Washington Defense (1 Viewer)

[ExtremeFajita]

My first year drafting IDP's and I'm kneedeep in homework...

OK so I read that Gregg Williams uses an aggressive 3-4 that is pretty complicated and relies heavily on blitzes. At first glance it seems like defensive FF points are spread pretty wide on this team. No one at any position scored in the top 20 for LBs, DL or DBs last year. Lemar Marshall (MLB - 23rd most LB pts), Phillip Daniels (DE - 24th most DL pts) and Marcus Washington (SLB - 29th most LB pts) were the three highest scoring players. My question is, is their scheme geared to favor these positions or can we expect the addition of Archuleta and a jail-free Taylor to bump up the production for the DBs this year?

This D does not fall into any neat category so I was hoping to get some input. If anyone knows of a link that discusses each team's scheme and the positions that benefit/suffer in it I would be much obliged.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[Jene Bramel]

My first year drafting IDP's and I'm kneedeep in homework...

OK so I read that Gregg Williams uses an aggressive 3-4 that is pretty complicated and relies heavily on blitzes. At first glance it seems like defensive FF points are spread pretty wide on this team. No one at any position scored in the top 20 for LBs, DL or DBs last year. Lemar Marshall (MLB - 23rd most LB pts), Phillip Daniels (DE - 24th most DL pts) and Marcus Washington (SLB - 29th most LB pts) were the three highest scoring players. My question is, is their scheme geared to favor these positions or can we expect the addition of Archuleta and a jail-free Taylor to bump up the production for the DBs this year?

This D does not fall into any neat category so I was hoping to get some input. If anyone knows of a link that discusses each team's scheme and the positions that benefit/suffer in it I would be much obliged.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Here are is a link to a string of posts by Redman breaking down the Washington defense.A couple of other Redman posts here and here.

And here's a thread that Tick started in 2005 and we updated in April that discusses each team's general scheme. The 2006 info starts somewhere in the middle of the thread. From there, you can scroll back (or search) through the most recent four pages of threads in the Forum. Lot of good discussion about the Cover-2, 3-4, and different versions of the 4-3.

If you don't get what you're looking for, start a new thread with some specific questions. Can never have too much discussion.

 

[Tick]

I think Gregg Williams's defense gets misrepresented... yes, it was an attacking defense that created lots of big plays back in Tennessee, but in Buffalo they were the worst big-play team in the league despite being a very good points-against defense. Washington seems to be pretty similar to how Buffalo was.

 

[redman]

I think Gregg Williams's defense gets misrepresented... yes, it was an attacking defense that created lots of big plays back in Tennessee, but in Buffalo they were the worst big-play team in the league despite being a very good points-against defense. Washington seems to be pretty similar to how Buffalo was.

Depending upon how you define "big plays", that may or may not be true. They had an ungodly stretch last year when they were causing fumbles but could never seem to recover them, and it went on for weeks on end until that 5-game win streak to end the season. That was as bizarre as it is unlikely to recur. In 2004 the defense was repeatedly put into terrible situations due to the offense's ineptitude, again hurting the defense's ability to dictate game situations and make plays. They're about pressure and sacks which cause turnovers, whether from fumbles on QB hits or hurried throws, etc. The downside is that they can be vulnerable to big plays, but that doesn't tend to mean much in fantasy football, at least in my leagues.

Keep in mind that with the addition of Andre Carter, and with Phillip Daniels healthy, they have a solid D-line for the first time in many, many years. In particular, this line should be able to generate some pressure on its own, without blitzers.

 

[Tick]

I think Gregg Williams's defense gets misrepresented... yes, it was an attacking defense that created lots of big plays back in Tennessee, but in Buffalo they were the worst big-play team in the league despite being a very good points-against defense.  Washington seems to be pretty similar to how Buffalo was.

Depending upon how you define "big plays", that may or may not be true. They had an ungodly stretch last year when they were causing fumbles but could never seem to recover them, and it went on for weeks on end until that 5-game win streak to end the season. That was as bizarre as it is unlikely to recur. In 2004 the defense was repeatedly put into terrible situations due to the offense's ineptitude, again hurting the defense's ability to dictate game situations and make plays. They're about pressure and sacks which cause turnovers, whether from fumbles on QB hits or hurried throws, etc. The downside is that they can be vulnerable to big plays, but that doesn't tend to mean much in fantasy football, at least in my leagues.

Keep in mind that with the addition of Andre Carter, and with Phillip Daniels healthy, they have a solid D-line for the first time in many, many years. In particular, this line should be able to generate some pressure on its own, without blitzers.

There were also great excuses in Buffalo each year and claims that their lack of INTs was a statistical improbability (for two years)... but it keeps happening in his defense.