ASHBURN — The Washington Redskins have been able to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks this season by sending minimal pressure, usually with just three or four pass rushers.
In the first two games against Miami and St. Louis, the Redskins defensive front was able to disrupt passing plays, but left more to be desired. They were getting to the quarterback, but not with the type of pressure that could force the turnovers the Redskins were hoping for. Then, against the New York Giants, the pass rush was just about nonexistent. Eli Manning completed 23 of 32 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns in a 32-21 win.
Entering last Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Redskins had just four sacks in three games prior. Their minus-5 turnover ratio was second-to-last in the NFL. Last Thursday, defensive coordinator Joe Barry stressed the need to hit the quarterback.
“Our whole D-line room would tell you, ’They’re greedy. We’re greedy. We want to sack the quarterback. We want to get after the quarterback,’” Barry said.
In Sunday’s 23-20 win against the Eagles, the Redskins defense delivered on that promise with five sacks and put plenty of pressure on quarterback Sam Bradford. They did not do anything radical to fool the Eagles. On all five sacks, the Redskins sent four rushers, just like they have most of the season. They exposed the Eagles’ injured offensive line and keyed in on mismatches to clog the passing lanes.
The Redskins got two sacks from defensive end Chris Baker, one from outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, one from rookie outside linebacker Preston Smith and another from second-year outside linebacker Trent Murphy.
“I was pleased, no question,” coach Jay Gruden said on Monday. “It was an impressive performance by those guys. They have to keep working. They have to keep rushing and flying around to the football. There were some times where you were a little frustrated because it felt like [Sam] Bradford had all day and he diced us a couple times. But I like their effort, that’s number one, and for four quarters to be able to come like that – that hard, that often – I think was a great testament for their character and how hard they’re working.”
On the Eagles’ first drive of the game, Baker sacked Bradford on third-and-10. Murphy was the first to the quarterback, beating left tackle Jason Peters, who was listed as questionable with a quad injury before the game. When the ball was snapped, Eagles tight end Zach Ertz chipped Murphy before running his route. Murphy took a looping angle around the left edge and quickly got past Peters, confining Bradford to the middle of the pocket.
Baker pushed back right guard Matt Tobin and easily got to Bradford for the sack. Tobin was starting in place of Andrew Gardner, who was placed on injured reserve after sustaining a Lisfranc sprain in his right foot in Week 3.
In the second quarter, with Peters injured, the Eagles had to put Tobin at left tackle, backup right tackle Dennis Kelly at right guard and Lane Johnson remained at right tackle. Baker and Kerrigan ran a twist, with Kerrigan coming inside on Kelly. Kerrigan ate up both blockers as Johnson went to help, leaving Baker with a free run at Bradford for his second sack of the game.
Just before halftime, the Redskins again took advantage of the Kelly-Johnson combination on the right side. Veteran defensive end Jason Hatcher beat the 25-year-old Kelly, Johnson came to help and Smith came around the open right side. As Bradford scrambled, he slipped on the wet turf and Smith dove on him as he tried to get up.
The Redskins’ final two sacks came on Philadelphia’s final drive. After a 15-play, 90-yard scoring drive ended with Kirk Cousins’ game-winning pass to Pierre Garcon, the Eagles had just 26 seconds to get in field goal range.
The Redskins switched up their look, swapping Kerrigan and Murphy to opposite sides. On the second play, Murphy cleanly beat Johnson around the edge and got to Bradford for a seven-yard loss. The next play, Kerrigan, rushing from the right end and beat Tobin at left tackle to sack Bradford for a six-yard loss. Murphy got there, too, but it was Kerrigan who reached out and yanked the quarterback down by his jersey.
“I think they’re both effective on both sides,” Gruden said of switching Kerrigan and Murphy. “They responded with some big plays. You know, Kerrigan had a couple sack opportunities that he missed…but those guys are very versatile where they line up. You saw Kerrigan rushing A-gap one time and Murphy can go up inside and they’re very effective.”
After the sack, Kerrigan got up and delivered his trademark Shawn Michaels celebration, a fitting ending after the Redskins’ entire pass rush flexed its muscles on the Eagles’ offensive line.
• Anthony Gulizia can be reached at agulizia@washingtontimes.com.
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