Fisher's Coaching Cabinet: Part I

Gregg Williams: Not As Advertised


Anthony Bafaro

Someone come up with a caption for this photo;
I think it deserves one.

Williams got around after he and Fisher split: three years as the Bills head coach, four years as the ‘Skins defensive-coordinator, one year with the Jags defense, and the last three with the Saints.  He’s coached elite defenses about as often as he’s coached pathetic defenses, but most years he’s just good, plain, and solid.  I like the hire, but I’m a bit confused by the hype—two false advertisements in particular.

Gregg Williams’ defenses are known for creating turnovers, but that is simply not true.  It was true of his 2009 Saints team, which ranked 3^rd in the NFL in interceptions and 5^th in fumble recoveries, but he followed with two years of major decline.  In 2010, while the Saints were still top-five in fumble recoveries, they were dead last in interceptions.  After the 2011 season, they ranked 28^th in interceptions and 26^th in fumble recoveries.  Over Williams’ twelve-year career as a defensive coordinator, he averaged league rankings of 16^th in fumble recoveries and 20^th in interceptions.  Take away the 2009 season, and the image of Tracy Porter pick-sixing to a championship, and you see a coach that’s struggled to create turnovers throughout his career.

His defenses are also known for getting after the quarterback; again, false, though not hopeless.  The Saints ranked 13^th in 2009, 18^th in 2010 and 19^th in 2011 in sacks.  Again the production declined over the course of Williams tenure.  Over his career as a defensive coordinator, Williams’ average league ranking was 17^th.  There is hope, however, associated with his reunification with Jeff Fisher.  Williams’ two best years, in terms of sacks, were the last two years he spent with Fisher in Tennessee.  In 1999, his defense ranked 3^rd in the league in sacks, and in 2000, they ranked 2^nd.  Perhaps, as in many cases, these rankings are simply associated with the quality of the pass-rushing personnel—a lonely strength of the Rams’ defense.  Perhaps it’s because Jeff Fisher puts more of an emphasis on pass-rushing than Sean Payton, Jack Del Rio, or Joe Gibbs did.  Either way, Williams is in a pretty good position to bolster his pretend legacy as a master pass-rush architect.

What Williams does do well, consistently, is probably the most important part of being a defensive coordinator: he stops the other team from scoring points.  His defenses were in the top half of the league for fewest points allowed in nine of his twelve seasons as a defensive coordinator.  They ranked in the top ten four times and in the top five twice.  The last two one-and-done playoff efforts are a little scary, having allowed 36 points to a 49ers team that averaged 19 and 41 points to a Seahawks team that averaged 24, but two bad games don’t erase 12 years of quality point prevention.

Fans will probably be disappointed by the number of turnovers the Rams defense will notch next year (fans who love interceptions should stock-up on their mood modifiers of choice now), but with Long and Quinn on the edges, and Fisher at the helm, they may fall ass-backwards into what’s been advertised on the pass-rush front.  What is exciting is that Rams have a more talented defensive core than the Saints did.  What is true is that Williams has done some of his best work under Fisher.  What should be hyped is the fact that the defense will tighten up and keep their team in the game.  I want picks, forced fumbles, and sacks, but what I need are wins.  Give me wins Gregg Williams, and I'll forgive you for the bait and switch.