Washington Football Team: Three takeaways from win vs. 11-0 Steelers
By Ian Cummings
No. 2 – The Washington Football Team defense has the potential to be elite
The hype will build after this game, and rightfully so; the Washington Football Team’s defense smothered Ben Roethlisberger and ultimately made the game-changing plays necessary to enable Washington to win. But Washington’s defense is not elite. Not yet. They do have elite potential, however.
There were coverage busts early on that will need correcting. Frequent mishaps on third down nullified strong plays on first and second down, and for a while, the Steelers’ ability to churn yards from the middle of the field played a hand in them building an early lead.
But Washington’s defense did what good defenses do: They got the stop when they needed it. Twice, Washington turned the Steelers away on fourth down — once on the one-yard line courtesy of a Chase Young pursuit, and once in the final quarter, to give the offense a chance to take the lead.
On the Steelers’ second-to-last offensive drive, Washington snuffed out their momentum before they could build it. A Montez Sweat pass deflection ended up in the hands of a diving Jon Bostic, and just like that, Pittsburgh’s last stand was over, stained with the unfamiliar hue of defeat.
The Washington Football Team’s defense still has to polish its coverage, and third-downs remain an issue. But the defensive front is already near-elite with its natural talent and impact, and the rest of the defense has a chance to follow suit in the coming weeks. Tonight, in spite of adversity, they made the plays that playoff defenses make.