Studs and Duds (defense): Redskins-Eagles

DE Stephen Bowen. Thought he was better in some other games, but it’s not as if the line was getting blown off the ball, as you might think given the Eagles rushing yardage. Bowen did not apply a lot of pressure – though on the first play of the game he beat his man and was leaping in Michael Vick’s face as he threw — but he did make some nice stops. On the direct snap to LeSean McCoy in the first quarter, Bowen got off a block and forced McCoy to cut back into tacklers. In the second quarter, Bowen had back-to-back nice plays. On a first and goal from the 6, Bowen shoved the guard back three yards and then got off to help London Fletcher make a tackle for no gain. Next play: Bowen was unblocked as the Eagles ran an inside handoff out of shotgun formation. They clearly hoped Bowen would just head upfield and McCoy would cut inside. But Bowen read the play and headed to the hole and made a nice stop for no gain. Two big plays in the red zone forced Philly to kick a field goal. On the Eagles last drive  of the game Bowen looked like he started to tire and was a bit too upright off the snap. But he was also held on one play (it wasn’t called).

S LaRon Landry. He gave the Redskins a chance for points with his pressure on Vince Young. I love watching Landry’s closing speed; it’s a lot like LaVar Arrington used to show. Landry has a sense for the ball and the kill. On one LeSean McCoy run in the second quarter, Landry rushed from his right while McCoy ran the other way. London Fletcher slowed McCoy forcing him to stutter step but Landry’s closing speed enabled him to tackle McCoy for a one-yard gain. He tackled better than anyone Sunday and this showed again on a McCoy 11-yard run in which Fletcher, Rocky McIntosh and Oshiomogho Atogwe all missed tackles. Landry made a perfect tackle on McCoy. He got a first down but if Landry misses, it’s a touchdown. Instead, the Eagles wound up settling for a field goal. The defense played pretty well in the second half so they deserved more guys on the Studs side; Landry’s consistency is why he’s here.

Duds

LB Brian Orakpo. He did make positive plays, batting down a pass, drawing a hold and setting the edge a couple times on runs. And the Eagles game plan took him out of the game. In the first half they doubled him quite a bit; of his 26 rushes for the game, 10 included some form of two blockers on him. In some cases he was locked one on one, but another blocker was ready to help to the side or behind. Eight of those 10 times occurred in the first half. In the second, Philly went to such quick throws that they didn’t need to double. So his quiet day can be explained. But our expectation level for Orakpo is rather high so quiet days don’t cut it for him. There were a couple times he was in position to make plays but didn’t. And his helmet to helmet hit saved Philly from a third and 16 from its own 16 on the first TD drive. That, as much as anything is why he’s on this list. It’s difficult to face Michael Vick because he can make you look bad. But Orakpo is a two-time Pro Bowler; gotta get home once, right? On Vick’s 25-yard run he beat the tight end inside. His angle at Vick wasn’t the greatest and Vick got outside, then turned upfield. Later on this drive, Orakpo was unblocked and ran right at Vick, who shook him. He did get sacked by Barry Cofield on the play, but Orakpo was unblocked; he should apply pressure. On the second play of the third quarter he had a chance to stop LeSean McCoy in the backfield for a 2-yard loss. Instead, McCoy cut outside of him for 5 yards. Again; tough guy to stop. But Orakpo needs to make some of those plays.

LB Ryan Kerrigan. The rookie spoiled us. It wasn’t all his fault as the Eagles did an excellent job of neutralizing the Redskins’ outside backers with their play designs. But Kerrigan was facing a backup right tackle, Winston Justice, and didn’t have an impact on the game, not like he’s had in other outings. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that he’s a rookie and will endure growing pains. He rushed 30 times (unofficially) and generated little pressure (again, quick throws etc). It appeared he was only doubled on two occasions. A couple times he set the edge fine. But Kerrigan’s rushes weren’t his best. His issue in the opener was coming too straight upfield and that appeared to be the case in this game too. For example, on one rush (the play before Oshiomogho Atogwe’s pick) he started about a half yard or so inside the left hash. By his third step, his inside foot was on the hash mark and he rounded off his path. It cost him any power as he really couldn’t use his hands to help. This happened on a few occasions. Wondered if that was by design to prevent Vick from going outside, but Kerrigan said it wasn’t. Kerrigan did tip a pass, but it came off an unblocked rush. He didn’t get a jam on TE Brent Celek  on a nine-yard completion. Kerrigan nearly made a big play, beating his man, but Vick slid a couple steps to his left and hit DeSean Jackson for a 23-yard gain. He bought himself a half-second with his legs and it made the difference.

CB Kevin Barnes. There weren’t many plays in which he struggled, but on the ones he was involved he did not make. On fourth and 2 from the Redskins’ 38, he came up just before the snap against Jason Avant. But Barnes failed to get a good jam in the slot, allowing him an easy release inside for an 18-yard grab on a TD drive. On the Eagles failed fourth-and-2 later, Barnes again failed to keep Avant from getting open. He tried to keep him outside, but Avant cut inside, turned Barnes around and was open. The only reason it was incomplete was because of a hurried, and high, pass by Vick.

LB Rocky McIntosh. When I watched the game live I thought Rocky struggled. After watching it again, he actually had some good plays and started better than I remembered. On the second play of Philly’s second drive, McIntosh got off a block and made a strong tackle of McCoy on a screen pass for a three-yard gain. But he also allowed too many and after a string of good games, he lands on this side of the ledger. He was juked a few times by McCoy (join the club). And on Brent Celek’s long catch, McIntosh was still looking back at the quarterback as Celek starts to grab the pass.

