Gregg Williams may overhaul defensive scheme

[hockeygoalie29]

Williams believes that offenses have figured out how to exploit the cover-2 defensive scheme by using play action to draw in the safties and then throwing deep down the middle, the most vulnerable spot of the cover-2. I have to agree after watching our defense look great on 1st and 2nd down all season only to get beat for 25 yards down the middle on 3rd and 15. As a result, he plans to rethink his scheme over the offseason in an attempt to once again get ahead of the offense and to keep them guessing.

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Williams, the Washington Redskins' assistant head coach-defense, isn't exactly sure of it, but he believes the high number of big plays executed in the middle of the field, between the linebackers and safeties, may represent an important but disturbing trend: After years of confused quarterbacks being forced into mistakes, offenses may have caught up to and figured out vulnerabilities in the cover-2 zone defense, and its Tampa-2 variation, made popular by Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin.

The result is that Williams is faced with potentially reinventing portions of his defense, since a good deal of his philosophy relies on aspects of the cover-2 and Tampa-2 defenses.


In the offseason, Williams said, he will study defenses around the league to try to determine if offenses have indeed found the trick to beating the cover-2, a zone defense designed to take away deep passes by having the safeties split the deep part of the field.


"Those are things we're going to have to address," Williams said. "That will be one of our projects in the offseason."

For much of the season, the Redskins were first in the league in big plays allowed, but in recent weeks, Williams said, he has noticed that the Redskins are not the only ones vulnerable in the middle of the field, leading him to wonder if offenses may have found a new move. Middle linebacker Khary Campbell watches a fair amount of game film and sees the same thing. In studying game film of the St. Louis Rams for this Sunday's game, he noticed the Rams attempting to exploit Chicago middle linebacker Brian Urlacher in coverage.


"That middle is now the spot they're looking for," Campbell said. "You have to be able to disguise it a little more and jam receivers better. Otherwise, that is the big hole."

[Spence]

Everyone knows that if you've got an accurate quarterback who isn't afraid to wait a few seconds for his wideout to get open, you can make a ton of yards throwing deep over the middle on the Cover-2. The Redskins often have Lemar Marshall trying to cover that wideout deep between the hash marks. What more do you need to know?

[CNYSkinFan]

Welcome to the Party Gregg..........your a little late, but you get credit for coming.

[dj_stouty]

Originally Posted by CNYSkinFan

Welcome to the Party Gregg..........your a little late, but you get credit for coming.

This is how I feel. At least he admits the old schemes weren't working. I know a lot of egotisical DC's who would never do that...

Good for GW. He is a smart guy...so I hope he manages to "get it right" over the next two weeks so the experimenting doesn't have to take place in '07.

[joethefan]

Originally Posted by CNYSkinFan

Welcome to the Party Gregg..........your a little late, but you get credit for coming.

Shouldn't he have known that eventually someone was gonna catch up to him..check our defense rankings since he's been here

First year 2
Second year 9
and now 28..that should tell him everything he needs to know...

[Vonslydog]

Sounds like he's accepting some of the things that were mentioned in the infamous Tom Friend article.

[SkinsfaninNJ]

A little defense of GW from me here.

1. The cover 2 (especially Tampa 2) is beginning to get exploited all over the league and not just here in DC. Even SI did a great article about the cover 2 a few issues ago and how to exploit it.

2. If not for the Springs injury this defense would not have had such a bad season. It would not have been a top 10 defense but it probably would not have been worse than 15. Now, you can say shame on GW for relying so much on elite cover corners to make his defense work, and you would be right, but that doesn't change the fact that we had those corners on our roster, but the main one missed or played hurt for a significant part of the season.

3. We are not the 28th ranked defense this year. We are 24 and moving up fast.

A good coach has to adjust, and he has been slow to adjust, but it is nice to see him focused on adjusting for the future.

[esmith1790]

i am boys fan so i guess people wont agree with my angle, with the cover-2 and tampa -2 you need a strong MLB like Brooks to be able to cover the deep middle and support the RB/Te covering out of the backfield that come into his zone. And of course be able to support the run. Brooks has been a multiple Pro-bowler and thus Tampa has been able to win a super bowl playing their defense. A lot of teams have tried with/without success to run the same type of Defense. Even the boys have and failed at times trying to run the same cover-2/tampa 2 defense. I guess what would get me and what gets all the skins fans is that not being able to adjust during the game or even during the season and getting the most from ur players you have. putting them in the right place to succeed, instead of just forcing the players into the cover-2/tampa-2 scheme. it will be good that he changes but why did it take so long.

[SkinsfaninNJ]

Originally Posted by esmith1790

i am boys fan so i guess people wont agree with my angle, with the cover-2 and tampa -2 you need a strong MLB like Brooks to be able to cover the deep middle and support the RB/Te covering out of the backfield that come into his zone. And of course be able to support the run. Brooks has been a multiple Pro-bowler and thus Tampa has been able to win a super bowl playing their defense. A lot of teams have tried with/without success to run the same type of Defense. Even the boys have and failed at times trying to run the same cover-2/tampa 2 defense. I guess what would get me and what gets all the skins fans is that not being able to adjust during the game or even during the season and getting the most from ur players you have. putting them in the right place to succeed, instead of just forcing the players into the cover-2/tampa-2 scheme. it will be good that he changes but why did it take so long.

One problem with your point, Brooks doesn't play MLB. Other than that, I don't disagree. Perhaps Urlacher is a better example.

[csquared]

Originally Posted by SkinsfaninNJ

One problem with your point, Brooks doesn't play MLB. Other than that, I don't disagree. Perhaps Urlacher is a better example.

OOPSSSSS there goes my credibility.

[skins111111]

[quote=SkinsfaninNJ]A little defense of GW from me here.

3. We are not the 28th ranked defense this year. We are 24 and moving up fast. QUOTE]

Hope we continue against the Rams, the last few weeks we have had some moments.

[Skinsguy1]

Draw safeties in with play action....BRILLIANT!

[Keino]

Originally Posted by esmith1790

i am boys fan so i guess people wont agree with my angle, with the cover-2 and tampa -2 you need a strong MLB like Brooks to be able to cover the deep middle and support the RB/Te covering out of the backfield that come into his zone. And of course be able to support the run. Brooks has been a multiple Pro-bowler and thus Tampa has been able to win a super bowl playing their defense. A lot of teams have tried with/without success to run the same type of Defense. Even the boys have and failed at times trying to run the same cover-2/tampa 2 defense. I guess what would get me and what gets all the skins fans is that not being able to adjust during the game or even during the season and getting the most from ur players you have. putting them in the right place to succeed, instead of just forcing the players into the cover-2/tampa-2 scheme. it will be good that he changes but why did it take so long.

Brooks doesn't play the middle, he plays the Weak Side LB position.

[Brokenstriker]

Originally Posted by Skinsguy1

Draw safeties in with play action....BRILLIANT!

LMAO!!

[esmith1790]

Originally Posted by Keino

Brooks doesn't play the middle, he plays the Weak Side LB position.

i stand corrected, i looked at 1 player and looked at brooks and put the wrong thing. thanks for the clarification.