Redskins’ defense played season-high 80 snaps in loss to Atlanta

ASHBURN — There is not much that can make Washington Redskins outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan come off the field.

The fifth-year starter has been counted on as one of the team’s most reliable defenders, playing approximately 95 percent of the defensive snaps since he has joined the Redskins.

In Sunday’s 25-19 overtime loss to Atlanta, even Kerrigan was gassed by the end of regulation. The Redskins’ defense, which allowed a season-high 176 rushing yards, was on the field for a whopping 80 snaps, 13 more than they have played in any game this season. 

Kerrigan played 69 snaps and came off the field during the last three plays of the Falcons’ final drive of the fourth quarter. Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan finished the game 24-for-42, but he picked apart the Redskins’ dragging defense and completed six of eight passes in the final two minutes to set up Devonta Freeman’s six-yard touchdown run. 

With a shorthanded secondary, most of the Redskins’ defensive backs played all 80 snaps, such as free safety Dashon Goldson and cornerbacks Bashaud Breeland and Will Blackmon. Strong safety Trenton Robinson, who came in and out of the game because of cramps, played 75 of the 80 snaps.

Inside linebacker Keenan Robinson also played all 80 snaps. 

The Falcons’ final fourth-quarter drive lasted 10 plays. Two of the three before that lasted 11 plays.

“No, you don’t feel gassed,” defensive end Chris Baker said on Sunday. “That’s a point that you live for as a defensive lineman, as a defensive player. [You want] to make that big stop at the end of the game, but today, we just weren’t fortunate enough to make that big play. We’ve just got to give Atlanta the credit. They made the big plays when it counted and they got the win.”

Here are some other observations from Sunday’s snap counts:

** On offense, Alfred Morris played just 14 snaps, the least of the Redskins’ three running backs. In the fourth quarter, Washington only ran the ball four times and went with Matt Jones every time. Jones played 20 snaps and Chris Thompson played 26. Coach Jay Gruden said that the team will continue to alternate running backs, but when the rushing attack is ineffective like it was on Sunday, it impacts Morris’ playing time.

The Redskins rushed for 51 yards on 24 carries against Atlanta.

“We had two yards a carry,” Gruden said on Monday. “We had some specialty runs designed for Chris Thompson, some outside runs, some tosses and some misdirection runs trying to get to the outside with speed. We had Jones in there a little bit. We’re going to alternate those guys, but like I said before, when our running game’s going, [Morris is] going to get his carries. When it’s not going, nobody’s going to get enough carries. That’s just the way it was.”

** Inside linebacker Perry Riley returned to the field after missing the previous two games with a calf strain and was eased back into action against the Falcons. He played 60 of the 80 defensive snaps. Will Compton, who started in Riley’s absence, played the other 20.

** Without Jordan Reed in the lineup because of a concussion, tight end Derek Carrier played 95 percent of the offensive snaps. In the first four games, Carrier played 51.6 of the offensive snaps primarily as a run-blocking tight end. The Redskins were forced to rely on him against Atlanta and he caught two of his three targets for 27 yards, including his first career touchdown reception.

“It was pretty cool,” Carrier said Sunday. “I’m someone that usually waits for things to settle down before I reflect on it, but it was a special moment.”

Here are the full snap counts with the total number played in parentheses.

Offense: LT Trent Williams (61/61), LG Spencer Long (61/61), RT Morgan Moses (61/61), C Kory Lichtensteiger (61/61), QB Kirk Cousins (61/61), RG Brandon Scherff (60/61), TE Derek Carrier (58/61), WR Ryan Grant (49/61), WR Jamison Crowder (49/61), WR Pierre Garcon (47/61), RB Chris Thompson (26/61), RB Matt Jones (20/61), RB Alfred Morris (14/61), WR Rashad Ross (11/61), TE Anthony McCoy (11/61), WR Andre Roberts (9/61), T Tom Compton (7/61), FB Darrel Young (4/61), C Josh LeRibeus (1/61).

Defense: FS Dashon Goldson (80/80), ILB Keenan Robinson (80/80), CB Bashaud Breeland (80/80), CB Will Blackmon (80/80), SS Trenton Robinson (75/80), OLB Ryan Kerrigan (69/80), ILB Perry Riley (60/80), OLB Trent Murphy (58/80), FS Kyshoen Jarrett (54/80), DE Jason Hatcher (48/80), DE Chris Baker (44/80), NT Terrance Knighton (39/80), OLB Preston Smith (31/80), DE Stephen Paea (27/80), ILB Will Compton (20/80), DE Ricky Jean Francois (20/80), DE Kedric Golston (8/80), SS Jeron Johnson (4/80), OLB Jackson Jeffcoat (3/80).

Special teams: Compton (17/24), Deshazor Everett (15/24), Smith (15/24), Johnson (15/24), Young (15/24), Mason Foster (14/24), Golston (10/24), Jeffcoat (10/24), Quinton Dunbar (9/24), Murphy (9/24), Nick Sundberg (8/24), Tress Way (8/24), Dustin Hopkins (8/24), Goldson (7/24), T. Robinson (7/24), Ross (6/24), Grant (6/24), Breeland (6/24), Jarrett (6/24), Jones (5/24), Hatcher (5/24), K. Robinson (5/24), Paea (5/24), Jean Francois (5/24), Knighton (4/24), Blackmon (4/24), Kerrigan (4/24), Williams (4/24), Moses (4/24), Long (4/24), Scherff (4/24), Carrier (4/24), T. Compton (4/24), LeRibeus (4/24), Thompson (3/24), Crowder (1/24), A. McCoy (1/24).