NOTES

…Didn’t think corner DeAngelo Hall played a great game, but he came through with an interception that should have resulted in at least a field goal. It’s what he does; give plays up and then make them.

…It’s funny that the defense had more Duds than the offense, but that’s a function of allowing some big plays in the first half and really one group – the linebackers – not doing what they had done in the first five games. But the defense did a terrific job of holding an explosive offense to 20 points, despite 422 yards. They didn’t allow any explosive touchdowns, which is a key vs. the Eagles. They’re going to get their yards, but the Redskins kept them out of the end zone in two red zone situations and in the second half.

…That said, the Eagles’ offensive game plan was very good; they provided a reshuffled line with help whether in the form of extra blockers or by sliding the pocket. It helps that they have two receivers who are fast and can get open against most defenders. And that they have a QB who can buy time with his feet. But the plan was sound and the Eagles were rather patient. They entered the game with one TD drive of 10 plays or longer; they had two such drives in the first half.

…Here’s the breakdown on LeSean McCoy’s runs: He carried 15 times for 69 yards vs. the Redskins’ nickel package; 10 times for 56 yards vs. their base (with 32 coming on 2 runs); twice for no yards vs. their cover zero look with eight defenders along the line; and once for one yard vs. the goal-line D, resulting in a touchdown.

…Here’s what McCoy does to a defense. On a three-yard run in the second quarter (inside the 10), Orakpo comes unblocked down the line. He makes a good stop for a 3-yard gain, but he couldn’t just explode at him. Instead, Orakpo has to sort of dance as he approaches, uncertain of McCoy’s steps. So he gets a clean tackle but not a clean shot.

…Yes, the Eagles altered their passing game in the second half. In the first two quarters, Philadelphia was much more aggressive going downfield, with five attempts traveling at least 20 yards in the air (and eight were in the air for at least 10 yards). Twelve of Vick’s 20 attempts in the first half traveled seven yards or less. The Eagles completed four pass plays of 18 yards or more (but none for longer than 26 yards, which is a big key).

However, in the second half of Vick’s 11 attempts, nine traveled seven yards or less in the air as the Eagles went to quick throws to help the protection and milk the clock. But the one pass they did throw long? A 59-yarder, almost all in the air, to Jeremy Maclin. They did throw one other pass that traveled longer than 10 yards – the Vince Young pass that DeAngelo Hall intercepted. But that came on a rollout and broken play.

…The play in which Orakpo hit Vick helmet to helmet appeared as if it was going to be a direct snap to LeSean McCoy.

…Wasn’t crazy about safety Oshiomogho Atogwe’s first half, but he was able to make two big plays in the second half – the interception and the sack. On the sack, he was under control so when Vick started to try and shake him, he could react. Atogwe had three missed tackles so it wasn’t his best day. He had one rush in which it was hard to tell what he was supposed to do. On a third and 9 late in the second quarter, Atogwe started up as if he was going to blitz. An alley had been created for him by the way others had rushed; but the tight end started going across the field so Atogwe changed directions to go with him (London Fletcher was about five yards off, but appeared to be covering him). Then Atogwe changed his mind and went back to rush. Still don’t know if he was supposed to have just rushed on the play; it would have been a chance at a sack. However, Josh Wilson was called for a hold on the play anyway.

…Atogwe also was involved in two plays that weren’t his fault but showed how the ball “bounced” for Philly at times. And they provided examples of plays that weren’t made that impacted the game. The first was the catch by tight end Brent Celek in which the ball tipped off his hands and then he had to juggle it on the way down. Those plays often result in a pick; not this time. Atogwe arrived just after Celek secured the ball. Later, the Eagles wanted to hit Jeremy Maclin on a smoke route. That pass was tipped, too. But Atogwe was running right at Maclin and didn’t see the ball. Clearly he wasn’t expecting it to be tipped and his job was to make sure Maclin didn’t get any yards after the catch. Atogwe did his job. But the ball hung up after being tipped. Just an unfortunate break for the Redskins.

…On the play in which Michael Vick was hurt, I’m not buying the Eagles’ excuse that he only needed to remove dirt from his facemask. Yes, London Fletcher waved first to the Eagles sideline. But Fletcher was keeping Vick steady; think Vick needs that just to wipe off some dirt? There were three Eagles players around him and then DeSean Jackson enters and waves to the sideline as well. An Eagles linemen then helps keep Vick balanced. That was a bogus charge by Andy Reid. Love when coaches say things like that when it’s then easy to see if they were right. Oh, and there wasn’t that much grass/dirt on his facemask. Certainly not enough where he was bothered by it and I never saw him try to remove it until he started walking off. Just wasn’t a lot there. By the time Vick started walking off he appeared to be OK; but he clearly had his bell rung. Yes, I’m annoyed by Reid on this one.

 …Last thing: The Redskins ran a cover zero look on the failed fourth and 2 in the third quarter. Clearly the Eagles did not know what to expect. Despite what the announcers say, they don’t always rush eight – or even five – out of these looks. And Philly was not expecting it this time, either. The right guard had Fletcher over him, but paid him no attention off the snap, blocking down instead. But Fletcher sprinted through the hole and forced a hurried Vick pass that fell incomplete. Minus the pressure, it’s a huge gain because Avant was open.