Studs
LB London Fletcher. Anytime a guy has 17 tackles, including nine solo, he deserves special mention. He’s had better games, but this is the equivalent of a back rushing for, say, 100 yards on 25 carries. A solid day. And that’s what Fletcher had Sunday (though he did have one holding penalty). Maybe his best tackle was a stop at the goal-line on the first drive of the game, in which he filled the hole and stuffed Shonn Greene. He also had one play in which he dove under the lead blocker and tackled Greene for a short gain. Vintage Fletcher. For the game, 10 of his 12 stops in the run game were for four yards or less and seven were for three yards or less (one was on a Mark Sanchez scramble).
NT Barry Cofield. This is why you really need to watch the game a couple times, just to be able to focus on what guys are doing and being asked to do. When Fletcher has 17 tackles, with a solid number near the line, there’s a reason: he’s running free. And that’s because of the guys up front. Nobody had a tougher task than Cofield, not only facing elite center Nick Mangold but also in getting double teamed quite a bit. Yet he always found a way to get back into the play. For example, on a zero-yard run by Shonn Greene in the second half, Cofield was doubled by Mangold and the guard. He was moved back maybe a yard, but because his base is low his leg drive remained strong. And Cofield actually ends up behind the line and to his left where the run was going. He clogged the lane. But because the guard had to stay on him Perry Riley ran clean to the ball. Mangold did not get the best of Cofield. He only finished with one assist, but he did have two passes batted down. Next year, with more ability to take a breather thanks to Jarvis Jenkins, he should be able to play fresher and maybe have more impact in the passing game.
Duds
CB Josh Wilson. Oh, the life of a corner. One play is the one that everyone remembers. But when it costs you a touchdown it is sort of a crucial one. That’s Wilson’s fate. He did a nice job for most of the game, even jarring one ball free from Santonio Holmes with a hit along the side. But Wilson was responsible for allowing the 30-yard touchdown pass (his safety help, Oshiomogho Atogwe bit on the fake as much as Wilson did). It wasn’t even Holmes’ double move that fooled Wilson. Rather, Wilson was eyeing quarterback Mark Sanchez. And it was his pump fake that sold Wilson. However, his mistake was once Holmes went into his cut, Wilson needed to get his eyes on him. He failed in that regard and Wilson turned the slant into a go and then six points.
FS Oshiomogho Atogwe. Maybe it’s because he’s been in and out, but it’s hard to see the instincts that he had in the past for this position. It still seems at times that he’s either hesitant or just lacks the explosiveness to make the plays he either used to make or wants to make. Or he’ll sometimes just get beat because he’s just not as good anymore. Which is it? Others who know a heck of a lot more than I ever will can answer that one. But Atogwe hasn’t provided a terrific safety net over the top and that was true Sunday. He, too, bit hard on the pump fake by Sanchez, leaving no help over the top. It may not have mattered even if Atogwe hadn’t bit on the fake as there was a lot of ground to cover. And with his various leg issues, it’s difficult for him to plant and redirect with much explosion. Plus he’s just not as fast anymore. This isn’t the first time that’s been evident. On the 9-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter he had a chance for the tackle, but overran the hole. Fletcher took on the lead blocker and that left Atogwe free for a tackle. But he, too, ran at the lead blocker and Shonn Greene cut right past him. Atogwe made a nice stop or two, but more is, or was, expected.
Notes
…Thought a lot of guys were solid Sunday, with few making a lot of big-time plays or surrendering them. Reed Doughty did a good job (six tackles). DeAngelo Hall was solid, though he could have played one run better his way. The list goes on. Honestly, nobody just had a lousy game. Adam Carriker had his negative moments, especially on plays run his way. But he made a couple when they were run the other way. Ryan Kerrigan had his moments, too; he just didn’t do anything to stand out.
If Fletcher has 17 tackles, have to credit guys up front. But the Jets’ line did a decent job of not allowing penetration by the front three. On their first play of the game, for example, the Jets’ line moved them two yards back. However, it only resulted in a three-yard run because Brian Orakpo made the stop from the backside.
