burningmetal

Every time the 'skins ran one of those screens, or short passes in general (which was basically all day) the "defenders" were eaten alive. Every single time.

Darryl Johnston (I can't stand any of the color "analysts" in any broadcast, anymore) was praising and slobbering all over the Redskins for what a great job they were doing in blocking. But the reality is our entire defense was back pedaling. There are certain guys whose job is to hold the edges and force the receiver to re-route. Then the rest of the guys have to be able to shoot the gaps and make tackles. It's no different than the principles of stopping the run.

But when there's a screen pass, the entire defense just stands there thinking someone else is going to make the tackle. And when they realize that they've lost position they start back pedaling as the entire offensive line is in the secondary by this time. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that once you start moving backwards you have no chance of maintaining any balance to shed blocks. The o-linemen just play a little two hand touch, and all our defenders are on the ground.

Basic technique discipline. This team doesn't have it.

If I had a nickel for every time I heard that, the NFL would fine and suspend me.