S Adam Archuleta (1 Viewer)

[Pick]

High praise for Archuleta.

 

[Weiner Dog]

When this guy is on the field, he flat-out produces. Even if we ignore Archuleta's monster '02 campaign, he has still averaged over 5.5 tackles per game from '03 to '05. This equates to nearly 90 tackles over a 16-game season. If your league awards additional points for sacks, Archuleta is your man. No other DB in the game (sorry Harrison...you're jacked-up) is better at getting to the QB (11.5 sacks last three seasons).

 

[redman]

No other DB in the game (sorry Harrison...you're jacked-up) is better at getting to the QB (11.5 sacks last three seasons).

And this is precisely the way that Gregg Williams will use him on defense. Remember, this is essentially a 46 defense that will use zone blitzing, so AA will be in the box and in the backfield a lot. Of all the acquisitions the 'Skins made this offseason (Lloyd, Randle-El, Carter, Fauria, etc.) I was the coolest to this one because of the injury history. It still may bite them, but after looking more into what Archuleta does as a player I now see the wisdom in the move.

 

[Jene Bramel]

No other DB in the game (sorry Harrison...you're jacked-up) is better at getting to the QB (11.5 sacks last three seasons).

And this is precisely the way that Gregg Williams will use him on defense. Remember, this is essentially a 46 defense that will use zone blitzing, so AA will be in the box and in the backfield a lot. Of all the acquisitions the 'Skins made this offseason (Lloyd, Randle-El, Carter, Fauria, etc.) I was the coolest to this one because of the injury history. It still may bite them, but after looking more into what Archuleta does as a player I now see the wisdom in the move.

Redman, I know I've pestered you about this before, so I'm sorry , but I'm a stickler for detail, so I just gotta know.Do you mean that the Skins are in a 46 alignment all the time or just on passing downs? I have always been under the impression that the scheme is a stack 4-3 as a base defense, but becomes ultra-aggressive on passing downs with all sort of different disguised fronts as you mentioned.

I'm having a hard time projecting Archuleta this year. I know that Ryan Clark and Matt Bowen aren't as talented as Archuleta, but neither were able to put up great tackle numbers in this defense. Bowen had 76 in 2003, but that was before Taylor came along. And I can't convince myself that Archuleta will get enough sacks in this defense to be more than a marginal DB2 this season.

 

[Weiner Dog]

No other DB in the game (sorry Harrison...you're jacked-up) is better at getting to the QB (11.5 sacks last three seasons).

And this is precisely the way that Gregg Williams will use him on defense. Remember, this is essentially a 46 defense that will use zone blitzing, so AA will be in the box and in the backfield a lot. Of all the acquisitions the 'Skins made this offseason (Lloyd, Randle-El, Carter, Fauria, etc.) I was the coolest to this one because of the injury history. It still may bite them, but after looking more into what Archuleta does as a player I now see the wisdom in the move.

Redman, I know I've pestered you about this before, so I'm sorry , but I'm a stickler for detail, so I just gotta know.Do you mean that the Skins are in a 46 alignment all the time or just on passing downs? I have always been under the impression that the scheme is a stack 4-3 as a base defense, but becomes ultra-aggressive on passing downs with all sort of different disguised fronts as you mentioned.

I'm having a hard time projecting Archuleta this year. I know that Ryan Clark and Matt Bowen aren't as talented as Archuleta, but neither were able to put up great tackle numbers in this defense. Bowen had 76 in 2003, but that was before Taylor came along. And I can't convince myself that Archuleta will get enough sacks in this defense to be more than a marginal DB2 this season.

The Skins safeties have scored well the past few years, given the lack of talent (minus Taylor).Ohalete (FS - '03) ---> 104 tackles and 8 PD's

Taylor (FS - '04) ---> 78 tackles and 15 PD's (missed one game)

Taylor (FS - '05) ---> 72 tackles and 12 PD's (missed one game)

Bowen (SS - '03) ---> 85 tackles

Clark (SS - '04) ---> 81 tackles (missed one game)

Clark and Bowen (SS - '05) ---> 73 tackles (each player missed three games apiece)

I have to believe Archuleta is 15-20 tackles "better" than Bowen and Clark. Also, Taylor doesn't seem to hog much of the tackle numbers (he's yet to top 80 tackles).

Archuleta's value will lie strictly in your league's scoring system. If PD's and INT's are over-inflated, Archuleta will not score well. If your league's scoring system is the old bread-n-butter with tackles and sacks, Archuleta should be in the Top-20 this year.

IMO.

 

[redman]

No other DB in the game (sorry Harrison...you're jacked-up) is better at getting to the QB (11.5 sacks last three seasons).