Remember, the Jets’ longest run until the last touchdown was just nine yards. That’s a terrific job by the defense. And they only had eight carries that gained more than four yards. So the run defense deserves a lot of credit. The Redskins had 10 plays of 12 yards or more; the Jets had only five such plays.
On the 25-yard run, the Redskins had 9 defenders in the box, so any run that broke free at the line was going to go the distance.
…Orakpo was only doubled once, but did a decent job on some of his rushes vs. D’Brickashaw Ferguson, particularly using a bull rush. But the one time he had a chance to make a big play he could not. Orakpo continues to move around more and for a second straight game the Redskins used one rush in which he and Ryan Kerrigan were on the left side with Rob Jackson on the right.
Orakpo was mostly fine vs. the run, though he did get buried on two plays by the tight end, including on Greene’s touchdown run in the first quarter. The tight end engaged and eventually twisted him to the ground.
…The Jets targeted the left side of the Redskins’ defense with success (at least on one play). They ran 16 times to the right, gaining 72 yards – with 25 coming on the touchdown run late in the game. They ran 11 times for 31 yards to the left.
…Want to know why, perhaps, Wilson did not anticipate the pass to Holmes? Sanchez was highly inaccurate throwing any pass that traveled at least 10 yards in the air. In the game, he threw nine passes that traveled at least 10 yards – and completed just two for 48 yards. But, of course, one of those was the 30-yarder to Holmes. Sanchez never tried to sell another pass with a hard pump fake (had one soft one to Burress).
…The Jets ran the wildcat seven times for 26 yards and a touchdown. They ran an option look out of it twice with Jeremy Kerley taking the snap. The first time, Brian Orakpo played it perfect, forcing Kerley to pitch it early. And Riley also read his key right and tackled Joe McKnight for a one-yard loss. The other time Kerley ran an option – this time to his left – he spun inside Fletcher for six yards.
… The defense did not play poorly at all. In fact, of the Jets’ 266 yards, 85 came on their final three series and 74 came on their first possession of the game. So on their other 10 series they gained a combined 107 yards.
…The one thing the D did not do is apply a lot of pressure on Sanchez. There were just five times they applied serious pressure, with two of those coming on a Kevin Barnes’ blitz (he hit him once just after he threw and the second time resulted in a scramble and completion for a first down on third and four in the fourth quarter). Sanchez also did a good job getting rid of the ball fast with 20 of his 32 passes being unloaded in 2.5 seconds or less. The Redskins sent four rushers on 20 passes and six rushers on only one.
…Talked to Wilson a couple weeks ago about playing big receivers in the red zone and how to defend them. When possible, he wants to take something away. When you line up straight over the top it’s difficult to do that because if you lean one way or the other you’re done. That’s why, against Miami, he could defend the fade. He motioned to Reed Doughty to help inside and Wilson took the fade away.
OK, that’s a setup for an eight-yard pass to Plaxico Burress to the 1-yard line on the Jets’ first drive. DeAngelo Hall played him straight up, which is fine. But he got beat to the inside and his help, Oshiomogho Atogwe, could not get there in time. He just doesn’t change directions well at this stage for whatever reason.
Atogwe also bit on a play-action big time on New York’s third possession, resulting in an open lane for another completion to Burress.
…Apparently, dropped interceptions come in bunches too. That’s now three the Redskins have dropped in the past two games (two by DeAngelo Hall).
…Kevin Barnes definitely lowered his head into Mark Sanchez, drawing a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. But Barnes said one official told him it was because he hit him after the whistle had blown (the official who blew the play dead also threw a flag on Barnes). However another official, on the other side of the field (who would not have heard the whistle) also threw a flag. And they announced it as a helmet-to-helmet hit. Sanchez did not lower his head; rather, he turned it at the last second to absorb the blow. Still, the explanation given to Barnes made it confusing.
To subscribe to my weekly email report, click here. This week: talked to a rival executive for his scouting report on some Redskins. Also: Santana Moss talks route-running.
