It's been a while since I was able to really be part of the conversation around here, so I'm wondering what the general feeling is regarding the D heading into the draft, and ultimately into 2014. Last time I checked, that side of the ball in DC was coming off four years of meh ... and I was among many calling for the head of Monsieur Haz.
My feeling really hasn't changed. As many have written, and I have documented on several occasions, there is nothing--literally nothing--on the man's professional defensive coordinator resume that leads me to believe 2014 will be any different than all of his previous defensive incarnations.
Yes, I heard how Mike Shanahan overstepped and may have affected Haz' abililty to do his job ... but Mike wasn't in Pittsburgh, or St. Louis, or anywhere else that Haz previously did NOT field particularly good defenses. It can be convincingly argued that the man's entire NFL career as a DC so far has been considerably less than that.
So you tell me ... are the Redskins doing enough personnel-wise that Haz will translate his new autonomy into consistently effective defense? Was the latter half of 2013, when the D, like the O and special teams, all caught fire, a mirage? Or was it finally an indicator that when the ingredients are in place, Jim Hazlett can turn the Redskins defense into a playoff type squad?
Or are we going to be having this same conversation again as 2014 comes to a close?
I know Jay Gruden had a comfort level with Haz, and I respect that. What I worry about, though, is whether comfort in this case will prove cold.
My feeling really hasn't changed. As many have written, and I have documented on several occasions, there is nothing--literally nothing--on the man's professional defensive coordinator resume that leads me to believe 2014 will be any different than all of his previous defensive incarnations.
Yes, I heard how Mike Shanahan overstepped and may have affected Haz' abililty to do his job ... but Mike wasn't in Pittsburgh, or St. Louis, or anywhere else that Haz previously did NOT field particularly good defenses. It can be convincingly argued that the man's entire NFL career as a DC so far has been considerably less than that.
So you tell me ... are the Redskins doing enough personnel-wise that Haz will translate his new autonomy into consistently effective defense? Was the latter half of 2013, when the D, like the O and special teams, all caught fire, a mirage? Or was it finally an indicator that when the ingredients are in place, Jim Hazlett can turn the Redskins defense into a playoff type squad?
Or are we going to be having this same conversation again as 2014 comes to a close?
I know Jay Gruden had a comfort level with Haz, and I respect that. What I worry about, though, is whether comfort in this case will prove cold.