Washington). Just imagine if the QB had to come out of the huddle and look for all three of them.

i was thinking along these lines, if Taylor is our last line of defense, why would Bell and others get those long runs? where is our last line of defense? creeping up to the line? who knows, maybe he'd be back there to stop those long runs if Lavar was on the field and had to be accounted for by the offense. everything works hand in hand, and i dont think Holdman and Marshall scare anyone.

[rskinsfan10]

Originally Posted by Wild Bore

All season long, members of this board have been pissed about all the sportswriters who profess to know more about how to run the Redskins than the coaches. Now, from reading this post and a few others about the same subject, I feel we ourselves are doing exactly what we have been criticizing the media pundits of doing. Many seem to feel they know better than the coaches and insist they know whats wrong with the defense (a top 5 defense, I might add) and that if only the coaches would listen to them, then everything will be alright.

Personally, I am really encouraged that we are now discussing (apparent) issues with the DEFENSE!

So it's your contention that the lack of a pass rush/turnovers isn't a concern and/or something that is worthy of discussion?