Studs
LB Brian Orakpo. For a lot of the day he was just OK. Late in the second on a one-yard stop of Marshawn Lynch, Orakpo did a nice job shedding the tight end’s block and coming off for the tackle. But on the next play he was turned inside as Lynch raced past him for a seven-yard gain. But in the second half Orakpo did more damage. The Redskins moved him around a little more and when he rushed from the left side he drew a holding penalty from the tight end on a third down. Then, in the fourth quarter, he deflected a pass after a failed cut block on him. Midway through the fourth quarter he and Ryan Kerrigan, rushing from the left side, ran a stunt. Both players executed it well and both reached QB Tarvaris Jackson just as he threw the ball. Later in that series, Orakpo was mugged by LT Russell Okung, though no flag was thrown. On the nextp lay, he drove Okung back with a bull rush, exploding into his pads. You could see Okung get jerked up a bit. Kerrigan also collapsed the pocket as did Stephen Bowen. Orakpo and Bowen got the sack.
LB Perry Riley. It’s funny but when watching the game I thought Riley was making a lot of tackles. But it was when going over the game again and checking the notes that his day jumped out a little more. He finished with 14 tackles (one thing: tackles can sometimes be misleading and are not a sole indicator of a performance. But eight of his 14 tackles were for gains of three yards or less. That’s pretty good). Riley continues to play with speed and has been fun to watch. Have to give credit for how Washington brought him along. Once Rocky McIntosh’s play had clearly slipped, they inserted Riley. He was much more ready; you simply can’t play this game when your head is too clouded with responsibilities. It’s not just about learning from mistakes, it’s about having the best chance for success – individually and as a team. The defense didn’t need him early in the season and at that point the goal was to play the best players; McIntosh, at that time, was better. Now Riley clearly has surpassed him and he’s playing. I loved a play he made in the fourth quarter: on a first down, Jackson dumped off to Lynch in the left flat. Riley read the play and broke before the throw and drilled Lynch for a one-yard stop. A good, decisive read. When he reacts this way you really see his speed.
CB DeAngelo Hall. I know he gave up a touchdown pass and he can’t shoulder tackle along the sidelines. But Hall did a solid job all day of being in the right spot and coming up with big plays. Not sure I agree with a defensive player of the week honor, but … Surely it helped facing Jackson, who clearly struggled to put any zip on his passes. Of course, it’s tough to do when you insist on throwing off your back foot as he did a couple times. Hall was always around the ball and made a very nice play on a deep ball in the end zone. As we saw later in the game from Seattle CB Richard Browner, not every corner does a good job playing the ball in the air. Hall did. Jackson put no zip on a pass to Golden Tate that Hall intercepted. But Hall had played him perfectly anyway and almost looked like the intended target. Hall also disrupted a key third down stop late in the game with his jam of Tate (see below) that led to LaRon Landry’s sack. Hall did drop an interception; it seemed like he misread it a little bit and jumped for the overthrow; he grabbed the ball at his legs. Again: Jackson’s softball throws made this easy. But Hall was solid most of the day and made the game-clinching pick.
Duds
NT Barry Cofield. I debated at first not putting him on this list because there were a couple plays he made in which he got around the center with a little swim move and forced a good stop by a linebacker or someone else. Riley had a good stop because of this. A couple times Cofield was also able to get back into the play after getting moved out. But overall, there were too many times when he was controlled by center Max Unger, who did a good job getting his hands just under Cofield’s pads. Cofield often gets hit by guards as the centers try to reach the linebackers. But this time Unger stayed with him and was able to control Cofield too often. On a couple times he was moved a few yards back. The good part, though, on some of these runs the linebackers stayed clean and made stops. But part of the reason Marshawn Lynch had such a good day is because Seattle was too often able to get a little push at the line. On a third and two in the fourth quarter, Unger steered Cofield and turned him to the left – then a guard came and helped finish the block, clearing a lane for a first down. He is clearly still seeing things for the first time at this position and sometimes the learning process is difficult.
