The Washington Defense Needs to be a Lot Better
Washington Football Team quarterback Dwayne Haskins is the lightning rod of fan discontent, but the defensive line is the true anchor of the team’s freefall.
Washington lost its third straight 31-17 on Sunday to the Baltimore Ravens that was never close. Indeed, the defensive line was never close to penetrating Baltimore’s backfield with just one sack and few big plays.
What happened to the unit with five first-rounders that was supposed to be one of the NFL’s top lines? Sure, end Chase Young didn’t play against the Ravens with a sore groin; one of those injuries that tends to linger. End Matt Ioannidis is also likely gone for the year with a torn bicep. ‘
But this unit has allowed 30 or more points in three straight games. That nonsense was supposed to stop after doing so eight times last year. New defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio was supposed to blitz opponents into the bronze age. Instead, it’s Washington’s line that has been stopped stone cold after seven sacks (the team had eight) in the opener.
Young has been as good as expected after taken with the No. 2 overall pick, but he’s still just one player. Fellow former first-rounders Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne have been decidedly average in their young careers. Teammates rave about Allen, but it doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. Payne rarely posts big numbers as tackles mostly clog the middle rather than tackle runners, though Payne did manage five against Baltimore. That’s because the Ravens weren’t afraid to challenge Washington up the middle as Baltimore ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns, including a dazzling run by quarterback Lamar Jackson. Meanwhile, end Ryan Kerrigan has done nothing since his two sacks in the opener.
Oh, Washington chased Jackson around some in the backfield, but rarely pressured him as the passer made plays on the edge. Young would have pressured Jackson his speed, but then Arizona’s Kyler Murray also danced past Washington.
This team was built around the defensive line and it’s not getting much of a return. The scoreboard tells the true story and being down early and often is not a dominating defense. Nor is permitting 30 or more points per game.
Maybe Haskins and Co. gets some of the blame by leaving the defense out on the field too long with their quick three-and-outs. But then, Washington actually held the ball a minute more than Baltimore on a cool afternoon so there’s no excuse for the defense tiring.
Is Washington owner Dan Snyder about to send Del Rio some vanilla ice cream like his predecessor Mike Nolan two decades ago? It seems no matter how often Washington changes defensive coordinators, it can’t generate a dominant unit. Given a line with this much talent, Snyder and fans can fairly wonder why it’s once again awful.
Rick Snider is an award-winning sports writer who has covered Washington sports since 1978. He first wrote about the Washington football team in 1983 before becoming a beat writer in 1993. Snider currently writes for several national and international publications and is a Washington tour guide. Follow Rick on Twitter at @Snide_Remarks
