Offensive unit faces several challenges ASHBURN — The timing that didn’t always work in the opener clicked in Week 2. So right guard Chris Chester worked his double team with center Will Montgomery perfectly, holding it for the perfect amount of time before leaving to find a linebacker. And Tim ?Hightower squeezed through the hole for 20 yards.
It went like this for much of the game vs. Arizona. Once the entire line pushed Arizona’s front back two yards.
“The first week we played well, but one guy wouldn’t do it,” Redskins center Will Montgomery said. “This time there were a lot more plays where everyone was on their stuff.”
| Expert’s Take: Redskins-Cowboys |
| ESPN Monday Night Football analyst Ron Jaworski breaks down the matchup. For more, visit http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/redskins-confidential. |
| On the Redskins’ defensive front seven vs. Dallas’ offensive line: “It’s a huge advantage for the Redskins. The Cowboys are getting no movement on their offensive line. They’re just not a very good running team right now and they’ve go issues. This is an area where the Redskins can handle them. That front seven for Washington is very formidable.” |
| On what has impressed him about Washington: “The one thing that jumps out at me is they’re organized. They look like they’re much more organized in year two under Mike Shanahan and a lot of it is feel and a sixth sense. They have much more of an understanding of what each of their individual responsibilities are. “ |
They’ll need to be on their stuff once again. The strength of Dallas’ defense is its line and linebackers. Here are three challenges the line faces this week:
LB DeMarcus Ware
The Pro Bowl linebacker has nine sacks in 10 games against the Redskins. He’s now being moved around more, so he’ll probably rush as much vs. left tackle Trent Williams as right tackle Jammal Brown. Ware occasionally will rush from the middle.
“I haven’t seen anything that he has problems with,” Williams said.
Williams knows that Ware likes to set up his opponents and does so as well as anyone. He’ll charge upfield on three straight rushes only to start up then duck inside on the fourth.
“As long as you stay in the right body position and you don’t get off-balanced, you can be prepared,” Williams said.
NT Jay Ratliff
He’s not a traditional nose tackle at 6-foot-4, 287 pounds. The Redskins must make sure he doesn’t get much penetration to disrupt the stretch zone running game.
“Ratliff is one of the toughest guys to block in the league,” Montgomery said. “He’s almost like a defensive end playing nose guard. He’s so quick, his change of direction and long arms. Most nose guards are big burly one move kind of guys. He has a lot of counters and is very shifty.”
Montgomery’s task: Keep Ratliff even with the line of scrimmage on the stretch zone runs.
“I have to make sure I don’t lunge too much,” Montgomery said.
Rob Ryan’s unpredictability
The first-year defensive coordinator likes to keep offenses guessing. And guessing.
“He’s aggressive and he’s all over the place,” Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said.
In four preseason games and two regular-season games, Dallas has had almost every defensive lineman rush from a stand-up position.
Sometimes the Cowboys will line up four defenders to the right of the center along the line on third down, hoping to overwhelm one side, a move Montgomery called “unorthodoxed.”
“There’s a handful of crazy oddball looks,” Montgomery said.
“There can be trouble at times with identification,” Redskins line coach Chris Foerster said. “People come from different places and areas. Will has to set the table for everybody, but everyone has to adjust.”
