Tag: Jack Del Rio

Breaking down the Redskins power dynamic heading into 2020

With Bruce Allen out of the picture, the pyramid of power has shifted greatly in Washington, with Ron Rivera calling the shots.

Incremental change is what the Washington Redskins needed after a fourth-consecutive season without a playoff berth, and incremental change is what they got.

Bruce Allen is gone. Ron Rivera is in. Larry Hess is gone. Ryan Vermillion and Larry Wilk are in. Eric Schaffer is gone. Doug Williams is in a new role. Any which way you look at it, the power dynamic in Washington has changed, and according to NBC Sports Washington, this is now how it looks.

Dan Snyder — Team Owner
Aug 29, 2019; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder on the field before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Of course, as the owner of the team, Snyder remains at the top of the power pyramid. Though he may endlessly say that head coach Ron Rivera is the only voice that matters in the organization, it is still his final stamp of approval that is needed on every major decision that happens. As long as Snyder is the owner of the team, it will be his word that goes.

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Redskins key to defensive success is embracing the pass rush

One of the areas of strength for the Redskins is the defensive line, where they will need to rest their focus in order to succeed.

By virtually any metric you use in 2019, the Washington Redskins’ defense underachieved. After being projected by some to finish as a top-5 or top-10 defense in the NFL, they wrapped up the season with the following stats:

  • Yards per game — 385.1 (27th)
  • Points per game — 27.2 (27th)
  • 3rd down conversion % — 49 (32nd)
  • 1st downs per game — 22.1 (28th)

Like we said…any metric. This is one of the reasons why Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio have been brought into the organization to help shore up the defense and turn around the losing ways in Washington. In order to do so, the two highly-respected defensive coaches plan to change from a 3-4 defensive scheme to a 4-3, hoping that it will better fit their personnel, and allow them to do one thing above all else;

Rush the quarterback.

“It just makes sense to have them covering less and rushing more,” Del Rio said, via Redskins.com. “I’ll keep it as simple as that.”

When you take a look at the defensive depth chart for the Redskins, one of the position groups that stands out is the defensive line. Just look at this group of players that Del Rio will likely be able to work with next year.

  • Ryan Kerrigan
  • Montez Sweat
  • Chase Young
  • Matt Ioannidis
  • Daron Payne
  • Jonathan Allen
  • Ryan Anderson

Are you going to try to tell me that this unit will have a tough time getting to the quarterback snap after snap? That seems like a stretch. In the years past, Washington has tried to focus on the changing of the guard in the NFL, and scheme their defense to be more fit to cover the pass and focus less on getting to the QB. That mentality is no longer, under the new leadership, where both coaches want to stress the importance of putting pressure on the opposing backfield via the edges.

“I’ve spoken to a couple of players thus far, and their mentality is that they want to make it right,” Del Rio said. “They want to work, and that’s what it’s going to take.”

For any team to succeed, the best thing a coach can do is look at his personnel and scheme his gameplan in order to fit his roster. In Washington, the defensive line is stout, and the rush on the edge is downright dangerous. You want to win? You take advantage of that. Look for those sack numbers to go up next year, and with them, the defensive rankings as well.

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Jack Del Rio stresses player-based culture for Redskins

Jack Del Rio has some similar ideas to Ron Rivera.

Ron Rivera isn’t the only coach talking about a player-based culture for the Washington Redskins.

Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio has recently echoed these same sentiments, noting some of the best teams he’s been with over the years have been strong in this area.

Here’s an excerpt of the comment, via Scott Allen of the Washington Post:

“The coach provides a vision, but at the end of the day, the players in the locker room, it’s their team,” Del Rio said. “… The very successful teams are player-led. I was part of a Super Bowl-winning team [as the linebackers coach] in Baltimore in 2000 that was player-led. Brian Billick and the staff did a great job of creating that atmosphere where players understood it was their team. We went through that season, we never had a bed check the whole year, including Super Bowl week. There wasn’t any babysitting. To me, it’s not about babysitting. You’re talking about grown men. You want to get the right men that are dedicated and determined to win. That’s what a successful culture looks like.”

The Redskins hope they already have some of this in place with homegrown leaders like Jonathan Allen, not to mention recent arrivals like Landon Collins.

But expect this makeover to create more change this offseason as Rivera and Del Rio weed out some of the roster and replace with free agents and prospects.

On paper, it sure sounds good right now.

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Why Jack Del Rio says a 4-3 defense is the obvious choice for Redskins

Del Rio’s first big move as the DC was saying Washington would transition to a 4-3 defense, which he says is an obvious fit for personnel.

When Jack Del Rio was hired as the new defensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins, one of his first moves on the job was to commit to a 4-3 defensive scheme, rather than the 3-4 scheme that the Redskins have been running in the recent past.

So for non-football lifers, what does this mean? Let’s break it down.

The first step to understanding the difference between a 4-3 and 3-4 defense is getting comfortable with the personnel changes it brings. A 4-3 consists of four defensive lineman and three linebackers, while a 3-4 is the opposite. In a 4-3, the quarterback pressure is created mainly by the lineman, where a DT typically draws a double-team, and the rest of the line is free to play with a one-on-one matchup. In a 3-4, which is how the Redskins have lined up for years now, the pressure is created by the linebackers out on the edge. This role was filled by both Ryan Kerrigan and Montez Sweat in 2019. A change to the 4-3 would likely see them move to the defensive end position, rather than an ‘edge-rusher’ distinction. So how would this help the Redskins?

