Entering Sunday’s game, the Redskins led the NFL with 140 rushing yards per game, but were held to 51 yards in the Falcons’ 25-19 overtime win.
Coach Dan Quinn said the team’s goal going into the game was to stop Washington running backs Matt Jones and Alfred Morris and focus on limiting as many yards as possible.
“We knew both the backs were as tough as could be,” Quinn said. “A point of emphasis for us going into the week to make sure the runs would be two (yards per carry) and stay at two.”
Before facing the Redskins, the Falcons’ defense allowed opponents an average of 82.5 rushing yards per game. Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux said he was proud of his team’s effort Sunday to limit the Redskins to 2.1 yards per carry.
“I think we did a great job shutting down their run game,” Babineaux said. “We know we did a great job attacking the run and getting after the ballcarrier.”
Defensive coordinator Richard Smith said the Redskins definitely challenged the Falcons’ defense, but for 60 minutes, the Falcons did well at keeping the game “one-dimensional.”
Smith said the plan going into the game was to defending first down well, putting more pressure on the Redskins to convert longer distances on the second and third downs.
“We try to be really successful in all downs and distances, but if you do a really great job on first down, it makes third downs more manageable,” Smith said. “Going into that game, (usually) they were third-and-short and they were (good at converting short distances).”
Quinn said he was most impressed by the defense's "big-time effort" on the field Sunday. He said Babineaux and Adrian Clayborn specifically displayed defensive prowess to shut down Washington's run game.
“Adrian Clayborn totally came out of the stack to make a tackle on (Jamison) Crowder when he was coming out of the screen,” Quinn said. “It’s that kind of effort that makes up sometimes for a play.”
Another powerful factor in shutting down Washington’s running game was O’Brien Schofield.
Quinn said Schofield’s versatility and strength made a difference in limiting Washington’s run game.
“He’s very comfortable on the inline, against a tackle or a tight end,” Quinn said. “I think it’s that training that he’s put in in the past. He’s such a versatile linebacker and as a defensive end, he can stand up and we can move him around in different spots.”
Vic Beasley, a rookie out of Clemson, said the defense challenged the Redskins’ run game because of the coaching.
“I think it’s just our aggression and the scheme,” Beasley said. “Coach Richard Smith just puts us in a position to be successful.”
As the Falcons move through a short week to face the Saints on Thursday night, new challenges emerge in running backs Mark Ingram, C.J. Spiller and Khiry Robinson.
Beasley said Spiller and Ingram are talented, and he looks forward to the competition Thursday.
Smith said the versatility of the Saints’ running backs and experienced quarterback Drew Brees will challenge the Falcons once again this week as they face their first division rival.
“You know, they don’t have one guy, they got three,” Smith said. “(Mark) Ingram’s strong, a powerful runner will run you over. (Khiry) Robinson’s been doing a really good job. They have C.J. (Spiller). He’s a threat out of the backfield. I think he averages over 12 yards per catch. I think over all in the games that they’ve played, they’ve been targeted 57 times.”
