Opinion: Washington Football Team's dominant D-line deserves its own special name
A quick rundown on items of interest as Week 14 rolls on in the NFL…
Who’s hot: Washington’s defensive line. With focus groups, fan ideas and assorted marketing strategies in the mix, we knew it would be an extended wait before the Washington Football Team came up with a new franchise name after scrapping the racially insulting moniker that had existed for decades. Yet as Washington heads into Sunday's game against the 49ers, it seems like a fine time to coin a nickname for the talented defensive front that has made such a mark in recent weeks.
Washington (5-7) has emerged as a possibility to win the NFC East. First, the names: Chase Young. Montez Sweat. Jonathan Allen. Daron Payne. All first-rounders, with another former No. 1 pick, Ryan Kerrigan, getting significant snaps in the rotation. During the WFT’s three-game winning streak, the defense has been on a tear — especially as the games progressed. To hand the Steelers their first loss, Washington gave up a mere three points in the second half and deflected four Ben Roethlisberger passes, including the Jon Bostic pick that sealed the outcome.
Before that, the D gave up three points in the second half at Dallas and tallied four sacks, seven quarterback hits and got a crowning moment as Sweat returned his first career interception for a touchdown. Before that, the WTF gave up zero in the second half, while logging four sacks and 12 quarterback hits. They say that defense starts up front. Ron Rivera’s unit is living that claim, dominating with a young group that will only get better. In a league that has given us colorful tags such as "The Fearsome Foursome,” “The Purple People Eaters” and “The New York Sack Exchange,” something has to stick with this WFT crew. Just don’t call ‘em no-names.
Pressure’s on: Kyler Murray and Kliff Kingsbury. Taking a three-game losing streak to the Meadowlands, the Cardinals (6-6) illustrate just how quickly fortunes can turn in the NFL — especially for a team trying to take the leap and become a legitimate playoff contender. And if not for the “Hail Murray” throw to DeAndre Hopkins that stung Buffalo, the losing streak would be five games.
Remember, Arizona had the league’s No. 1 offense and scored 30 points in five consecutive games before the losing skid commenced. What’s happened? For one thing, the past three games Murray has lost his mojo as a runner. He’s running less (five times in each of the past three games) with much less impact. The 61 rushing yards by Murray during the last three losses are exactly the amount he had in Arizona’s last win.
It’s apparent that Murray is running less by design, perhaps due to lingering issues in a league where the schedule doesn’t wait for bodies to heal completely. Remember, when the losing streak started at Seattle, Murray suffered a sprained AC joint on his throwing wing. He insists the dots can’t be connected between the injury and the decreased rushes, but something has changed. And it hasn’t been for the better, which increases the heat on Kingsbury, the second-year coach, to come up with answers against a hot Giants team riding a four-game winning streak.
Key matchup: Derek Carr vs. Matt Eberflus. The Raiders won’t catch the type of break they got from the Jets last weekend, when boneheaded play-calling set up Carr’s 46-yard, miracle touchdown pass to Henry Ruggs III that allowed Las Vegas to escape and resulted in the firing of Jets D-coordinator Gregg Williams. Eberflus, the Colts D-coordinator pushing the buttons for one of the NFL’s best defenses, is no Williams. In fact, the Colts generate tremendous pressure on quarterbacks without the type of heavy blitzing that Williams employed.
That’s a reflection of Indy’s D-front anchored by DeForest Buckner, who could be more of a thorn in the side of Carr than any blitz. Carr could use some help from a running game motored by Josh Jacobs. But that might hinge on the condition of the ankle injury that Jacobs is nursing. In any event, Carr, arguably having his best season, won’t find the type of strategical gifts he was able to exploit in throwing for 381 yards against the Jets.
Next man up: Marcus Allen. No, the Hall of Famer isn’t coming out of retirement. But his namesake, a first-year pro from Penn State converted from safety, is in line for heavy duty at inside linebacker for the Steelers as Robert Spillane (knee) and Vince Williams (COVID-19) sit out the key clash at Buffalo on Sunday night.
Avery Williamson, obtained recently from the Jets, and second-year pro Ulysses Gilbert are also in the mix for snaps at inside linebacker, where the rash started with the torn ACL that ended Devin Bush’s season and prompted Spillane’s insertion. It’s also part of a larger picture that looks challenged against the task of slowing down a Bills offense that has put up 30 points in six games this season.
Rookie Alex Highsmith will make his second NFL start at outside linebacker as the replacement for Bud Dupree. And there are issues in the secondary, too, with versatile cornerback Cam Sutton due to start as savvy vet Joe Haden has been ruled out while trying to rebound from a concussion. With so many holes to fill, the Steelers' D is desperate for a few bodies to step up.
Rookie watch: Jalen Hurts. The conditions aren’t exactly ideal for the second-round pick from Oklahoma to make his first NFL start for the Eagles while supplanting Carson Wentz. The Saints have the NFL’s No. 1 defense and an NFL-longest nine-game winning streak. Yet that’s only half of the issue.
Hurts must also assume the position behind an injury-ravaged offensive line that contributed to Wentz’s slide. That puts just as much onus on Philadelphia coach Doug Pederson to craft a game plan that might better protect the rookie quarterback, whose calling card is wrapped in mobility. In other words, "Run, Jalen, Run.”
And if Hurts can provide the kind of jolt to Philly’s offense that may be generated, ironically, by Saints quarterback Taysom Hill, the noise to move on from Wentz will intensify. But the enormous salary cap baggage the Eagles saddled themselves with in signing Wentz to a four-year, $128 million extension that guaranteed more than $66 million at signing is the reality check that will linger. With or without a promising showing from Hurts.
Stomach for an upset: Texans at Bears. Will Chicago (5-7) ever win again this season? It’s a legitimate question when considering that only the Jets are carrying a losing streak longer than the Bears’ six-game skid. Six weeks ago, the Bears would have been an overwhelming favorite. But again: Stuff changes. Houston has played much better since Romeo Crennell replaced Bill O’Brien, while the Bears can't get out of their own way. Yet Chicago is still dangerous as a 1 1/2-point home underdog, if for no other reason than the near-misses at Soldier Field in recent weeks — including last week’s fourth-quarter meltdown against Detroit.
Of course, the Texans (4-8) know something about near-misses, considering the Deshaun Watson fumble that sealed the Week 12 loss against the Colts. Weather shouldn’t be a major issue, but with the forecast for temperatures in the 30s in the Windy City, it still won’t feel like home for a Dome team from the South.
If the playoffs were today … The Seahawks (8-4) would be the NFC’s top wild card, which is new territory for all-pro safety Jamal Adams as he gets set to face his lowly former team on Sunday. It is clearly a half-empty proposition when considering Pete Carroll’s team sprinted to a 5-0 start that provided an early lead for the No. 1 seed and lost its grasp of first in the NFC West after getting upset last weekend by the Giants.
Oh, and the Week 10 loss at the Rams (9-4) was another in the swing results that add up to three losses in the past five games. Seattle can still claim the division title by winning out, which would be avenging the loss to the Rams in a Week 16 rematch at Seattle. But first things first: The Jets (0-12) have been more competitive lately and nearly hung one on the Raiders last weekend.