Washington Football Team: Top 10 plays of the 2020 season

9. Chase Young’s scoop ‘n score, dominant defensive line vs. 49ers

Washington’s offensive was totally ineffective against San Francisco’s stout defense. Fortunately, backup QB Nick Mullens couldn’t do much against Washington’s formidable defense either.

Just before halftime, the score stood at 7-6. San Francisco had the lead, and had the ball at midfield. Chase Young and Montez Sweat switched sides on the play, with Young lining up on the left, and then looping all the way around to the right while Daron Payne, Jonathan Allen, and a blitzing Jon Bostic pressured from the middle.

As Mullens tried to escape to his right, Payne knocked the ball from his hands, and the supremely athletic Young completed his wide circle, swooping in from the right, snatching the ball off the ground, and sprinting to the end zone and to the lead.

Here’s the play in full, via the NFL’s Twitter account.

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1338255809575178241

Washington’s offense would continue to struggle, but another rookie defender, Kam Curl, would score his own touchdown on a pick-six to seal the game late.

Washington had done the unthinkable. They had gone on the road and beaten Dallas, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco in consecutive weeks. They were riding this young, talented defense right into the playoffs.

10. Taylor Heinicke’s mad dash to the pylon in the playoffs

Taylor Heinicke walked out of his virtual classroom and into Washington Football Team history when he took the field as the emergency starter against the G.O.A.T. Tom Brady and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the playoffs.

Heinicke showed what Scott Turner’s offense was supposed to look like with a quarterback who could make quick throws in rhythm and could make the occasional play off-script when necessary.

It was very necessary late in the 3rd quarter. Washington was trailing 18-10, but Heinicke had them in red zone. He had already scrambled 13 yards for a 1st down earlier in this drive. Now faced with a third-and-5 from Tampa’s 8-yard-line, Heinicke dropped back to throw.

Jason Pierre Paul collapsed Cornelius Lucas from Heinicke’s left. Chase Roullier was also giving ground in the middle. The pocket was disappearing.

Heinicke first tried to slide right, away from Pierre Paul, but there was nowhere to go. He then ducked under Pierre Paul and escaped to his left. Ndamukong Suh was trailing, but he was never going to catch Heinicke. The first-down was assured.

That wasn’t enough for the quarterback. He wanted the touchdown. He sprinted toward the pylon and, with linebackers Lavonte David and Kevin Minter about to clobber him, he dove, ball extended and sneaked across the plane, as pictured via the WFT’s Twitter account.

The ensuing two-point try would fail, and despite more heroism in the fourth quarter, Washington would come up short. But Heinicke had given a hint of what this offense might be.

And in the end, that what all of these plays did. This team is far from a finished product, and still makes plenty of mistakes. But they fight hard and they have reserves of talent that may not be apparent at first glance.

I know that you don’t really like to read conclusions very much either. So I’ll let those plays speak for themselves and say no more.