Haynesworth discovers way to fit with Redskins
ASHBURN – The role didn’t appeal to Albert Haynesworth in January. He didn’t change his mind in August, and it’s still clear to him now: The 3-4 is not a good fit for him. But Haynesworth now also knows this: He can still be dominant.
Haynesworth said one reason he played his best game of the season — and arguably in his 16 games in Washington — is because the coaches made life simple for him. They wanted him to rush the passer — and not from the 3-4 front. Rather, they stuck him in fronts with responsibilities similar to what he had in a 4-3. Or they put him at end. Or he rushed from a stand-up position. He finished with a sack, two tackles for a loss and two quarterback hurries in a 17-14 win vs. Chicago.
Haynesworth said his current role allows him to dominate the way he wants.
“I don’t have to think as much,” he said. “We just kept working at the [nose], and I wasn’t coming along to be able to be the starter. I was like, ‘Hey, let me focus on the stuff that I know, and you’ll see a lot more production out of me.’ I’m not good enough to play the 3-4.”
The coaches still disagree with that last statement. Both coach Mike Shanahan and defensive coordinator Jim Haslett insist Haynesworth could play nose tackle in a 3-4 — if he was so desired. They point to his size, athleticism and toughness. As a 3-4 lineman, you move more laterally to occupy blockers. In the 4-3, the goal is to get upfield.
“Is it what he does best? Probably not,” Haslett said. “But it doesn’t mean he can’t do it. … [But] trying to get him to do the 3-4 stuff was trying to get a square peg into a round hole, and we tried to force the issues. Obviously it hasn’t worked out the way we liked.
“Good coaches in the league are smart enough to know that you try to get a guy to fit the system, but there’s no reason you can’t change the system to fit the guy. If you have a good player, get him on the field so you can use him.”
Which is what Haynesworth’s teammates have said for some time.
“This guy is still a very big, explosive player,” defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday said. “When he’s out there, teams have to account for him. … He was just behind the learning curve. You see that growth from being out there time and time again, and it’s paying off. He’s gonna grow in this scheme. Who knows? Maybe one day he will like it.”
That’s hard to see considering Haynesworth wants to play 35 to 40 snaps a game and be a starter again. In this defense, that won’t happen — though he’ll often play around 30 snaps.
“Right now I’m fine with it,” he said.
As for his future in Washington, Haynesworth said he has “no clue” what will happen.
“I’ll be playing somewhere,” he said. “[My goal] is just to keep playing and help teammates and make plays and I guess get noticed more so people can’t say I’m a bust.”
