So what is a success for this defence?

[Rymanofthenorth]

I still cant believe we didnt turf Haslett, there is only so much mediocrity I can take from a defence. Only so many times I can watch as we make ridiculous calls in cluth situations.

anyway, what do you guys think needs to be achieved by this defence for Haslett to retain his job? I think we need a top 5 defence, we need to be in the upper echelon for pressure stats because that was the entire point of this switch, so sacks, hurries, and picks need to be in the top 10 and overall we need to be top 5. other teams who made switches have had much faster turnarounds.

If we don't see massive improvements, then I think Haslett needs to be shown the door. I wouldnt have even given him this season, I havent seen enough out of him to make me think he will suddenly turn this defence around.

 

[Snydershrugged]

I personally thought we did see many improvements in just the latter half of last season. For me, success and growth need to come in defending the pass to a much, much higher degree. I am still willing to give Haslett the BOD because of the turnaround last season

 

[Ax]

Whatever will allow you to move on, Brother Ryman.

 

[Bulldog]

I don't see how you can expect to see top level defense when the talent there has been uneven the past couple of years.

Last year Haslett was trying to win games without his best rusher in Orakpo and a secondary without youth and size at corner or safety.

Meriweather and Jackson were done before SEPT and the team had to get through the balance of the season with Doughty, Gomes, Williams and Pugh at safety.

That unit couldn't cover anybody and it showed.

Go back a year and look at our offense coming out of 2011 when it was mediocre at best and compare it to 2012.

What changed? Shanahan didn't go from being a bum to being a genius.

He got better talent at QB, RB and WR.

Hopefully this year we will see the return of Orakpo, Meriweather and the addition of athletes in the secondary in Biggers, Amerson and Rambo make a big difference on that side of the ball.

 

[Dead Money]

There is nothing about this defenCe that says to me that top 5 is even an option this year. With our offenCe clicking I would hope that anything in the top half of the league would be able to get the job done. It'd be nice if we could eek out top 10 but seriously.... we've got some glaring issues for that not to be a pipe dream.

 

[Bulldog]

If the Redskins offense is productive I would think a defense in the 10-14/15 range will have this team repeating in the East and moving past the first round of the playoffs.

SF and Seattle have solid defenses but a number of the other NFC contenders like the Packers, Bears, Giants, Cowboys, Saints and Falcons all seem to have defensive units with question marks.

 

[Bulldog]

Don't underestimate the speed and size factor in the secondary. This year we have two corners over 6'0 that can be physical. Rambo is the first legitimate athlete we have had at FS in a long time.

Last year teams like the Bengals and Steelers took advantage of the size and speed advantages and at least that first game was lost largely on those match ups.

 

[fansince62]

Top 15 would work for me. Many comments above capture the key needs (with talent on hand):

- better pass defense (fewer big yardage, scoring plays)

- better pass rush (more pressures and sacks)

- pts per game allowed drop to around 18 range

the last is the only stat that really matters to me.

 

[Bulldog]

Mike, I think you need to give the guy a chance. Rambo was playing in his first preseason game in the NFL. Remember the guy was a sixth rounder, not Ronnie Lott or Ed Reed coming out as a consensus performer.

I think he will improve just as we saw Kerrigan improve and Perry Riley as well.

But to expect him to be a plug and play guy without any hiccups after his first training camp is not realistic.

 

[Bulldog]

After what Madieu Williams delivered, or failed to deliver at FS in 2012, I think we will be seeing better play there in 2013.

But there will be coaching of the player. I don't expect the Rambo you see out there in December to be the same guy you are seeing now.

 

[Bulldog]

True, but we have bigger issues if the front seven gets gashed like they did against the Titans. Johnson should never have been running in the open field, not when the Titans have spotty qb play and average receivers.

 

[Snydershrugged]

my biggest fear is more on injuries than performance at this stage

 

[Lanky Livingston]

I am giving the guy a chance when I say he needs to show a 180 tonight...his chance is to not get frustrated and start shoving players when he shouldnt, take better angles, and just show improvement. believe me, I know rookies make mistakes. Sean was my favorite player but his rookie season he chose horrible angles and relied too much on his talent to make up for it.

we dont need a rookie to develop in our backfield...we have big enough issues there. i need him to show he deserves a spot there and make some plays.

Sean Taylor had a whole season of bonehead penalties before he turned it around. The forearm to TO's face, spitting in opposing team's faces, etc. I think a total turnaround after one preseason game might be a bit optimistic; I think a total 180 by year 2 or 3 of his contract is much more likely.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

I'll echo what others have said: top half of the league in scoring & total defense is a total win for this team. If our O can repeat what it did last year (or at least get close), a defense in the top half of the league would have won us an extra 3-4 games then, and definitely get us to 11-5, 12-4 this year. They just need to not lose games, like the Giants last year. Orakpo back to rush the passer and the improved secondary are HUGE steps to defensive relevance.

 

[McD5]

Stretchers. Plenty of stretchers. Multiple stretchers on the field at the same time.

I also want to see the look on the opposing team's fans when their top wide receiver goes 360 degrees--helicopter style.

If the current crew can't get it done, then I want a new DC, and some safeties with multiple active arrest warrants.

I have found that the more shooting arrests they have in their past, the harder they like to hit defenseless receivers over the middle.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

so, in other words, you agree with what I just said.

No.

I think we need Rambo in the secondary, as he's clearly the best option back there. He's a ballhawk and a much better athlete. For all of Sean's stupid penalties and bad angles, our defense was immensely better because he was back there.

 

[tshile]

Yeah but there was quite a learning curve waiting for Taylor to figure out how to play without causing 15 yard penalties on a regular basis.
I'd just assume not go through that again with Rambo.

 

[Ax]

Sean was easier to tolerate because the man was a football freak of nature. Rambo doesn't have the size and speed of Sean. We'll see what kind of mean streak he has. And whether he can control it.

But I do believe our own Brother Goaldy would provide better coverage than Madoo Poo Poo. So Rambo, as long as he can stand, and breath, is a 500% improvement, already.

 

[tshile]

I don't recall it being such a 1-for-1 early in his career. He didn't just have the shove out of bounds, he had at least one time where he tried to crush a guy who was already out of bounds and the only reason he didn't get flagged is because he missed.

You're not going to find a bigger taylor fan than me, but he had issues with discipline and lacking sense early on in his career.

 

[tshile]

Yeah, it's just one preseason game.

I'm assuming you can't tell that kind of stuff in practice since they have no contact in practices anymore?