LB Perry Riley. It’ll be interesting to see how he fares the rest of the season. After his first start it’s worth wondering: What took so long? For starters, Rocky McIntosh had played better early this season than he did a year ago. There wasn’t any incentive to change. But McIntosh’s play had slipped so enter Riley. It’s hard not to like what he did. I’m sure the coaches will find mistakes, but he added energy to the defense and made four stops behind the line of scrimmage. Riley was decisive and tackled well. He did what the coaches always tell players to do: play with his eyes. It enabled him to read a screen early in the game, dropping Reggie Bush for a seven-yard loss. I also liked how, on the first series of the game, Riley filled his gap, used his shoulder to shed the tackle and help make the stop. The play design helped get him free on a blitz to force a hurried throw. More decisiveness: on a second and seven late in the second quarter, he kept his eyes on Bush, who took a pitch running to his left. A fullback was supposed to block Riley, but he took an outside path to Bush and helped string out the play. He received good support on the outside from corner Josh Wilson as well. I think you got the point; Riley played well.

CB Kevin Barnes. His interception was a result of pressure by Cofield, but he made the play nonetheless so he deserves credit. He was in the right spot, made a nice leaping catch and set the offense up at the 5-yard line. Barnes also made a good play on a screen to Davone Bess in the third quarter for a three-yard loss. Barnes got help from DeAngelo Hall, who forced Bess wide but it was a good tackle. Barnes did get beat by Bess on a third and 10 earlier in the quarter. But the interception was huge – or should have been.

Duds

CB DeAngelo Hall. After writing how consistent he’s been this year, Hall did not have his best game. Far from it. He was beaten on the first play of the game, the trick play pass from QB Matt Moore to Brandon Marshall. But Hall recovered to defend the underthrown ball. Too many big plays happened in his area, including the 26-yard third and 8 pass to Brandon Marshall on the first series in which he got turned around; a 28-yard pass to tight end Anthony Fasano; a 12-yard pass to Marshall in the fourth quarter (the Dolphins sent out two receivers on the play as they kept eight blockers in to deal with a five-man rush) – Hall was three to four yards off him. And on Reggie Bush’s clinching 18-yard touchdown, Hall, who has been better in run support this year, had what we’ll call a “lapse”. He could have been more aggressive taking on the blocker and pinching the hole. It would have enabled NT Chris Neild a chance to make the play; instead, he dove and missed because there was too much room.

SS LaRon Landry.  Perhaps he didn’t have that bad of a game. Maybe it’s that more is expected. Regardless, he’s been too quiet lately and there are times you wonder if he’s where he’s supposed to be. Players talk about Landry making aggressive mistakes so they have to play off him. But those instincts haven’t produced much lately. It could be that he’s still not all the way back from a long layoff last year and this summer. On a second and 14 run by Reggie Bush in the first quarter, Landry anticipated him staying inside. But the rule on Bush: he runs to space and a space was left wide open (the inside was covered). It enabled Bush to gain 12 yards; Landry made a good tackle downfield – and of course jawed with him. But 12 yards is 12 yards and it set up an easier third down that was converted. Later in the game, on a similar run, Landry did play him to cut to the same area and made the stop. On the other play to discuss, I am not sure if Landry should have been in this area or not (or, perhaps, Reed Doughty). I do know that he cheated to a side while playing the deep left half; there were three players aligned on this side including Marshall, who immediately started inside. Landry stayed wide as only tight end Anthony Fasono, covered by Riley, remained. Doughty drifted the other way; but without knowing their assignments on this play it’s tough to definitively say who was at fault. Did not like how Landry could not get off blocks from fullback Charles Clay on a few plays his way. But I will say: Clay is a heck of a blocker in space. Really, this is as much about Landry not getting home on blitzes anymore or having the same impact that everyone anticipated. It stems from high expectations.

Notes

 …A breakdown of the Redskins rushes: They sent a four-man line 20 times; a five-man rush 10 times and a six-man rush once.

Here’s the breakdown for QB Matt Moore:

Against a four-man rush: 13 for 18, 95 yards, two sacks/two fumbles.

Against a five-man rush: seven for nine, 99 yards.

Against a six-man rush: one for one, 15 yards.

One of Moore’s passes came on the reverse out of the Wildcat formation.

…This was probably one of the few games where linebacker Brian Orakpo wasn’t doubled often. Considering he was facing Jake Long, there wasn’t much need. Of Orakpo’s 14 rushes, he was doubled only two times. But there were two rushes where he came through the middle and another where he stunted to the middle and drew extra attention (freeing up Cofield on one). Orakpo had a rather quiet game, and I know there are comparisons to Kerrigan. But the quality of players they face has been dramatically different; Orakpo also faces more double teams (except for this game). Still, if you want to be a Pro Bowler every year, you win more of those battles.

