Panthers' Defense Belongs to Eric Washington Now (SI.com article)

[TheSpecialJuan]

CHARLOTTE — Eric Washington is well aware that the Panthers’ last two defensive coordinators went on to become one of 32 head coaches in the NFL. After six seasons of guiding the defense, Sean McDermott became the Bills head coach after the 2016 season. And after just one season as coordinator, Steve Wilks followed suit and took the job in Arizona where he now helms the Cardinals.

It’s easy to think Be the Panthers defensive coordinator, do a good job and you, too, will have one of the top 32 jobs in the league. But just because recent history is on his side, Washington, who was head coach Ron Rivera’s obvious choice for the coordinator job after seven years as the team’s defensive line coach, isn’t taking anything for granted.

[TheSpecialJuan]

https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/06/27/eric-washington-carolina-panthers-defensive-coordinator

[Khyber53]

We'll see how it goes. If he succeeds and moves  on the a HC gig next year, while it will be good for him, we will really begin struggling for continuity. 

I think any team lining up with Luke at middle linebacker is poised to have a good defense, just like lining up Brady at QB puts a certain assurance at offensive success. Success isn't dominance, though, and I hope Coach Washington can provide some new strategic wrinkles to get us back to a more dominant situation out there. I don't think the secondary is as weak as it looks on paper, but the real test will be how our LB corps performs in the first four games without TD. If they are strong across the board, then we should be golden for the season.

 

[Panthera onca]

I'm not sure what the cardinals saw in Wilkes. His scheme was awful and the defense became progressively worse as the season wore on. I have high hopes that Washington will help return the defense to a top 5 unit.

[rhyslloyd]

I would like to have seen what adjustments (if any) Wilkes would have made this season, and I would really have liked to see some type of search take place before naming the easiest, most comfortable choice for DC to succeed him.

[RumHam]

If Washington is able to adapt well and implement gameplans based on our lacking secondary, he will show how good he really is and people will come calling. we have a bottom 15 defense because we are giving up home run touchdowns, he might not have a job anyways.

[Snake]

1 hour ago, Panthera onca said:

I'm not sure what the cardinals saw in Wilkes. His scheme was awful and the defense became progressively worse as the season wore on. I have high hopes that Washington will help return the defense to a top 5 unit.

The Cardinals were looking for a minority candidate who was cheap. Wilks definitely fits the bill. It's not like the Cards were ever going to the playoffs anyway and Wilks will more than likely be a DB coach in 3 years. 

[Snake]

I honestly think Washington was the better candidate for DC last year. He wasn't trying to show off to other NFL teams to get a head coaching gig. Same happened with Chud and the Panthers suffered because of it. 

[JARROD]

In Wilks defense(no pun intended), he had terrible DB play to contend with, one of the worst in the league. That’s tough no matter who the DC is.

with that said, I’m much more excited to see what Washington can do with our much upgraded defense.

[mc52beast]

9 hours ago, Panthera onca said:

I'm not sure what the cardinals saw in Wilkes. His scheme was awful and the defense became progressively worse as the season wore on. I have high hopes that Washington will help return the defense to a top 5 unit.

If the defense is top 5 the Panthers will win the NFCS again, no doubt

[DaveThePanther2008]

13 hours ago, mc52beast said:

If the defense is top 5 the Panthers will win the NFCS again, no doubt

If the offense explodes as we hope it will.  Will win more than that.

[pantherclaw]

23 hours ago, Panthera onca said:

I'm not sure what the cardinals saw in Wilkes. His scheme was awful and the defense became progressively worse as the season wore on. I have high hopes that Washington will help return the defense to a top 5 unit.

Wilks is a good coach.  The defenses stats don't change what he is.

[DaveThePanther2008]

22 minutes ago, pantherclaw said:

Wilks is a good coach.  The defenses stats don't change what he is.

Sure he is... I just think he tried to do things with our defense that we weren't built for.  He has a pretty decent secondary in Arizona and could be exactly what they need.  He'll have to worry about the offense though because they got issues.

[pantherclaw]

1 hour ago, DaveThePanther2008 said:

Sure he is... I just think he tried to do things with our defense that we weren't built for.  He has a pretty decent secondary in Arizona and could be exactly what they need.  He'll have to worry about the offense though because they got issues.

Same issues that whomever would be there would have to worry about. 

Our secondary was definitely not good enough last year to hold up with all the blitzing, but once again, one year doesn't take away from the man's body of work.