Rich Tandler's Real Redskins

Redskins eager to face Bills

Twitter Time: Safety in the box is a dinosaur

By Rich Tandler

This was more of a discussion than a question, but it was still interesting enough to expand on here. Here is a key comment from @Mr_Redskins.

@Rich_Tandler: Reed is a much better in the box safety. Can hide his coverage closer to line & Otogwe practices at FS when Landry is there.

It would be nice if, while LaRon Landry remains sidelines, the Redskins could keep fill-in Reed Doughty up close to the line. He had issues in coverage on two long passes and although defensive coordinator Jim Haslett defended him, Doughty is better suited to playing in the box.

The problem is keeping Doughty or any other safety in the box is just not possible in today’s game. Just like the fullback on the offensive side of the ball, the traditional strong safety is rapidly becoming a dinosaur.

The way today’s offenses spread the field with multiple wide receivers and tight ends who can go deep makes it impossible to commit one of your four defensive backs to staying close to the line of scrimmage, especially when you have four linebackers there already.

It appears that Doughty also was guilty of biting on a double move on the long completion to Hakeem Nicks, but if the defensive front is doing it s job a quarterback should not have enough time to such a pattern to develop. Eli Manning was able to step up in the pocket and he got a full four seconds to launch the pass. As Haslett pointed out, you can’t give the quarterback all day to throw. If you do, any defensive back, including Landry, will get beaten.

Doughty to start

[caption id="attachment_1804" align="alignleft" width="132" caption="Doughty"][/caption] According to Larry Weisman of the Washington Redskins, Reed Doughty has been promoted into the starting lineup in place of Chris Horton. Horton made a key pass interference penalty in the Detroit game, setting up what proved to be the winning points for the Lions. But he made some key plays against the Rams, including forcing a fumble deep in Washington territory to preserve the Redskins' two-point lead. [caption id="attachment_1803" align="alignright" width="112" caption="Horton"][/caption] Defensive coordinator Greg Blache said that the defense will become more aggressive this week and blitz inexperienced Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Johnson. The promotion of Doughty would indicate that Blache trusts him in coverage more than he trusts Horton. The Redskins have been lining up with three safeties in passing situations frequently this year, so Horton is likely to see plenty of action. In fact, he might be one of those who blitz Johnson on passing downs while Doughty handles the deep coverage. Blache has decided that he needs to get out of his comfort zone if the defense is going to be effective. "I've got to be a little more of a maverick," Blache said.