The Washington Redskins had a lot on the line in the first of two meetings with their NFC East division rival, Dallas Cowboys. Washington hadn’t been able to put together back-to-back quality performances this season and yesterday it took the leadership of their defensive play-makers to get the team another win and their first two-game winning streak.
From the beginning of the game, the Burgundy and Gold defense dominated in the trenches choking out any push by the Cowboys offensive line in the running game and also kept quarterback Dak Prescott uncomfortable all game long.
The #Redskins young defensive front has really pushed around the Cowboys vaunted offensive line regardless of the outcome of this game. This hasn’t been done in the past 4 games between the two teams.
— Lake Lewis Jr (@LakeLewisJr) October 21, 2018
The Redskins defensive unit led by the enthusiastic D.J. Swearinger would come out and set the tone early with a strong stand that forced a quick three-play four-yard drive for the Cowboys that would result in a punt. After the Redskins offense drove down the field in a six play, 47-yard touchdown drive, Defensive Coordinator Greg Manusky’s defense would stiffen again causing a turnover on a fourth and one that gave the offense great field position.
Manusky’s defensive squad outside of a few scramble plays by Prescott held up well against the Cowboys run game holding RB Ezekiel Elliott to 34 yards on 15 carries. Washington would give up 74 total yards on the ground on 22 rushing attempts. They held the Cowboys offense to an average of 3.4 yards per carry.
The Redskins defense coming into the game was the eight best in the league in takeaways per game (1.8) and they continued their opportunistic ways by once again coming away with two forced fumbles. One of those fumbles cause by bookend linebackers Ryan Kerrigan (sack and forced fumble) and Preston Smith (fumble recovered for TD) resulted in the play that would prove to be the difference in the final score. The Redskins’ defensive ability to keep the Cowboys offense in third and long situations allowed them to aggressively attack Prescott forcing incompletions or check downs.
Redskins’ 20-17 defeat of Cowboys started in the trenches
Washington’s defense gave up only five of the Cowboys 14 third down conversions (35%) giving the Redskins offense plenty of opportunities to put points on the board. This is the second game that the Redskins defense played a huge part in a winning effort which something that hasn’t been done in a long time.
In a tough and physical division were grinding it out and getting close wins can be the difference in a winning season, it appears the Redskins have a formula for success that has the potential to be long-lasting.
The difference between this #Redskins team and the last 4 or 5 years is they have a stout defense now. The scary part is their young so things will only get better over time.
— Lake Lewis Jr (@LakeLewisJr) October 21, 2018
Washington will need to have another solid performance from there defense as they will go on the road to face another divisional foe in the New York Giants. The Giants possess two dangerous offensive weapons in Odell Beckham Jr. and Saquon Barkley so the defense will have their hands full yet again.