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Washington Redskins
Location: Landover, Md. | Stadium: FedEx Field (91,665) | Owner: Daniel Snyder
Coach: Jim Zorn | League Championships: 2 | Super Bowls: 3
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Redskins report: Inside slant
The switch from the deposed Gregg Williams to new defensive boss Greg Blache is supposed to be as minor as the number of G's in their first names. After all, as D-line coach, Blache helped Williams run a defense that ranked in the NFL's top 10 in three of the past four years. What's more, Blache and the players had said that they expected the new man in charge to only "tweak" the existing system. However, minicamp revealed that there are substantial differences between Williams, now Jacksonville's coordinator, and Blache, Chicago's coordinator from 1999-2003. For example, Williams' beloved "packages," which numbered well into the teens, have been considerably reduced. "We will have fewer packages because this is about the players," Blache said. "This is not about building the perfect castle. It's about giving the players something they can execute in the heat of battle and under stressful situations. The biggest thing is being able to execute, get to the football and knock the ball out. We're trying to be a hard, physical defense that's intimidating with our speed and hitting ability and you can't do that when you're thinking about 20,000 different things. You can do that when you're comfortable knowing what you have to do. And that's what we are going to try and focus on." Left end Phillip Daniels, who played for the Bears from 2000-03, is the only Redskin with experience in a Blache-led defense. "This is the same defense we ran in Chicago," Daniels said. "Greg's only aggressive when he has to be, where Gregg (Williams) would mix it all in. If we can stop teams with our base defenses, we're not going to blitz." One thing that hasn't changed is Blache's contentment with his personnel. The Redskins used their first four draft picks on offensive players and their only free agent signee was a kick returner even though Daniels is 35, middle linebacker London Fletcher will be 33 on Monday and left tackle Cornelius Griffin (31) and strongside linebacker Marcus Washington (31 in October) have been battered in recent years. "We have some very talented people, regardless of their age. They compete at a high level," Blache said. "They're capable of winning in this league. They proved it last season. ... You don't worry about what you want, you make do with what you have." Right end Andre Carter is the only high-profile free agent lineman signed by the Redskins since 2004 and they have yet to choose a lineman before the fifth round under Blache. "That's why they call us coaches," Blache said. "They don't call us interior decorators. We have to find guys with a passion for the game and coach them to be able to do things that they're successful at in our system. Our stuff will be tailor-made to our people. So if we have an injury, you'll see a change to be able to suit the guy that gets that spot. We'll be as good as our people are. And right now I like the people we have." Copyright (C) 2008 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.
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