WATCH: Signs Of Life From Washington Football Team's Defense?
In 2020, Washington Football Team's defense stood out as one of the best in the league. With players like Chase Young and Montez Sweat coming into their own last season, the WFT defensive front was a force to be reckoned with not just in the NFC East, but in all the NFL.
It's the defense that was mostly responsible for the NFC East title last season while the offense and quarterback Taylor Heinicke were still finding their legs.
In 2021, the unit was projected to be elite, perhaps even the best in the NFL. But that defense hasn't appeared yet.
With Young and Sweat sidelined with injuries, it would be easy for this club to shut down and call it a lost season. But the Washington defense has done the opposite.
Washington's defense has played well enough over the last month to wonder if it's back to 2020 form.
In its last four games over the last five weeks, WFT is fourth in the league in yards allowed (286.8), first in rushing yards allowed (76.0), 10th in passing yards allowed (210.8), and 14th in points allowed (20.3).
In its last three games against Denver, Tampa Bay, and Carolina, Washington has held each opponent to under 300 total yards, and if you throw in the game before Denver, against the Green Bay Packers, the trend almost continues, as the Packers had only 304.
It's notable that what might be considered the toughest stretch of the schedule is complete, and with the remaining games, the defensive unit might only improve.
It all continues Monday night in front of a national audience as Washington plays a fading Seattle Seahawks team on Monday Night Football.