Dallas right tackle Alex Barron couldn’t handle Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo. Actually, he did try to handle him which is why the Redskins were able to win a game they appeared to have lost for a split second.
But the matchup of Orakpo vs. Barron proved to be a pivotal one for Washington, particularly on the final play of the game when Barron’s holding penalty wiped out the touchdown.
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“When I seen the yellow flag on the floor, I was the happiest man in the world at that moment,” Orakpo said.
Dallas’ Tony Romo threw for an apparent touchdown to Roy Williams on the final play of the game. But Barron was called for holding — again — on Orakpo as Romo scrambled out of heavy pressure.
“I’m like, ‘Oh my goodness,’ whew, this makes no sense to fight that hard and for those guys to drive down the field,” corner DeAngelo Hall said, “It was a little heart-wrenching but I did see the flag on the field. I didn’t know what it was for. I saw the referee make the holding signal and I sprinted off the field.”
“I saw it right away,” Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said of the hold. “We had a good rush inside and I always look at the pass rush first because we are playing the same coverage. We got somebody inside right away and we almost had a sack in there.”
It wasn’t a surprise that a penalty was called. Barron couldn’t handle Orakpo. He didn’t bend his knees enough and Orakpo excels at getting into linemen’s pads. Because Barron couldn’t get lower, Orakpo had a clear advantage. Which is why Washington aligned Orakpo on the left side occasionally.
“It’s very important [to come from different spots],” Orakpo said. “It keeps offenses on their toes. They don’t know where the blitzes are coming from or where I’m coming from. I could be on the line. I could drop at the same time. It’s keeping them elusive. It’s a very deceiving defense. It keeps offensive schemes on their toes.”
