We know Jason Taylor is now a Washington Redskin. We know Jason Taylor is a good guy with the right priorities. We know Jason Taylor is larger than life. We know Jason Taylor is light on his feet. We know Jason Taylor is a role model. And we know the ladies love Jason Taylor. [Yes, they really love Jason Taylor.]
Quarterbacks, however, do not love Jason Taylor. Which brings me to what Jason Taylor can do for Washington’s defense and why Redskins fans could come to love him, too.
Taylor has more sacks, 100.5, than any other NFL player since 2000. His 117 career sacks is the most among active players and his 8 career TD ranks 3rd among active defensive linemen. And if he’s declining, it isn’t noticeable yet. After winning the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2006, Taylor notched 11 sacks, forced 4 fumbles and scored 1 TD last season.
The Redskins defense ranked 8th in the NFL last year despite having major problems getting to the quarterback. Washington sacked the opposing quarterback only 33 times last year, barely twice a game and good only for a middling 16th out of 32 NFL teams. By contrast, the Super Bowl champion NY Giants sacked the QB 53 times — almost 3.5 times. The only serious pass rusher for Washington last season was DRE Andre Carter, who finished with 10.5 sacks — the first time since 2002 [Lavar Arrington] a Redskin finished with at least 10 sacks in one season. However, Washington played a very soft, Cover-2 defense that focused on preventing big plays rather than making them.
The biggest problem with Washington’s defense last year, though, was 3rd down. Washington was only 27th in the NFL in 3rd down defense — getting opposing offenses off the field by stopping them from converting third downs into first downs. Taylor should help with that.
“It’s a significant upgrade over Daniels,” one NFC executive said. “Will they sacrifice a little bit against the run? Sure. But that’s a tradeoff we’d make, too, in that situation. They just got much better on the most critical down in football — third down. They were desperate for a pass rusher, and they just got a good one.”
With Taylor, arguably the best pass-rusher in the NFL today, the Redskins should be able to create mismatches to their advantage. Andre Carter will continue to line up on the right side, facing the other team’s left tackle. That means Taylor will line up mostly on the left side, facing the other team’s right tackle — traditionally not the best pass-blocker on the line. Taylor has been accustomed to lining up against the opposing team’s best pass-blocker. No longer. Playing against weaker pass-blocking tackles should force offenses to double-team Taylor with another lineman or a tight end. By doing so, the offense will probably have to force its left tackle to handle Andre Carter without help. Carter, who had to fight his way through constant double-teams to record his 10.5 sacks last year, is justifiably pleased.
“Having Jason Taylor on the other side opens things up for the rest of the D line,” Carter said, “because somebody will be free. You can’t chip everybody, and somebody’s lining up for a one-on-one rush.”
Andre Carter isn’t the only one who should benefit from having Taylor on the field. With two tall, super-fast defensive ends known for getting to the quarterback book-ending the defensive line, the interior tackles should have pass-rushing opportunities they haven’t had before. Collapsing the pocket from the inside is every defensive coordinator’s dream because quarterbacks who can’t step into their throws due to pressure up the middle are quarterbacks who throw a lot of incompletions and interceptions.
“It gets them guards thinking they have to help the [offensive] tackles out a little bit more,” starting defensive tackle Anthony Montgomery said of Taylor’s addition. “As a tackle it gives you more room to work with, and you should be quicker than a guard.”
The linebackers and secondary will benefit from Taylor’s presence because the defense should have to blitz less than it has in the past, allowing cornerbacks to have more time to cover and linebackers to take fewer chances.
“The whole defense will benefit,” middle linebacker London Fletcher said.
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“Getting Jason makes the quarterback have to throw the ball on time now,” cornerback Shawn Springs said. “Now they can’t just double-move us; they got to play us legit, because both of those guys can rush the passer. Teams need two or three good pass rushers in this league now. Look at all the best teams, and that’s what they have.”
There is some concern out there about Taylor’s ability to play the run. He is certainly under-sized for a defensive end and at his age, could run out of gas earlier in games than he once did. On the other hand, he’s never been regarded as a speed bump against the run and the Redskins should be able to spell him with players like Demetric Evans, who has added 10 pounds of muscle during the offseason and looks great in training camp so far. Taylor was added mainly to get after quarterbacks on third down so the Redskins defense can get off the field earlier and more often.
Here is how Keith Kidd of Scouts Inc. describes Taylor and his likely impact on the Redskins:
Taylor will be a three-down player, will have to be accounted for on every snap, and will make the entire defense better. Offensive coordinators will be forced to slide protection toward Taylor, which will give DEs Andre Carter, Demetric Evans and Chris Wilson and DT Cornelius Griffin plenty of one-on-one matchups in third-down, sub-passing situations. Defensive coordinator Greg Blache also will be allowed a lot more versatility within his pressure packages.
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Taylor should be more productive in Washington than he was in Miami because he will have better players around him. The Redskins are bringing back the bulk of their starters on both sides of the ball, and this addition puts them right in the mix in the NFC East, the best division in football. New head coach Jim Zorn has never called plays in the NFL, and it remains to be seen how his offense will perform, but he has the players on that side of the ball to be successful. But there are no such questions about Washington’s experienced, explosive defense, and the Redskins are squarely in the hunt after this move.
Sounds right to me. I don’t know how much the overall ranking of the defense will improve over 8th last season, but I’ll bet Washington won’t be the 27th-ranked defense on 3rd down. Not with Jason Taylor getting after the quarterback on 3rd down.
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Kevin Burnett, who recorded 12 tackles in a week 10 victory over the NY Giants last season, writes this about Jason Taylor:
Jason Taylor will fit in very well with the Redskins. As you can see with Andre Carter they like the longer, leaner defensive ends. I don’t think there could have been a better fit especially with the type of defense the Redskins play. I do want to see how much longer he’ll play; honestly I think he’ll play another 3- 4 years.
Now, watch this video assessing Jason Taylor and his likely impact on the Redskins.
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