Category: Around the NFC East

PFF has ranked Washington’s 2021 NFL draft class

Where did PFF rank Washington’s 2021 NFL draft class after one season?

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Pro Football Focus ranked all 32 NFL teams 2021 NFL draft class and where players were taken is part of their formula determining how successful a draft class performed.

For instance, Chase Young was drafted in round one, Antonio Gibson in round three and Kam Curl in round seven of the 2020 Washington draft. Their value would be determined upon what they’ve produced and according to where drafted.

According to PFF, Washington’s 2021 NFL Draft class came in at 22nd behind a good year from tackle Sam Cosmi (round two). But LB Jamin Davis (round one), CB Benjamin St Juste (round three) and WR Dyami Brown (round three) left much to be desired last season.

TE John Bates (round four) came on strong later in the season, while S Darrick Forrest (round five) was mostly injured. LS Cameron Cheesman (round six) snapped consistently, while round seven choices William Bradley-King, Shaka Toney and Dax Milne flashed some potential in their limited action.

The Patriots, Texans and Chiefs graded out as the top three 2021 draft classes, while the Jaguars, Buccaneers and Vikings were ranked the bottom three classes.

Philadelphia was ranked the top team in the NFC East at 9th behind some good play from WR Devonta Smith, guard Landon Dickerson and defensive lineman Milton Williams.

Dallas got great play from Micah Parsons (round one) ranking 12th.

Washington was next at 22nd, and the NY Giants 26th who no doubt would have been higher had WR Kadarius Toney been able to stay on the field longer this season.

We here at Washington Wire recently graded Washington’s class:

Grading each of Washington’s 2021 NFL draft selections

 

Washington fans enjoy Eagles and Cowboys losing

The Eagles and Cowboys lost Sunday, giving Washington something small to cheer for after a disappointing 2021 season.

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Sunday was sort of a gift for Washington fans.

Although Washington lost four of their final five regular-season games, failing to qualify for the NFC playoffs, Washington fans enjoyed Sunday’s first two Wild-Card games when the Eagles fell to the Bucs 31-15 and then the Cowboys came up short in Dallas (23-17) to the 49ers in a thriller.

In Tampa, the Eagles were simply outplayed from the opening whistle. Tom Brady led the Bucs on two long early touchdown drives to lead 17-0 at the half.

Two third-quarter Eagles turnovers then resulted in Brady’s two-yard touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski and one of 36 yards to Mike Evans, and it was 31-0 Bucs.

Meanwhile, in Dallas, the 49ers leading 23-10, Jimmy Garoppolo threw a terrible interception to the Cowboys’ Anthony Brown. Five plays and 28 yards later, Dak Prescott scored from five yards and Dallas who had trailed 23-7, now only trailed 23-17 with 8:02 remaining.

After forcing a San Francisco punt, Dallas drove 56 yards in five plays; however, the final play Prescott had decided to run up the middle for 17 yards to the 49er 24-yard line.

Chaos ensued; the Dallas offensive line hurried to the apparent new line of scrimmage, and got set. But the official whose duty it is to mark the ball for the next play, had difficulty as the Cowboys’ lineman unknowingly did not make room for him to enter to establish the spot for the next play.

The Cowboys consequently, lost two or three seconds, and time expired, not permitting Prescott to stop the clock with an incomplete pass. Had he been permitted to dump the ball, it would have allowed the Cowboys to have one final pass attempt from 24 yards.

Yes, of course, for Washington fans the Eagles and Cowboys losing in the playoffs on the same afternoon was only a consolation prize, but a pretty good one at that.

 

Former Washington LB/DE Ryan Kerrigan has good game vs. Bucs in playoffs

Former Washington pass-rusher Ryan Kerrigan was a bright spot for the Eagles in their playoff loss to Tampa Bay.

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Former Washington outside linebacker and defensive end Ryan Kerrigan certainly made a major contribution Sunday in the Philadelphia Eagles 31-15 loss to the Tampa Bay Bucs.

Kerrigan drafted in round one by Washington in the 2011 NFL Draft (16th overall) played ten seasons with Washington, but after only starting one game in the 2020 season, was not re-signed and chose to sign with the Eagles.

Sunday against the Buccaneers, Kerrigan managed to achieve 1.5 sacks, three tackles, two of which were solo tackles. Kerrigan also was credited with two tackles for a loss and two additional QB hits.

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The former Purdue Boilermaker in his 10 seasons with Washington recorded 95.5 sacks, an additional 120 tackles for a loss and 149 QB hits.  Kerrigan also achieved the distinction of having intercepted three passes and returning each one for a touchdown.

Kerrigan signed a one-year deal with the Eagles in the 2021 off-season and strangely enough seeing limited action in 16 games this season recorded only two QB hits and no QB sacks. This was the only season Kerrigan did not record at least one QB sack.

When with Washington, Kerrigan played on playoff teams in 2012, 2015 and 2020. Sunday with Philadelphia, consequently marked the first time Kerrigan had participated in the playoffs in consecutive years.

Perhaps if Kerrigan retires this offseason, this playoff game Sunday will be a good way for him to conclude his otherwise productive career as a pass rusher.

Washington’s all-time leader in sacks, Kerrigan is a lock to make the team’s Ring of Fame.

Washington terminated another coach Sunday

Three seasons in a row, losing to Washington led to a coach’s firing.

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The Washington Football Team has made it three in a row, three seasons in a row.

When Washington defeated the NY Giants 22-7 in their 2021 season finale, the Giants Tuesday, fired head coach Joe Judge.

You are probably thinking, “Big deal, he deserved to be fired. The guy was a bull in a china closet and didn’t produce a winner.”

Oh, I concur, but what is interesting is at the conclusion of the 2020 season, Washington traveled to Philadelphia, won the season finale 20-14, clinching the NFC East and Eagles head coach Doug Pederson was fired.

All Pederson had done in Philadelphia was win the division in 2019, earn a wild-card berth in 2018 (while additionally winning a playoff game), and march through the NFC in 2017, before defeating the Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII.

Even more, three seasons ago, Washington went to Carolina in 2019 and defeated the Carolina Panthers 29-21. Although it was only week 13, only December 1, their coach was fired, not permitted to coach the final four games of the season. That coach was Ronald Eugene Rivera.

Three consecutive seasons, you lose to Washington, boom, you are gone. Doesn’t matter if you’ve been to the playoffs three consecutive seasons and won a Super Bowl (Pederson), or if you’ve been to a Super Bowl (Rivera), or just a loose cannon like Joe Judge.

So, in summary, three separate NFL owners in the last three seasons, have lost late to Washington and determined they must start all over with a new head coach.

What must other NFL owners think of the Washington franchise?