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Redskins-Panthers: A Battle For the Trenches

11/13/2003

By Gary Fitzgerald

Redskins.com

For the Redskins and Carolina Panthers, there will be plenty of focus this week on Stephen Davis. The Panthers’ running back, a two-time Pro Bowler who led Washington in rushing yardage from 1999-2002, is expected to return from an ankle sprain and play his former team for the first time this Sunday.

But this is a contest that more likely will be won a few yards in front of where Davis lines up—at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. In short, this game will likely be decided in the trenches.

The Redskins’ offensive line did not give up a sack for the first time this season in last week’s 27-20 victory over Seattle, but they will be facing a tough task against Carolina at Ericsson Stadium.

The group of Julius Peppers, Kris Jenkins, Brentson Buckner and Mike Rucker is as good as it gets at controlling the line of scrimmage. Peppers has the speed of a linebacker, Jenkins is powerful and disruptive, Buckner is a sturdy run-stuffer and Rucker is an intense competitor who has a league-leading 11 sacks.

Left tackle Chris Samuels, two-time Pro Bowler, will square off against Rucker in the second matchup for both players. Samuels held Rucker without a sack in the October 2001 game between the two teams—a game the Redskins won 17-14 in overtime.

“I think Mike Rucker is as good of a defensive end as there is in this league,” Samuels said. “He has 11 sacks right now. That’s outstanding. He has power and speed. He has a motor that’s never going to quit.”

Regarding the entire Panthers’ defensive line, Samuels said: “I’d rate them up there with Tampa Bay’s front four. We have a challenge ahead of us, but we can stop them if we just go out, do what we do best, and execute well.”

On the other side of the line, Jon Jansen will square off against Peppers for the first time. As a rookie last year, Peppers recorded 12 sacks despite missing four games. He has two sacks this year.

Overall, the Redskins’ offensive line is coming off its best performance of the season in the win over Seattle. It was the first time this season that quarterback Patrick Ramsey was not in the face of a stiff pass rush.

Seattle didn’t blitz Ramsey and the Redskins often. With the size and speed of the Panthers’ front four, Carolina head coach John Fox may not feel it necessary to blitz often either.

The Redskins will be ready for blitz packages nonetheless.

“I expect to react to whatever they show,” Ramsey said. “We expected Seattle to blitz more. I think Carolina expects to be able to create some pressure with their front four because they have done that against everyone else. We have a capable group up front that can help slow down that push. At the same time, we know that teams are going to blitz us and we’ll be ready for that, too.”

Said Samuels: "I'd be surprised if they didn't blitz."

On the other side of the ball, Panthers’ offensive linemen of Todd Steussie, Jeno James, Jeff Mitchell, Kevin Donnalley and rookie Jordan Gross are very physical in run-blocking. They have given up 16 sacks this season.

With the NFL’s third-best rushing attack, Carolina’s offensive line has consistently opened holes for Davis and backup DeShaun Foster, whose speed provides a change-of-pace to the Davis’s bulldozing style.

Defensively, the Redskins have struggled against the run in recent games. They gave up 208 rushing yards two weeks ago against Dallas, but they improved in last Sunday’s game against Seattle when they gave up 125 rushing yards—with 94 yards by versatile running back Shaun Alexander.

Davis’s running style presents an entirely different challenge, however.

“The little guys need to tackle him low,” head coach Steve Spurrier said. “The big guys need to stay in their gaps. Just play solid defense—that’s what you do against the really good running backs.

"We got out of position a few times last week and Shaun Alexander broke a few. Our secondary guys made some nice tackles to prevent the long runs. We need to be more disciplined up front with our linemen and linebackers—and not create those holes.”

The insertion of defensive tackle Darrell Russell could help stymie the Panthers' rushing attack. The former two-time Pro Bowler said on Wednesday he is 75 percent back to playing shape after signing with the Redskins two weeks ago.

"My weight is not particularly where I want it to be, but I'm getting there," Russell said. "I got a big chunk of my mojo back last Sunday. We'll go from there. I actually didn't think I'd be as far along as I was."

Said linebacker Jeremiah Trotter: “It’ll be a dogfight [at the line of scrimmage]. We definitely have to attack the line of scrimmage. Stephen breaks a lot of tackles, so we have to wrap him up. He’s going to keep coming back play after play, and you have to have the same mentality.”