There have been 23 blocked field goals and extra points in the NFL this season. The Washington Redskins account for five of those.
It has been a problem all year — a blocked field goal attempt was the difference in Washington’s 18-16 loss to Dallas in Week 3 — and it reached a new low Sunday at Seattle. The Seahawks blocked a field goal and an extra point and tipped another successful field goal.
Breakdowns at right guard led to the two unsuccessful blocked kicks. It was a major point of emphasis in postgame meetings with special teams coach Danny Smith.
“We just saw what we were doing wrong and had a talk with Danny,” said Erik Cook, who was the right guard on the blocked extra-point try. “Danny let us know that it was all technique.”
The Seahawks’ blocking scheme was well-designed. They overloaded the right side of the Redskins’ protection with a defender directly over the right guard. Immediately after the snap, that defender slid to his right over the long snapper.
On the first blocked kick, right guard Chris Neild lunged forward to engage the defender who was no longer there. Neild fell on his face, creating a gap through which Seattle lineman Red Bryant and his teammates surged to block the kick.
Cook replaced Neild on the second block. Instead of lunging, he blocked down with the defender that slid to the long snapper. The result was the same — a huge gap Bryant and his teammates used to overpower right tackle Will Montgomery.
“It’s kind of hard when you’re in that situation when you know you’ve got, like, four guys about to attack you and you want to get low and stop the rush,” Cook said. “So when you’re sitting there and you’re expecting them to rush you and then all of a sudden he leaves … you should be disciplined enough to not chase that guy. Danny has worked with us on that.”
Moss rounding into form
Receiver Santana Moss had four catches for 29 yards Sunday in his return from a four-game absence because of a broken hand. He was content with the production but expects more from himself as he accumulates playing time.
“When it comes to wind and everything, that caught up on me, but when it comes to the game I feel like I really didn’t miss a beat,” he said. “One thing about this game is that you can miss one game and you’re not going to be as sharp as you were before. Missing four, I’m going to have to pay attention to detail a little more, make sure everything I do I do it the way I know how to do it and not try to rush it and not try to see things before they happen.”
Extra points
• Strong safety LaRon Landry (groin) missed practice for the second straight day. Coach Mike Shanahan would not say whether practicing Friday is a requirement for Landry playing Sunday.
“It sure would help,” he said.
• Fullback Darrel Young (concussion) and defensive end Stephen Bowen (left knee) sat out practice. The Redskins added wide receivers Jabar Gaffney (foot) and Terrence Austin (hamstring) to the injury report. They were limited in practice, as was linebacker London Fletcher (ankle). Shanahan said there’s a chance rookie receiver Niles Paul (toe) could play Sunday.
• Rich Campbell can be reached at rcampbell@washingtontimes.com.
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