Washington football notes: Secondary breakdowns, McLaurin’s development
Against Philadelphia, Washington cornerback Ronald Darby and strong safety Landon Collins appeared to be playing deep zones on third and 22 when Eagles receiver Jalen Reagor split them for the long gain. Collins didn’t seem to see Reagor until it was too late. On Sunday, Arizona’s play-action froze free safety Troy Apke while the receiver sped by him. These split-second hiccups opened the door for big gains.
Overall, the secondary has had an uneven start. Cornerbacks have held their own for the most part, but top free agent signing Kendall Fuller (knee) hasn’t seen the field, Apke’s shine from training camp hasn’t translated, and Collins hasn’t looked like himself other than his interception Sunday, which came after a miscommunication led to a touchdown for Arizona wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Coach Ron Rivera has stressed that he sees growth in the unit, but the play from the back of the secondary has been a concern.
After criticism from fans, pundits and players, Rivera tripled down on his decision not to use his three timeouts at the end of Sunday’s game. In his news conference Monday, he repeated his desire to avoid further injuries, and he emphasized that he processes a lot of information — “what I’m hearing, what I’m seeing, how the game’s progressing, what’s happening on the sideline” — before making important choices such as that one.
“That’s the decision I made,” he said. “It reminds me of what Ernest Hemingway said: ‘There are those that will go into the ring and fight the bulls, and those that will write about it.’ Because I’m in the middle of it, I’ll make those decisions.”
Brandon Scherff’s absence will hurt the offensive line, but it will give Washington an extended look at swing guard Wes Schweitzer. The 27-year-old missed most of training camp and never really competed with Wes Martin to start at left guard. Yet when Rivera said he likes Schweitzer, there’s reason to believe him. In a year when Washington signed most of its free agents to one-year, prove-it contracts, it gave the reserve guard a three-year deal. He was the only player other than Fuller to receive a contract longer than two seasons.
“I love him,” Rivera said of Schweitzer after the game Sunday. “I think he is a good, physical football player. I got an opportunity to evaluate and see if he’s exactly what I think he is.”
Scherff is expected to miss three to five weeks with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee.
This year, Terry McLaurin was challenged to expand his versatility. McLaurin built his reputation outside as a rookie last season. During training camp, wide receivers coach Jim Hostler said, “If you’re a good player, and you’re a number one in this league, you’re going to have to develop your route tree and … go inside.”
McLaurin has started doing that. He has been in the slot for six of his 17 targets, and his alignments aren’t truly wide in some formations. He was in the slot for his late touchdown against Arizona on Sunday. It helped that the Cardinals, wanting to limit explosive plays with a big lead, backed off star cornerback Patrick Peterson in the second half, but the 24-yard score still highlighted McLaurin’s elite speed.
“He’s a tremendous competitor and player,” Arizona Coach Kliff Kingsbury said. “I knew how good he was, but regardless of the score, he was out there playing his tail off. He’s going to be one of the bright stars in the league moving forward.”
Steven Sims Jr. is a high-risk, high-reward punt returner — and Washington seems to accept that. On Sunday, Sims put the ball on the ground for the second game in a row, and this time, it hurt. He fumbled in Washington territory, the Cardinals recovered, and the short field led to their second touchdown. The turnover aggravated Rivera.
“We’re a good football team,” he said, “but we’re not experienced enough to overcome helping the other team beat you.”
Punt returns can help a struggling offense, and Sims is tied for the league lead with seven returns. But for him, ball security has often been a question. He muffed a kickoff return last season against the Detroit Lions but still brought it back for a 91-yard touchdown. The power and peril of Sims’s game is difficult for special teams coordinator Nate Kaczor to balance, and during training camp he admitted explosiveness could allow coaches to overlook other concerns in a returner.
After Sims’s fumble, he continued returning punts. His two muffs/fumbles in seven attempts this season represent a small sample size, but his past suggests these struggles are something to keep an eye on.
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