Man I'm glad this is the last time I have to do this post this season. Was getting pretty tough to find 5 good plays worth doing while our defense was getting blown out again.
On this first play, the Redskins show the cover zero look. But they are actually only rushing 4. Brian Orakpo is rushing from the left side (right side of the Oline), the opposite side to where he usually lines up. Here he has his hand in the dirt and rushing from a 'wide 9' technique, which gives him a better angle on the right tackle to get to Michael Vick quicker. Also important to note, this is Vick's blind-side as he's a left-handed quarterback.
Orakpo uses his speed and the angle from the wide 9 position to get his foot level with the tackles outside foot. Whenever this happens, it takes a very good tackle to recover. Orakpo rips through the attempted block and sets his sights on Vick, who has no idea he's coming.
Orakpo wraps him up before Vick can escape the pocket for a nice early sack to make a statement for the rest of the game.
The next play comes from Darrion Scott.
Scott lines up as a 3-technique defensive tackle in our Nickel package.
Scott just clubs the Eagles center out of the way with hardly any troubles.
After Scott eases past the center, he wraps up the running back in the backfield for a 3 yard loss. Good and very unexpected play from a back up.
We move onto Orakpo's second sack, where he also caused a fumble.
Orakpo lines up in the middle of the field, the Oline doesn't get an indication which way he's going.
The Eagles blockers get confused with who needs to pick him up, resulting in 3 blockers bunching up on Orakpo.
The Eagles players end up getting in each others way, allowing Orakpo to run free.
Orakpo gets his arm on the ball as he wraps up Vick and knocks it loose. The Redskins recover with Perry Riley getting the recovery. I would just like to point out that Vick had initially a lot of time. This play happened because of this coverage:
Nobody is open for Vick. I was a little surprised he didn't try to scramble earlier, but I'm sure Orakpo won't be complaining.
Barry Cofield shows us why he's been such a valuable pick up yet again with this next play.
Cofield gets to line up in a familiar 3-technique, one he is used to from his days in a Giants 4-3 defense.
Eagles are trying to pull lineman outside to the left on this play, with the intention of running back Ronnie Brown running to the outside left. But Rob Jackson does a really nice job setting the edge and forcing Brown back inside. Cofield gets through a little bit of traffic.
Cofield wraps up Brown in the backfield for a 3 yard loss to bring up a 3rd and 13 for the Eagles. Lets hope Cofield does as he says this off-season and really get into the film room and learns everything he can about playing the nose. I think he will.
Our final play comes from safety Oshiomogho Atogwe. This is the kind of ball-hawking play we were hoping to see from Atogwe all year, but injuries took their toll with Atogwe and he never really got going. But this shows exactly why we signed him.
The pass is intended for tight end Brent Celek. Atogwe is the safety help over the top.
The pass from Vick is way off course. Atogwe does a brilliant job of locating the ball and being aggressive enough to go after it. Notice he's outside the left hash marks.
Atogwe does brilliantly to make up the ground and jump aggressively to go and get the ball, rather than wait for it to come to him. That is what ball-hawks do, they go up and get the ball rather than wait for it to come to them and give someone else the opportunity to go up and get it. Great interception by Atogwe (athough it was a little bit wierd that he tossed it to DeAngelo Hall on the return). Hopefully we'll see more of this kind of play from a fully fit Atogwe.