The speed is revealed in subtle ways. Here comes LaRon Landry, storming up from his strong safety spot, colliding with the lead blocker five yards deep in the backfield. Landry’s early arrival forces the ballcarrier to cut earlier than desired. And a swarm of Redskins await.
The speed is revealed in grand ways. Here comes Rocky McIntosh, in a goal-line situation, charging through the middle and crashing into the ballcarrier for a loss.
And the speed will be revealed all season. That is, if the preseason is any indication. It’s among the reasons why the Redskins anticipate grand improvement over last year’s 31st defensive ranking.
One play after another this summer have shown that speed. On a screen pass against Pittsburgh Saturday, McIntosh read the play quickly, raced over along with corner Shawn Springs, bounced off the block and made a tackle for a four-yard loss. The Steelers managed just 121 yards against the Redskins’ starters, who have allowed two field goals in four quarters this summer.
“We’re playing faster than last year,” Redskins defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin said.
“We have that mindset to play fast,” Redskins end Andre Carter said.
They also have the players to play that way as well. McIntosh is a speed upgrade over last year’s starter Warrick Holdman; London Fletcher is faster than Lemar Marshall in the middle and Landry is faster than the various safeties who started. Also, a healthy Springs and even healthier front four contribute to the added zip.
But it’s not just foot speed; it’s also reaction time. And in each case, the newcomers react quicker to the ball.
“It’s a combination of both,” Williams said. “Guys recognize and see things faster, so their anticipation makes them look faster. They’re more instinctive. And it’s just raw speed. We have some guys who can run better than guys who played last year.”
The Redskins can capitalize on that speed in various ways. They like using Landry, who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds, in the box. Because of his speed, he can drop or blitz — and the offense must guess what he’ll do. If the speed works as they hope, Washington can become a better blitzing team, too. And disguise more coverages. The speed also compensates for areas where they might be smaller, such as with the 252-pound Carter.
“Coaches are always talking about stopping the run and being able to do things with an attitude and toughness,” Williams said. “But the only way you have the chance to overwhelm an opponent is with speed. … Our team speed is better.”
