Chase Young admitted he had to “get himself together.” Roughly 30 minutes had passed since the rookie defensive end committed the most costly mistake of his young career, and now, he was expected to address it.
In Washington’s 30-27 loss Sunday at Detroit, Young gave up a game-changing roughing-the-passer penalty with 12 seconds left when he hit Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford after the signal-caller had thrown the ball. The penalty moved the ball to the 50-yard line, Detroit hit a nine-yard completion and kicker Matt Prater sunk a 59-yard field goal as time expired.
After coming to terms with the mistake, Young said he has no choice but to move on.
“You can’t change it,” Young said.
Speaking to reporters, Young described the penalty as a “rookie mistake” while others came to his defense. Coach Ron Rivera took issue with the call and defensive lineman Jonathan Allen emphasized that Washington’s loss extended far beyond Young’s penalty as the two stuck up for Young after the game.
“He hit him too hard, I guess,” Rivera said. “They hit our guy (Alex Smith) and we didn’t get a penalty, so, it’s just a little inconsistent.” He later added: “The quarterbacks are treated extra special, so we have to be aware of that.”
“Not one person is to blame for this loss,” Allen said. “Not even close.”
Allen pointed to a variety of issues, all of which plagued Washington. He blasted Washington’s “terrible, [expletive]” first half in which the defense again started too slow. Two of the Lions’ first three possessions resulted in touchdowns, particularly on coverage busts.
On the first, cornerback Kendall Fuller bit too soon on a comeback route that allowed wide receiver Marvin Hall to break free for a 55-yard touchdown. Later, to make the game 14-3, slot cornerback Jimmy Moreland and Fuller weren’t on the same page as wideout Marvin Jones escaped for a 27-yard score.
Stafford, a former first overall pick who’s in his 12th season, is too good of a pro to not exploit a defense’s mistakes. Stafford finished with 276 yards on 24 of 33 passing for three touchdowns. He was sacked just once.
For the second straight week, Washington again struggled to stop the run. This time, Lions rookie D’Andre Swift — getting the start over former Washington castoff and current Lions back Adrian Peterson — rushed for 81 yards on 16 carries. Peterson, too, had 21 yards on four attempts.
Allen said he understands that there will be criticism that Young will face, but added the rookie is handling it well.
“We’re all frustrated,” Allen said. “When you’re 2-7, it’s a lot. It’s frustrating. But he’s an adult. He’s an NFL player and he handles himself accordingly.”
Rivera called it a teachable moment for the 21-year-old. He said he told Young that he had to be aware of the circumstances and understand the reputation of a quarterback. “Unfortunately, they’re going to treat these guys a little bit more carefully,” Rivera said. “It’s unfortunate. He’ll learn from it. It’s tough.”
Asked if he thought his hit deserved a flag, Young remained silent for several seconds before describing it as a close call.
“I was going hard,” Young said. “I respect the decision, but I was going to stop. Rookie mistake. You know it happens.”
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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