And this is precisely the way that Gregg Williams will use him on defense. Remember, this is essentially a 46 defense that will use zone blitzing, so AA will be in the box and in the backfield a lot. Of all the acquisitions the 'Skins made this offseason (Lloyd, Randle-El, Carter, Fauria, etc.) I was the coolest to this one because of the injury history. It still may bite them, but after looking more into what Archuleta does as a player I now see the wisdom in the move.

Redman, I know I've pestered you about this before, so I'm sorry , but I'm a stickler for detail, so I just gotta know.Do you mean that the Skins are in a 46 alignment all the time or just on passing downs? I have always been under the impression that the scheme is a stack 4-3 as a base defense, but becomes ultra-aggressive on passing downs with all sort of different disguised fronts as you mentioned.

I'm having a hard time projecting Archuleta this year. I know that Ryan Clark and Matt Bowen aren't as talented as Archuleta, but neither were able to put up great tackle numbers in this defense. Bowen had 76 in 2003, but that was before Taylor came along. And I can't convince myself that Archuleta will get enough sacks in this defense to be more than a marginal DB2 this season.

The Skins safeties have scored well the past few years, given the lack of talent (minus Taylor).Ohalete (FS - '03) ---> 104 tackles and 8 PD's

Taylor (FS - '04) ---> 78 tackles and 15 PD's (missed one game)

Taylor (FS - '05) ---> 72 tackles and 12 PD's (missed one game)

Bowen (SS - '03) ---> 85 tackles

Clark (SS - '04) ---> 81 tackles (missed one game)

Clark and Bowen (SS - '05) ---> 73 tackles (each player missed three games apiece)

I have to believe Archuleta is 15-20 tackles "better" than Bowen and Clark. Also, Taylor doesn't seem to hog much of the tackle numbers (he's yet to top 80 tackles).

Archuleta's value will lie strictly in your league's scoring system. If PD's and INT's are over-inflated, Archuleta will not score well. If your league's scoring system is the old bread-n-butter with tackles and sacks, Archuleta should be in the Top-20 this year.

IMO.

I'd call this a 46 defense because the OLB's are pinched in close to the DE's, and the SS plays up so much and is used to blitz a lot. He's definitely within the box. In fact, the reason why Taylor has relatively modest tackling numbers (and the real reason he's so valuable in that defense ) is because he's as good as a CB in pass coverage (probably better than most actually) while still being an excellent tackler such that they put him back in "center field" and use his mobility and athleticism as the last line of defense.

Regarding Jene's post, they don't only blitz on passing downs. If you watch them on first downs, they'll also send people on run (or pass, if the game situation warrants) blitzes. This is an attacking defense that doesn't pretend to be anything else.*

Given that Archuleta is the most talented SS they've had playing for them since . . . well, it's a long time, Archuleta seems to be an excellent buy low candidate. The only issue for me is Archuleta's health, but by all accounts he's healthy now and has no restrictions on his play.

If I can dig up a good article explaining Gregg Williams' defense, I'll post it here.

*This gives you some appreciation for why a player like Lavar Arrington drove them nuts. If you don't handle your responsibility by being in position and are overrunning plays because you aren't disciplined, then ball carriers and receivers go free with few guys in the secondary (usually only 3, and less than that on a given side of the field) to catch him to prevent a big play. Arrington could and should have been a monster in this defense, along the lines of Wilbur Marshall in Chicago, if he'd only studied and been disciplined.

 

[Jene Bramel]

No other DB in the game (sorry Harrison...you're jacked-up) is better at getting to the QB (11.5 sacks last three seasons).

And this is precisely the way that Gregg Williams will use him on defense. Remember, this is essentially a 46 defense that will use zone blitzing, so AA will be in the box and in the backfield a lot. Of all the acquisitions the 'Skins made this offseason (Lloyd, Randle-El, Carter, Fauria, etc.) I was the coolest to this one because of the injury history. It still may bite them, but after looking more into what Archuleta does as a player I now see the wisdom in the move.

Redman, I know I've pestered you about this before, so I'm sorry , but I'm a stickler for detail, so I just gotta know.Do you mean that the Skins are in a 46 alignment all the time or just on passing downs? I have always been under the impression that the scheme is a stack 4-3 as a base defense, but becomes ultra-aggressive on passing downs with all sort of different disguised fronts as you mentioned.

I'm having a hard time projecting Archuleta this year. I know that Ryan Clark and Matt Bowen aren't as talented as Archuleta, but neither were able to put up great tackle numbers in this defense. Bowen had 76 in 2003, but that was before Taylor came along. And I can't convince myself that Archuleta will get enough sacks in this defense to be more than a marginal DB2 this season.

The Skins safeties have scored well the past few years, given the lack of talent (minus Taylor).Ohalete (FS - '03) ---> 104 tackles and 8 PD's

Taylor (FS - '04) ---> 78 tackles and 15 PD's (missed one game)

Taylor (FS - '05) ---> 72 tackles and 12 PD's (missed one game)

Bowen (SS - '03) ---> 85 tackles

Clark (SS - '04) ---> 81 tackles (missed one game)

Clark and Bowen (SS - '05) ---> 73 tackles (each player missed three games apiece)

I have to believe Archuleta is 15-20 tackles "better" than Bowen and Clark. Also, Taylor doesn't seem to hog much of the tackle numbers (he's yet to top 80 tackles).

