NFL.com: Brian Billick on Cushing, Kerrigan, and others

[#BgMase76#]

Would you rather have Watt or Kerrigan? Honest question.

I like Kerrigan but Watt is out of this world. Looking at whqt he does from a DE position is sick. He gets sacks, pressure, and plays the run. The dude is sick.

[NewCliche21]

People do that all the time. You as a coach evolve, schemes evolve. You're not locked into whatever scheme you come up in. I mean, it's not completely foreign, a variation of a 3-4 is still a 3-4. I'm pretty sure he can coach it.

But even before Haslett got here, Shanny watched the league and was sold on Haslett's version of the 3-4. So it's as much Shanahan as it is Haslett.

Are you sure about that bolded part?

This.

I'm a big Shanahan fan and I love where we are headed, but he's pretty responsible for the defense because it is making Hazlett seem like he's awful when it's really just Shanahan putting him the position to fail. The scheme, plus the cap penalties, really ****ed us over.

[SkinsFTW]

Houston runs a 3-4 like we do. So....I don't get this.

Well there is no chance that Kerrigan will ever play DE in our 3-4, so the only way he'd ever have a chance to play like Watt would be if we were in a 4-3. Even if Kerrigan was in Houston he's probably slightly to small to play DE even if he bulked up and Watt in DC would probably have been told to lose some pounds to play OLB. Anyway, not many guys on the DL block that many passes and not many block and return them for TD's like Kerrigan either, and they both can get to the QB as well. Houston's scheme seems to take advantage of that a lot more though.

[Dukes and Skins]

This.

I'm a big Shanahan fan and I love where we are headed, but he's pretty responsible for the defense because it is making Hazlett seem like he's awful when it's really just Shanahan putting him the position to fail. The scheme, plus the cap penalties, really ****ed us over.

Wait, so who exactly are you agreeing with?

[NLC1054]

This.

I'm a big Shanahan fan and I love where we are headed, but he's pretty responsible for the defense because it is making Hazlett seem like he's awful when it's really just Shanahan putting him the position to fail. The scheme, plus the cap penalties, really ****ed us over.

This is bull.

Jim Haslett has been in the NFL for damn near 20 years. In 2011, we spent our first two draft picks on defensive players in Ryan Kerrigan and Jarvis Jenkins. We signed O.J Atogwe, a guy whom we only really signed because he was familiar with Jim Haslett. We signed Barry Cofield, we signed Stephen Bowen, we signed Josh Wilson, we have drafted 9 defensive players in the three years he's been here, we signed Merriweather. We traded for Carriker! Carriker, a guy who was drafted by---guess who---Jim Haslett when he was the St. Louis Rams.

Shanahan is not putting Haslett in a position to fail. The fact is Shanahan gave Haslett a chance when the only job he could get was as a head coach in the UFL. If Shanahan made a mistake, it was in hiring Jim Haslett when their were better options available.

It's not the scheme. Jim has had three-frakking-years, plus experience with the Steelers, PLUS twenty years of coaching behind him to know how to make a 3-4 work, and we've spent a lot more money and draft picks trying to give Haslett as many tools as possible to succeed. Haslett does a crappy job of preparing our players throughout the week, and then on Sunday's, his scheme is completely devoid of anything resembling creativity, and he sucks at adjusting, and he sucks at putting his talent in a position to succeed.

Haslett sucks. Period. We could have Reggie White on our defense and Haslett would still suck eggs.

[Thirtyfive2seven]

I just saw a quick 25 second clip of the Cushing injury and it appeared extremely dirty to me. Anyone have any insight on this? Also, Kerrigan is a beast. Look at what he did in week 1 against the giants his rookie year? We knew what he's capable of but it's good to see others taking notice.

[Dukes and Skins]

I just saw a quick 25 second clip of the Cushing injury and it appeared extremely dirty to me. Anyone have any insight on this? Also, Kerrigan is a beast. Look at what he did in week 1 against the giants his rookie year? We knew what he's capable of but it's good to see others taking notice.

The hit on Cushing was absolutely dirty. OG Slauson put his helmet right into the knee

[STBonecrusher21]

The hit on Cushing was absolutely dirty. OG Slauson put his helmet right into the knee

From behind. And away from the play....

[Voice_of_Reason]

Would you rather have Watt or Kerrigan? Honest question.

Both. And Wade Phillips as a DC. He's a bum as a HC. But as a DC, he's pure gold.

[Hitman21ST]

The hit on Cushing was absolutely dirty. OG Slauson put his helmet right into the knee

Holy crap, I just watched it on Youtube. Looks like the Jets are competing with the Rams for dirtiest team in the NFL.

[Voice_of_Reason]

This.

I'm a big Shanahan fan and I love where we are headed, but he's pretty responsible for the defense because it is making Hazlett seem like he's awful when it's really just Shanahan putting him the position to fail. The scheme, plus the cap penalties, really ****ed us over.

Dude, I agree with you about 90% of the time, but I think you're a little off on this one.

In one respect, Shanahan is to blame for the D because he's the HC and has final say on player personnel. And he selected Haz.

However, He's not putting Jim H. in a position to fail. He hand selected him to come be the DC. They have spent some high draft picks on defensive players. And they have brought in some FAs. Some of which are pretty good.

But JH is not getting the job done on the coaching side right now. When a team like the bengals comes out, knows what your defensive check is going to be, and knows how to beat it, you've totally failed as a DC. That's the most obvious example. But teams know how to attack the defense. That's on Haz as much as it's on Shanny.

I really hope that they get a real proven DC in here next year. I'm hoping for a complete and total Jets flop and Rex Ryan come in as DC. All the Ryan boys are great DCs and terrible HCs. The D would be extremely well coached. And I'm willing to put up with a loud mouth coordinator for it. (It's not going to happen. I get it. But it's my hope.)

[The Robert Griffin Experience]

The difference between Watt and Kerrigan is not as big as people are making it out to be (It's a big difference but people are acting Kerrigan isn't a stud rusher in his own right)

Scheme
Supporting cast
Coaching

Kerrigan IS the only guy on our team rushing the passer on a consistent basis. Yet he's top 15 in pressures. With a one-gap defensive scheme that forces the opposing OL to account for the down linemen on the rush, and/or more creative blitzing from whatever scheme we run, Kerrigan could easily be even more disruptive. Rak not being there doesn't help either.

Put this in perspective - Kerrigan already has 2 defensive scores in 21 games - Rod Woodson (all time leader) has 11 defensive scores in about 250 games.

[Painkiller]

....because the talking heads will always go out of their way to pat themselves on the back when they are correct.

This much is certain.

I'm still waiting for Sean Salisbury to take his walk. It's been 7 years...he definately has no sense of urgency. (snicker)

[redskins55]

I love Ryan, but unless he develops more pass rushing moves he will never be able to touch a player like Watt because Watt is bigger and quicker.

As far as our defense.. it is Shanahahan's fault that its been bad the last three years because it was never built for the 3-4. We STILLL dont have a dominant NT which is the most important position in a 3-4.

[MartinC]

Would you rather have Watt or Kerrigan? Honest question.

It would quite nice to have both ........