…Orakpo’s best play might have been an open-field tackle of Davone Bess on a short route. Stopped a first down.

…Loved how Josh Wilson defended the fade to Marshall. That should be a mismatch considering Marshall has at least seven inches on him. But Wilson did a good job getting into Marshall’s body off the snap, without committing a penalty.

…Why is Miami trying to throw downfield on a third and 31? That decision, plus a throw under duress, could have cost them.

…The Redskins were a little more creative in their rushes. They sent both inside linebackers  five times. They had one rush in which Kerrigan was aligned in a four-point stance opposite the right guard, with Orakpo rushing from the middle. They stunted Orakpo to the middle on a rush in which both London Fletcher and Riley went through the A gaps. And there was another time in their nickel package in which Cofield and Stephen Bowen lined up as ends, with both Kerrigan and Orakpo aligned inside (both standing up). Kerrigan ran a stunt with Cofield; Orakpo ran one with Bowen and Fletcher rushed through the middle.

The one that might have been most effective had Kerrigan in the four-point stance inside, with Orakpo coming up the middle. Orakpo’s presence forced the center to come off Cofield, who then pushed inside the right guard en route to Moore. He affected Moore’s deep out, allowing Barnes to get the interception.

…Thirty of Reggie Bush’s 47 rushing yards came on two runs. His other 12 carries gained 17 yards.

…His touchdown run was set up by two other plays earlier in the game (it’s also a play he scored on the previous week vs. Kansas City). Guess you could also say the Dolphins tried to catch them overpursuing on this play based on what they’d seen on film.

It starts with Reggie Bush in the left slot with the Dolphins in shotgun formation. That’s how Miami opened the game, with Bush taking a handoff (albeit from running back Daniel Thomas in a Wildcat look), going to the right. But Bush handed back to Moore. Later in the game, Bush started in motion to his right, but at the snap abruptly turned back to the left for a swing pass (well-defended by Landry). In the fourth quarter he kept it around the end for a touchdown.

…It seemed like the Dolphins regularly attacked the middle of the field through the air. Well, they completed just seven passes in this area. However, those throws accounted for 123 of their 209 passing yards. And of their five pass plays of 20 yards or more, four came on throws to the middle of the field.

Third downs were the issue. Here’s a quick breakdown of the eight they converted:

1.       Third and 8 from the Redskins’ 43: Moore hits Marshall over the middle for 26 yards. Problem: Riley and Landry rush from the left side, but are both picked up giving Moore time. Hall gets turned around downfield in zone coverage allowing the grab.

2.       Third and 2 from the Redskins’ 9: Moore to Bush for four yards. Problem: Bush jukes inside Riley on the right side to get free over the middle. A stunt by Cofield takes a bit longer than desired, giving Moore time.

3.       Third and 7 from the Dolphins’ 18: Moore hits Bess for 13 yards. Problem: The Redskins rushed five, but Moore did a nice job sliding to his left in the pocket, avoiding inside pressure by Bowen. He hit Bess two yards short of the first down, but he cut inside Hall for an additional nine yards.

4.       Third and six from the Redskins’ 43: Moore hits Marshall for 15 yards on a screen to the right. Problem: The Redskins blitzed six defenders, but Moore released the ball in 1.01 seconds. Barnes was across from Marshall in the slot. He hesitated a bit as Marshall moved to his right after the snap. And Barnes’ angle prevented him from a legitimate shot at a tackle. Hall was blocked.

5.       Third and 10 from the Dolphins’ 31: Moore hits Bess for 23 yards. Problem: Barnes is beat in the slot by Bess. He can’t catch up as Bess cuts across the middle, adding 14 yards after the catch.

6.       Third and four from the Redskins’ 40: Same drive. Moore finds Marshall for 26 yards. Problem: The middle of the field is wide open. The Redskins rushed five (Fletcher was picked up by Thomas) but couldn’t get to Moore. Orakpo dropped deep middle, but Moore threw over his head. The safeties were both outside the hash marks so there was no one in the area. Landry cheated to the side where Riley was one-on-one with Anthony Fasano, who ran a deep out. Doughty cheated the other way where Josh Wilson was one-on-one with – Gates, who was not thrown to all game.

7.        Third and eight from the Dolphins’ 33: Moore hits Fasano for 11 yards. Problem: The Dolphins overloaded the Redskins’ zone on the left side of the field. Fasano sat down right at the first down marker, between Barnes – who had another defender running in his area – and Riley.

8.       Third and four from the Dolphins’ 45: Moore keeps around left end for nine yards. Problem: The Redskins anticipated a run; Moore fooled everyone. Doughty walked up late and sprinted in toward the running back going up the middle. Orakpo engaged the tight end. Moore had an easy path.

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