The coach who rarely smiles knocked the starting middle linebacker, fretted about his backup, and voiced concern about another young guy.
This is what Redskins linebackers coach Dale Lindsey does. He’s as honest as an unemployed politician. And few are spared the verbal jabs.
Except Marcus Washington.
The Redskins’ strongside linebacker has made himself immune because he works hard, he improves each season and he’s good.
Plus, Washington has a habit of being in the right place.
Take Saturday’s scrimmage as an example. He intercepted a pass because he played the right spot in a zone. He set up safety Sean Taylor by taking on two blockers deep in the backfield on a sweep, funneling the ballcarrier right to Taylor.
“No one works harder, longer and will do exactly what you want,” Lindsey said. “He’s as good as you get.”
And easy on the vocal chords. Lindsey, who compares Washington’s work ethic to former linebackers he’s coached like Junior Seau and Brian Urlacher, said he never has to yell at Washington.
“No, you only have to correct him,” he said. “There’s nothing he’s ever done to make me irate for any reason.”
The upbeat Washington is the Redskins’ star pupil among linebackers. It’s why he’s continued to ascend, earning his first Pro Bowl berth two years ago and leaving many feeling he was snubbed last year. His role should expand this season, especially as a pass rusher.
For Washington, the success stems from preparation. He takes meticulous notes, using 3×5 flash cards to detail assignments, something he started doing last season. He’ll draw up formations on one side, write out the name of the play on the other.
“I’ll go over it when I’m not doing anything,” he said.
After bad practices, he’ll write down plays he, or the defense, flubbed and then write down what he, or the defense, should have done.
As a rookie in Indianapolis, he used to pester Colts linebacker Cornelius Bennett.
“I know he got tired of me,” Washington said. “But that’s the way you learn. … You want to be aggressive and you want to be physical. But you don’t want to be a bull in a china store, just tearing everything with no method to the madness. You have to have smarts.”
He has that and more.
“Marcus is a country tough, bring your lunch bucket to work every day guy,” Redskins assistant head coach/defense GreggWilliams said. “He is the epitome of what you want.”