“You’ve got guys like Montez Sweat, [Ryan] Kerrigan,” Del Rio said, via NBC Sports Washington. “These are guys that are some of your premier edge rushers. It just makes more sense to have them covering less and rushing more. I’ll keep it as simple as that.”

It helps by putting Kerrigan and Sweat — and quite possibly Chase Young — in a position to succeed more. While they are now operating out of a linebacker position, where they are occasionally asked to drop back into coverage, the new scheme would as them to focus on the thing: get to the quarterback.

“When Ron and I talked about the roster, talked about the fit, talked about the people we have here,” Del Rio added, “for both of us, it was obvious that a 4-3 would be a good fit.”

Whether or not Kerrigan stays with the team is a different conversation, but the fact remains that in order for the Redskins to get the most out of their defensive roster, a 4-3 is the scheme to go with.

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WATCH: Jack Del Rio ‘can’t wait to get started’ with Washington Redskins

Longtime NFL coach Jack Del Rio is back in the league after a two-season hiatus, joining the Washington Redskins’ staff as Ron Rivera’s defensive coordinator.

Longtime NFL coach Jack Del Rio is back in the league after a two-season hiatus, joining the Washington Redskins’ staff as Ron Rivera’s defensive coordinator.

He tweeted confirmation on New Year’s Day, saying he’s ready to get going:

Del Rio brings his 4-3 defense to Washington D.C., switching it up from the 3-4 scheme the team has used the past few seasons.

He last coached in the NFL in 2017, his final of three seasons as the Oakland Raiders’ head coach. Del Rio joined ESPN as an NFL analyst in August 2019.

Jack Del Rio ‘can’t wait to get started’ with Washington Redskins (Redskinswire)

Jack Del Rio – who’s been out of coaching for two seasons – is back in the NFL as the defensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins.

Jack Del Rio – who’s been out of coaching for two seasons – is back in the NFL as the defensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins.

Jack Del Rio ‘can’t wait to get started’ with Washington Redskins

Jack Del Rio – who’s been out of coaching for two seasons – is back in the NFL as the defensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins.

Jack Del Rio – who’s been out of coaching for two seasons – is back in the NFL as the defensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins.

Former potential Bengals DC target Jack Del Rio goes to Redskins

Jack Del Rio was connected to the Bengals before going to the Redskins this offseason.

Jack Del Rio will serve as the next defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins.

But there was a time about an offseason ago it seemed like Del Rio might have a chance at joining Zac Taylor’s staff in a similar role for the Cincinnati Bengals.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport had first suggested the connection between Taylor and Del Rio. He later reported the two decided the fit wasn’t right.

This is an easy thing to forget in the grand scheme of things because Taylor went on to struggle in finding a coordintor for his defense until late in the process.

That cooridnator ended up being Lou Anarumo, whose defense struggled out of the gates before settling down and improving near the end of the season.

Anarumo presumably gets a Year 2 and will get to further inherit new talent for his defense this offseason while Del Rio will command a talented unit in Washington. It should be interesting to see how things shake out for both in the coming years.

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Jack Del Rio will take Redskins back to 4-3 defense

Jack Del Rio has big plans for the Redskins.

Jack Del Rio is in the building and so is the 4-3 for the Washington Redskins.

The Redskins haven’t run anything but the 3-4 since 2010 but that’s going to change under the guidance of Del Rio, something he confirmed with Les Carpenter of the Washington Post.

What that will exactly look like is hard to say but the Redskins have all offseason to shift around personnel and make additions and subtractions.

One thing’s for sure — the thought of Del Rio going wild with a Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne in the heart of the defensive line is fun no matter the alignment.

And in today’s NFL the concept of a base defense is fading as is. But it doesn’t hurt to know right out the gates what the respected coordinator plans on running in Washington.

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Crazy coincidence spells major success for DC Jack Del Rio and Redskins

Twice so far, Del Rio has coached a generation pass-rusher who was picked No. 2 overall, and he has another chance with Chase Young.

A new decade brings new excitement for the Washington Redskins, and the official hiring of both Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio on Wednesday morning helped ring in 2020 for Washington fans across the county.

While many who follow the team are just happy to have the old regime on its way out, there are some things popping up about the new staff that is cause for celebration as well. With Del Rio, who is the newest defensive coordinator in Washington, it’s his history of excelling with a dynamic pass-rusher that is truly encouraging.

Back in 2002, when Del Rio was hired as the DC for the Carolina Panthers, future All-Pro defensive end Julius Peppers was drafted by the team with the No. 2 overall pick. The defense excelled under Del Rio’s coaching, finishing the year in the top 5 for points allowed and yards per game. Peppers went on to be a nine-time Pro Bowler in Carolina.

Fast forward 10 years to when Del Rio was hired as the DC for the Denver Broncos in 2012, and you’ll find more success with a dynamic pass-rusher  — this time Von Miller, who was drafted with the No. 2 pick in 2011. Once again, the Broncos finished the year in the top 5 for both points allowed and yards per game. Miller is still playing in Denver, where he’s been named a Super Bowl MVP and an eight-time Pro-Bowler.

Fast forward to this year, where Del Rio has been named the DC for the Redskins. This is where the coincidence really comes in. The Redskins have the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, where they are expected to take…you guessed it, a generational pass-rusher in Chase Young. Does that mean that Washington’s defense will finish in the top 5 in points allowed and yards per game? Well, according to the trends…

Of course, it’s too early to dub Chase Young a future Super Bowl MVP, or a multi-time Pro-Bowler, but this trend of success under Del Rio at least has to be noted. The future is bright for the Redskins, and based on years past, history could repeat itself for Del Rio in Washington.

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