Vision Quest: The Defense Lives!!!

Late Saturday night a solitary figure worked into the night at Redskin Park. Dr. Defenstein (otherwise known as Assistant head Coach Defense Gregg Williams) worked on his masterful game day plan. The game plan resembled more of a patchwork of discarded limbs (Vernon Fox) and dead body parts (Warrick Holdman).

“It’s an abomination” shouted the town crier Tom Friend. “Your arrogance is blinding you.”

“Don’t listen to them Master” pleaded Igor (aka Dale Lindsey) Dr. Defenstein’s long time assistant. “I know this is the week Warrick Holdman shows why he is starting.”

“Shut up I wasn’t asking your opinion” Dr. Defenstein said as he shoved past Igor and threw the switch that sent thousands of volts of electricity into the book. Thunder crashed, Igor screamed, Tom Friend prayed, and explosions rocked the lab.

As the rubble settled and the power went out a solitary voice was heard in the cold night.

“It lives. It lives. I am still a Genius”

That is the best guess I have for why the Redskins waited until the 11th game of the season to turn in one of their best all around performances of the year and defeated the Carolina Panthers. How else can a team that has been unable to stop anyone all year long out play and out coach a team that was one win away from the Super bowl last year and one of the hotter teams in the NFL? Must surprising was the defense who found away to contain the game’s most dominant playmaking receiver, Steve Smith.

The offense had showed signs in the past of coming around. With the insertion of Jason Campbell in the starting QB spot the offense showed signs of life during the Tampa game and continued its improvement this week against Carolina. Even without Clinton Portis and Santana Moss playing on one leg, the offense was able to drive when it needed too and scored 17 points, most in the second half, against a very tough defense. They even found a way to run the ball effectively with career backup Ladell Betts who gained over 100 yards rushing.

But the defense that has been the doormat of the league came to play and gave us brief glimpses of what could have been this year. Vernon Fox, a late addition to the team in the last week of training camp started at the second safety opposite Sean Taylor and came up with a timely interception as well as some good tackling all game. Carlos Rogers had his best game of this season rarely being out of position and virtually shutting down Keyshawn Johnson. Sean Springs showed why he is a top corner in the league containing Steve Smith. And the front four, mostly without the help of a blitz, generated pressure on the QB for the first time all year.

Why did this happen? Some postulated the theory that the Redskins were rallying around Williams because of an article written by Tom Friend at ESPN.com who quoted an anonymous player stating Williams is arrogant and inept. Some postulated that Vernon Fox’s play at safety over Arch’s lack thereof provided the extra boost. And still others noted that this team needs its back against the wall to respond, and that time is now. Lastly there was the much publicized rant by Joe Gibbs mid week that questioned the heart of his players and challenged them to step up.

I reject all those theories and embrace them at the same time. They all had a part in why the Defense played well this last week. But the main reason that they played well can be summed up in one word: Adaptation.

For the first time all season Williams actually adapted his base defense and played to the strengths of the players on the field. Recognizing his linebackers were playing too slowly to blitz, he put the pass rush burden on the front four who responded well. Recognizing the opponents wish to run to the right side they flip flopped Holdman and Washington on occasion to keep them honest.

The most important change though was the match up of receivers to defensive backs. In previous weeks other teams were matching their speedy receivers against Rogers to take advantage of his inexperience and poor technique. Tampa mastered that last week moving Galloway to the slot and to whatever side Rogers happened to be on at the time. GW abandoned the side of the field mentality and matched Springs with Smith almost exclusively. Rogers excelled covering the slower more physical Keyshawn Johnson.

This is the fist time all season the defense seemed to adapt to the players we have rather then the players the defensive staff thought we should have. It is a key reason we played better this last week and give us hope for the rest of the season and next. We have talented players and they should be able to put up a modest defensive effort week in and week out. It is up to the coaching staff to play to their strengths instead of letting the opponents exploit their weaknesses.

Still there are things to be concerned about on all areas of the team. Though they contained the run most of the day they did give up a huge 28 yard run that set up one of the field goals for Carolina. Jason Campbell’s timing with the receivers still seems to be off. Before the half a blocked punt gave the Panthers a gift field goal. It also seemed at times that the Redskins were looking to give away this game. Nick Novak’s kickoffs are short and low and he seems to have real trouble kicking from the hash marks at any range.

For Example, at the start of the fourth quarter after going ahead by 4 points the defense gave up a 74 yard 16 play 7 minute defense killing touchdown drives to once again be down by 3. That was immediately followed up with a team killing interception by Jason Campbell in one of his worst throwing decisions of his young career.

Right then it seemed as if the season was lost. But something funny happened. The Redskins defense came out and forced a 3 and out getting the ball back to the offense. And Jason Campbell, unlike certain young quarter backs in NY, rebounded with a perfectly thrown pass over the middle to Chris Cooley who rumbled 66 yards for a touchdown.

The Defense then came up with a great defensive stand including a brilliant one arm tackle on fourth down by Sean Taylor. And when the offense was unable to gain a first down and gave the ball back to Carolina with 1:40 to go and a timeout that same Sean Taylor picked off an errant Jake Delhomme throw in the end zone and sealed the victory.

If the Redskins can turn this season around and salvage this season, it will be this game that we will all point to as the reason things went well. We have a long way to go but for now, for one more week, hope is alive.

Looking Ahead

Up next is the Atlanta Falcons (5-6) who are going through their own controversies. They have lost 4 straight games and went from possible division champion to more then likely being out of the playoffs. The coach’s father has called Mchael Vick a coach killer on national TV, and Michael Vick responded by giving the one finger salute to some boisterous fans in Atlanta.

Washington on the other hand is coming off an emotional win and riding high on some well earned praise for the first time in weeks. This seems like a perfect opportunity for the Redskins to get a streak going to end the season strong. But this Falcons team lives and dies by their inconsistent nature. They can be horrible one week and incredibly good the next.

To win this game the Redskins must isolate and contain Vick and make him throw the ball to his receivers and away from Warrick Dunn and Alge Crumpler. Also containing Warrick Dunn is another task for the defense, because if we need to put 8 guys in the box to stop him Vick will find a way to burn us either on a roll out or throwing deep sometime this week.

On Defense, this is Lemar Marshalls’s week to sign. He is fast and should be able to shadow Vick all game long. Rogers and Springs should be able to contain their receivers. Taylor can also have some Vick shadowing duties if Vernon Fox is developing as good as some think. But for God’s sake please play Rocky McIntosh a little on defense. I have nightmares of Alge Crumpler rumbling down the field with Holdman 5 yards behind,

On Offense we need to test the porous defense of Atlanta on deep routes and turn Jason Campbell loose early. We can then run Betts and Ducketts after we get a few guys out of the box. John Abraham may be back from injury and Jon Jansen will need to shut him down. Atlanta has one of the worst pass defenses in the league. Give Campbell some time and we can make things happen.

The Redskins need to take it one game at a time, and every game is a must win from now on out. If we can play like we did last week we can play with any team in the league. Here’s hoping that Dr. Defenstein’s monster has enough juice left to get us through one more week.