Washington did what they were asked to do last week by blowing up a make-shift offensive line for the Eagles and be a constant thorn in QB Carson Wentz’s heel.
Heading into Week 2, though, its task is going to be much harder, as they are now being asked to contain QB Kyler Murray, which is something that few people have been able to do thus far. For Washington’s defense, all success starts with the defensive line, where they are talented enough to control the tempo of the game and keep opposing quarterback on their toes, at times forcing them into terrible decisions.
For average quarterbacks who tend to stay in the pocket, this is a massive problem. For Murray, this just allows him to do what he does best — escape pressure and make plays with his feet.
Coach Rivera: Kyler Murray, keep him in the pocket, contained, hemmed up, cannot allow him to get outside of the pocket. Tremendous young man with a terrific skill set. If we don't contain him, we lose. #WashingtonFootball
— Julie Donaldson (@juliedonaldson_) September 16, 2020
Ron Rivera says that the Cardinals were able to offset the 49ers defensive line by running well, quick passes and Murray making plays with his legs. How Washington offsets that goes into game planning so we'll have to see.
— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) September 16, 2020
We saw Murray orchestrate an incredible upset victory over the San Francisco 49ers last week thanks in large part to exactly what Rivera is anxious about; his ability to extend the play. If Washington can help mitigate that elusiveness factor, and find a way to keep Kyler bottled up, there’s a good chance they can slow down Kliff Kingsbury’s air-raid offense and win yet another game with their defense.
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It’s a big ask, but so was winning the season-opener against Philly. If the outcome is once again in the hands of the defense, it’s going to take some guts to bet against this unit.
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