Archuleta's value will lie strictly in your league's scoring system. If PD's and INT's are over-inflated, Archuleta will not score well. If your league's scoring system is the old bread-n-butter with tackles and sacks, Archuleta should be in the Top-20 this year.

IMO.

I'd call this a 46 defense because the OLB's are pinched in close to the DE's, and the SS plays up so much and is used to blitz a lot. He's definitely within the box. In fact, the reason why Taylor has relatively modest tackling numbers (and the real reason he's so valuable in that defense ) is because he's as good as a CB in pass coverage (probably better than most actually) while still being an excellent tackler such that they put him back in "center field" and use his mobility and athleticism as the last line of defense.

Regarding Jene's post, they don't only blitz on passing downs. If you watch them on first downs, they'll also send people on run (or pass, if the game situation warrants) blitzes. This is an attacking defense that doesn't pretend to be anything else.*

Given that Archuleta is the most talented SS they've had playing for them since . . . well, it's a long time, Archuleta seems to be an excellent buy low candidate. The only issue for me is Archuleta's health, but by all accounts he's healthy now and has no restrictions on his play.

If I can dig up a good article explaining Gregg Williams' defense, I'll post it here.

*This gives you some appreciation for why a player like Lavar Arrington drove them nuts. If you don't handle your responsibility by being in position and are overrunning plays because you aren't disciplined, then ball carriers and receivers go free with few guys in the secondary (usually only 3, and less than that on a given side of the field) to catch him to prevent a big play. Arrington could and should have been a monster in this defense, along the lines of Wilbur Marshall in Chicago, if he'd only studied and been disciplined.

Thanks guys. WD, I see those tackle numbers. I'm not sure where the 25% increase in tackles you project Archuleta to get will come from though. The Skins defense has improved overall; they're not likely to be on the field much more often. And I don't know who Archuleta takes tackles from, whether he's in the box or not.

Archuleta's big stat years came in Lovie Smith's very aggressive version of the Tampa-2 and in that crazy Ram defense where he was essentially an extra linebacker in the middle. Since then, injuries or otherwise, he's be a maddeningly inconsistent 75-85 total tackle guy.

I've got him at 37 in my rankings - which is unfortunately misleading. He's in a tier with 15 other guys within about 15 raw points of each other (from Wesley at 24 to Parrish at 39). I'd actually draft him a lot higher than 37, but I'm trying to stay true to the projections for now. He will probably move up during the summer.

Here is the most detailed article (WaPost via findarticles.com) I've seen on Williams' defense so far.

 

[redman]

Jene, this quote is from that article:

While the Redskins defense rushes from four to eight defenders in passing situations, Williams often confuses offenses with the illusion that more defenders are blitzing.

This is the "46" aspect of that defense. They maintain this illusion of blitzes on every play by doing what the 46 defense did by putting 8 men in the box on practically every play. Where this is not literally the 46 is the fact that - as the article also referenced - they are not always in a 4-3 defense because they'll switch up the number of linemen, LB's and DB's on a given play like, for example, Belichick does. They also run zone blitzes which the classic 46 didn't do. But I dont' exaggerate when I say that every, and I mean every defensive player on that team down to the dime CB's has at least a few plays where they're blitzing the QB or the backfield.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Jene, this quote is from that article:

While the Redskins defense rushes from four to eight defenders in passing situations, Williams often confuses offenses with the illusion that more defenders are blitzing.

This is the "46" aspect of that defense. They maintain this illusion of blitzes on every play by doing what the 46 defense did by putting 8 men in the box on practically every play. Where this is not literally the 46 is the fact that - as the article also referenced - they are not always in a 4-3 defense because they'll switch up the number of linemen, LB's and DB's on a given play like, for example, Belichick does. They also run zone blitzes which the classic 46 didn't do. But I dont' exaggerate when I say that every, and I mean every defensive player on that team down to the dime CB's has at least a few plays where they're blitzing the QB or the backfield.

Great discussion. Now I think I'm on the same page.I'd have sent Archuleta's ranking through the roof if he played a true 46 safety role (either at the LOS or as a WLB). In this role, he seems to be an "in-the-box" helper with blitz responsibilities. There are plenty of teams who put their safety in the box frequently and run safety blitzes. The Redskins seem to be more aggressive in that alignment though, and that needs to be taken into consideration.

I'm bumping him some after this discussion, but I'm still not sold that he's a 100 total tackle/6 sack stud performer yet. But as an Archuleta fan (and owner), I hope I'm wrong.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

I Arch