Third Downers: Brunell shines without pressure
Redskins QB adjusts as Seahawks defense falters
By LIAM DILLON
SPECIAL TO THE POST-INTELLIGENCER
LANDOVER, Md. -- If you're looking for a quiet, scenic hangout spot on your next fall visit to Washington, D.C., Mark Brunell would have a good recommendation. As he found out yesterday, the Redskins pocket is quite nice this time of year.
Aside from two first-quarter sacks, the Seattle Seahawks were able to exhibit little or no pressure on the Redskins quarterback. As a result, Brunell took advantage of the pocket's many amenities: beautiful downfield views of FedEx Field and valet service -- handled by five to seven more-than-capable offensive linemen.
While it's not as if the Seahawks didn't try to make things a little less comfortable for Brunell, after Michael Boulware and rookie middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu made key early sacks with the Redskins threatening, Washington's coaches were able to effectively counter the schemes thrown at them by Seattle defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes.
"They did some things early on in there that threw us some curve balls," Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said. "On defense, they did a real good coaching job on that part. We had to kind of struggle to get things going again, but we did control the ball, which is a big deal."
The amount of time Brunell had to throw had an immeasurable effect on his performance. Brunell did not resemble a 35-year-old quarterback whose arm strength and declining mobility have been roundly questioned in football circles the past two seasons. Think instead of the 1996 Brunell, when he led the Jacksonville Jaguars to the AFC Championship. Or if you prefer, Brunell's 1991 Rose Bowl MVP show with the University of Washington.
Redskins 20-year veteran offensive lineman Ray Brown put the matter most simply.
"If you have a quarterback that's not under duress, he has the opportunity to look down the field to receivers who are open," he said.
The lack of pressure on Brunell led to frustration for the Seahawks, particularly on the defensive line.
"They were keeping six and seven guys in to block," defensive end Bryce Fisher said. "It was too long for our guys to have to cover. We've got to do a better job."
And even when things became a little too stuffy in the pocket, Brunell was able to take a little excursion, with the knowledge he could return just the way he had left it.
In overtime, on a third-and-9 from the Redskins' 37, Brunell escaped the grasp of Fisher and ran 18 yards down the middle of the field before sliding to a stop at the Seahawks' 45. Three plays later, the Redskins' next third down, Brunell spiraled a pass to open wide receiver Santana Moss, who cut down an open part of the field for a 30-yard gain, down to Seattle's 15, which set up the Redskins' winning field goal.
That the Redskins' two big plays came on third down is not coincidental. Washington was able to convert 72 percent of its third downs and Brunell completed 11 third-down passes that resulted in a new series for Washington. Those completions are on top of two other third-down conversions that occurred because of Seahawks pass interference penalties, including a questionable call in the third quarter on Boulware that led to Washington's second touchdown.
Brunell gave the credit for his performance to the entire team's ability to keep him unmolested by Seahawks defenders behind the line of scrimmage.
"Our offensive line has a lot of pride," he said. "Our guys fought. There was time back there, and guys got open. You get in third-and-long situations, and you convert those, that's a full team thing. That's not just Santana Moss or the offensive line. That's 11 guys out there doing their job."
Brunell's experience was a complete turnaround from the team's previous two games, when the Redskins gave up nine sacks, including one that nearly decapitated then-starting quarterback Patrick Ramsey in week one.
By jettisoning almost two-thirds of a defense that was ranked 26th in the league last season, the Seahawks had hoped going into the game that they, too, could have taken part in the sack party.
But Sunday, in a city often defined by its exclusive get-togethers, the pocket was the place to be in D.C.
And Seattle's defense wasn't invited.
The Seahawks can point to several factors that were their undoing in Sunday's 20-17 overtime loss, but none was more obvious than the inability of the defense to get off the field on third downs:
The Redskins converted on 13 of 18 third downs -- or 72 percent -- including three consecutive on the drive to the game-winning field goal. The Seahawks had held their first three opponents to 24 percent on third-down conversions (9 of 37). The Redskins had converted on 36 percent in their first two games (12 of 33).
Mark Brunell, the former University of Washington quarterback, completed 11 of 15 third-down passes for 138 yards.
The Redskins converted twice on third-and-13, once on third-and-12, three times on third-and-10 and three times on third-and-9.
Brunell's 1-yard pass to tight end Robert Royal for the Redskins' first touchdown came on third-and-1.
On the overtime drive to the game-winning field goal, Brunell passed for 13 yards to Santana Moss on third-and-10 from the Redskins' 23-yard line; ran for 18 yards on third-and-9 from the Redskins 37; and passed for 30 yards to Moss on third-and-10 from the Seahawks 45.
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