Redskins Ingredients for Improvement: Action and reaction
By Ian Cummings
No. 3 – Generate more pressure on passing downs
The outstanding play in coverage by the Redskins secondary on Sunday overshadowed the fact that the defensive line wasn’t nearly as disruptive as it was expected to be against an average Cardinals offensive line.
Like all games, the Redskins’ front had its moments. In run defense, performance wasn’t a problem. Led by Daron Payne and Zach Brown, the Redskins bottled up opposing backs, limiting David Johnson to 37 yards on nine carries.
Against the pass, the defensive line was less impactful. They weren’t “bad”. Matt Ioannidis and Jonathan Allen, in particular, were productive. But Sam Bradford had a clean pocket to throw from more often than not, and although the secondary locked down his targets, it’s premature to expect them to do that every week. The Redskins only notched two sacks all day. They have to get more pressure. Quick passes will negate their effect, to an extent, but there is room for improvement, nonetheless.
Luckily for the Redskins, the Colts are experiencing some issues on their offensive line. Injuries have forced less-than-stellar players into starting roles, and although Quenton Nelson is a generational offensive guard, the unit as a whole should give the Redskins’ front seven an opportunity to be disruptive next week. Against Andrew Luck, they’ll need to cause a lot of trouble.