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Defense Tweaked with Haynesworth 'No Space Eater'

In the Redskins' recent schemes (under defensive coordinator Greg Blache and his predecessor, Gregg Williams), defensive tackles for the most part have been supposed to occupy blockers in an effort to help linebackers make big plays. Having linemen fill the role of "space eaters" helped Washington to four top-10 finishes defensively in the last five seasons.

Blache, however, is expected to change his approach with the defensive line because "I'm no space eater," said Pro Bowl defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who signed with the team in February. "If I see the ball, I'm going to go after it. All that stuff about maintaining your gaps, I mean, yeah, I can do that, but I have to play the way I feel comfortable. I'm out there to make plays. That's always the way I've been, and that's what I'm coming here to do."

Haynesworth expressed optimism about his early conversations with Blache, and "I think he really wants me to be comfortable," Haynesworth said. "The things we did in Tennessee, that's really the way I like to play. Coach Blache is open to doing some different things, so you definitely feel good about that. But the stuff they've always done, there's still going to be a lot of that. I just know from talking to [some of Washington's other defensive linemen], they've told me they'd definitely like to go out there and make more plays."

By Jason Reid | May 1, 2009; 3:22 PM ET