NT Chris Neild. He, too, messed up in field goal protection leading to a block. Like Erik Cook did on the blocked extra point, Neild blocked down and created a gap between he and Will Montgomery, who was basically steamrolled by two Seahawks. Defensively, in his limited snaps Neild was not effective and was driven off the ball a bit too much. On three straight plays at the end of the third quarter this is what happened, helping the Seahawks gain a combine 23 yards on these plays. Have to say, Unger did a good job much of the day. On the first of the three, he simply got his hands into Neild faster and allowed him to gain control. Like Neild; not his best day.
Notes
…DE Stephen Bowen had an uneven day; spent too much time against the run getting moved aside in the ground game. But as the game wore on for every tough play he was able to make a good one – a pressure, a half-sack, getting inside the tackle on a zone run the opposite way for a stop (had he not done so it could have been a big gain as the others on that side were blocked). It wasn’t a great day; it wasn’t a horrible day either. And he played his best ball late. Bowen applied the pressure on the Hall interception.
…Also thought Landry had an uneven game. Liked the sack, but that was as much from an overload situation and a well-timed blitz call. Thought he grabbed the receiver on the deep ball late in the fourth before the pass arrived and got away with one (made up for the tough call on Josh Wilson, though). Didn’t like that Landry tried a shoulder tackle on Doug Baldwin that failed, leading to 11 more yards. But Landry did not play poorly; just not well enough for the Studs list. Landry is still fun to watch when he’s playing fast and physical.
…Clearly Seattle was a bit confused when the Redskins used their eight-man front. The Redskins drop out of that look more than they actually send everyone. And that’s what it seemed like Seattle was expecting on the last time Washington lined up this way. But this time the Redskins sent seven and Seattle countered not only with six blockers but with three receivers running longer routes.
One player, tight end – ran anything underneath and it took him 2.14 seconds to run his route and turn around. Tarvaris Jackson was sacked in 2.24 seconds. Everyone else ran at least five yards past the first down marker.
…The Redskins used the eight-man two other times in the fourth quarter.
1. Third and six, Seattle 24. Washington rushed all eight defenders, leaving three players in coverage. Seattle sent out three receivers and the tight end released, but Jackson was swarmed under in 2.1 seconds and never had a chance. What helped: Hall’s jam on receiver Golden Tate. Jackson first looked at him, but Hall jammed him and he wasn’t open. Tate never made it two yards beyond the line of scrimmage thanks to Hall and when he turned around, Landry already was in Jackson’s face and about to sack him.
Safety Kevin Barnes was the lone corner on the right side and the Seahawks ran two players his way. But Jackson never looked over there. His first read was Tate.
2. Third and 11, Seattle 39. The Redskins rushed six and the Seahawks countered with six blockers. Orakpo drove the right tackle back and applied pressure, but Jackson had enough time to throw deep downfield to Doug Baldwin. There was no flag for pass interference; but there was much more interference on this play than on the one in which Josh Wilson was penalized.
… Talked about Roy Helu’s ability to get extra yards after contact in the offensive Studs and Duds. Well, Marshawn Lynch did an excellent job of that himself. Of his 24 runs, he gained yards after contact on 22 of them. Of his 111 yards, 53 came after first contact. And none of his carries lost yards, partly because the line did a good job of driving the d-line off the ball. There were times they would recover quickly, but it was after a yard or two.
…Seattle caught Washington in a numbers game on the 20-yard screen pass for a touchdown to Lynch. The Redskins had only four defenders lined up in the middle or to the defense’s left at the snap. The Seahawks helped clear it out when they sent FB Michael Robinson out the other way, taking Riley with him. The tight end blocked London Fletcher; the guard rolled Landry. Reed Doughty, who was aligned on the right side, raced over to the left but played Lynch to cut outside. He cut inside for an easy score.
To subscribe to my Friday email report, click here.
To submit a question for Redskins mailbag, click here.
