Rivera dissects Washington's massive forced fumble vs. Bengals originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Against the Cincinnati Bengals, Chase Young's forced fumble of Joe Burrow on a fourth-and-goal in the second quarter instantly became one of the biggest plays of the game, if not the season.
Rightfully so, Young's massive hit that knocked the ball loose will be remembered as the major moment. But, there was a lot more that went into making that play a success.
On the latest 'Field Perspective' from NBC Sports Washington, head coach Ron Rivera shared some insight into the intricacies that allowed Washington to force a turnover.
The wheels were set in motion from the moment the defense decided on a play. With the Bengals lining up five-wide, the unit opted to work in what Rivera referred to as man coverage "with help."
From there, the goal was to make sure Burrow was unable to find an open receiver as the play began. Washington quickly took away the initial design of the offensive play.
“We basically eliminated his first option, so he went to his next option which was covered as well," Rivera said. "So he started to double clutch. Once that happened, the rush started to affect him.”
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Based on that information, it would seem as if Washington had done its job. However, the work was not done just yet.
Being that Burrow is a mobile quarterback that can work outside the pocket, he didn't fall apart when the play broke down. Instead, he was able to maneuver closer to the end zone.
“Unfortunately we lost contain because he stepped up underneath the outside rush and found the hole, escaped to his right side," Rivera said. "And then the pursuit took over.”
Luckily for Washington, someone stepped up in the midst of the chaos, but it wasn't Young just yet.
Rivera noted that safety Troy Apke, who has handled his fair share of criticism in 2020, played a major role in forcing Burrow into a position that allowed Young to strike. Coming down from the outside, he closed off one route for the quarterback, leaving Burrow with only one path to the end zone.
“Because Apke took his shot, the quarterback cut back inside right into Chase," Rivera said.
At that point, the rookie defensive end took it the rest of the way. Young described his mindset at the moment, and it was all about being aggressive. He knew no quarterback was going to run through him, and Rivera viewed it in the same light. It's that type of mentality that creates greatness.
“That’s the kind of effort you need to give yourself a chance to win football games," Rivera said.
“Without a doubt, without a doubt. When a quarterback runs and he’s going to try and get it into the end zone, you have to treat him as you would any other runner at that point," Rivera said. You've got to, as he said. You can’t let him run through you, you have to run through him.”
Though Rivera would have liked for Cam Kurl to corral the fumble and take it the other way rather than bobble it and force a touchback, he also credits Cincinnati's offense for not giving up on the play.
In the end, a turnover is always something a coach will take, especially when it completely changes the dynamic and momentum of the contest. The only thing that could improve next time around is getting some points off the turnover. When those plays come, Rivera knows Washington needs to take advantage.
“When you do those things, you have to capitalize on that type of momentum," Rivera said.
