Washington Football at the top of the NFC East after Chase Young and the Defensive Line Dominates the Eagles

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Who would’ve thought that the Washington football team would be at the top of the NFC East at any point during the season? They are now after dominating the Eagles with 8 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 2 interceptions on Carson Wentz. Washington struggled in the 1st quarter but flipped the switch to take over the game in the second half. The Giants and Cowboys lost so that makes the Washington Football team the leader of the NFC East. Ron Rivera and Chase Young look like they can really turn this team into a competitive group that will surprise the rest of the league.

Chase Young

Chase Young had a stellar debut with 1.5 sacks and 1 forced fumble. Pro Football Focus rated Chase Young as the highest graded rookie in the NFL in week 1 at a 86.5 minimum 25 snaps. Young provided speed off the edge that Washington missed last season. Chase Young forced the Eagles to double him which made it easier for Ryan Kerrigan and other players on the defensive line. Be on the lookout for Chase Young to be named Defensive Rookie of the week on Friday.

Ryan Kerrigan Sack Record

Ryan Kerrigan had 2 sacks agains the Eagles and only played 22 snaps. Kerrigan’s second sack on Sunday broke the sack record that was held by Dexter Manley. He has recorded 92 sacks in his career in Washington since he was drafted in 2011. It’s bittersweet to see Kerrigan break the record with no fans in the stands but it’s still incredible to see him do it.

Dwayne Haskins and Offense Growing Pains

Dwayne Haskins struggled in the first half of the game but started to get a rhythm in the second half. The play calling from Scott Turner was predictable at times and the team was not able to move the ball downfield for the most part. The defense was huge in setting up the offense with great field position. Haskins took a page out of Alex Smith’s play style by not turning over the football and making smart plays. Dwayne made a couple of gutsy runs to set the team up for a first down on the next play. He also had some big throws to convert on 3rd down. Most importantly Ron Rivera was on an iv during halftime due to him having cancer and Dwayne Haskins gave the halftime speech to rally the team. The second year quarterback didn’t have great stats but he was a phenomenal leader and didn’t turn the ball over.

Washington has put the league on notice and will surprise a lot of teams with their dominant defensive line.