Breaking Down What Terrance Knighton Brings to Washington Redskins Defense
Off all the moves general manager Scot McCloughan made to improve the Washington Redskins this offseason, his biggest was undoubtedly the best. Big is certainly the word to describe new nose tackle Terrance Knighton.
It amply describes the player himself, although it usually require a prefix such as "super-" or "mega-" to really do the (alleged) 6'3", 331-pounder justice. But big is also the word to describe Knighton's impact for a rebuilding team desperate to find a winning formula after losing 25 games in the last two years.
Knighton brings a winner's mentality from his time with the AFC powerhouse Denver Broncos, but a determined and positive outlook will only take a team so far. Knighton's biggest impact in Washington will certainly be on the field, where he'll immediately become the focal point of the Redskins' hybrid 3-4 defense.
TOP NEWS
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Colts Release Kenny Moore
Projecting Every NFL Team's Starting Lineup 🔮
Rookie WRs Who Will Outplay Their Draft Value 📈
Here's what the behemoth nicknamed "Pot Roast" will bring to new coordinator Joe Barry's unit.
A Premier Run-Stuffer
Few, if any nose tackles can eliminate a run game as effectively as Knighton. Put his massive frame over a center and a defense can pretty much stop worrying about the ground attack.
Knighton wrecks the run in a variety of ways all by himself. The first involves gaining quick penetration and reading on the run.
This play during Denver's AFC Championship Game win over the New England Patriots from the 2013 NFL season is a brilliant example.
Knighton began lined up as a shaded 0-technique over the shoulder over center Ryan Wendell. The Pats were planning to run a power sweep from a two-tight end set, with guard Marcus Cannon pulling around the corner from the right side of the offensive line:
In no time at all, Knighton wrecked the play at its source. He started by quickly winning his one-on-one matchup against Wendell (62). A nifty swim move got him around the center and into the backfield:
Knighton then met Cannon as he was moving laterally behind the line. He slammed into the guard, knocking Cannon off his stride and preventing him from getting out in front of running back LeGarrette Blount as a lead blocker:
After knocking Cannon out of the play, Knighton swiftly converged on Blount to limit this run to a measly gain:
In an instant, Knighton had destroyed a carefully constructed power run, one of the core strengths of New England's offense. It wasn't just that the Pats couldn't handle Knighton's size, they also underestimated how quickly he can shift his giant frame.
Knighton's used to teams making that mistake. It's common to see an offense soon avoid running plays his way.
But even misdirection and runs designed to force Knighton to pursue laterally don't often work. The Patriots found that out when they used trap blocking to set up a counter play later in the game. Again, Knighton took up a shaded alignment over Wendell's shoulder:
The idea was simple. New England intended to get Knighton going one way, then have running back Stevan Ridley cut the play back in the opposite direction. It was a concept similar in design to Washington's familiar zone-stretch, cutback run:
But Knighton stunned the Patriots by seamlessly redirecting his body to follow the counter. He actually planted his foot and mirrored Ridley's cut, a simply amazing play from a lineman this size:
Displaying the athletic range of a player weighing at least 100 pounds less, Knighton slid across and took Ridley down for a loss before the runner had the chance to make it to the edge:
This outstanding effort provides a perfect illustration of what sets good big men apart from those who have size but don't know how to use it. Knighton's raw power and ability to fill gaps is obvious, but it's the agility to go with them that really makes him stand out.
It's a combination that has already wowed his new coaches at Redskins Park. Barry has been particularly effusive, according to Dan Steinberg of The Washington Post:
"When you have a man of that size, you think he’s just gonna be a blob that just sits in the middle and gets his hands on the center. His movement skills, and his ability to bend his knees, and his ability to redirect laterally, for a man that big, I’ve never seen anything like it. So it’s very, very impressive, and I think we’re going to be able to have a lot of fun with him.
"
Athletic gifts are one thing, but they can be wasted without sharp intelligence and keen instincts. What was impressive about these two plays was how Knighton diagnosed and reacted to them.
In the first example, he saw the sweep developing and knew downhill pursuit was the quickest way to cut it off. Having seen Cannon make his move, he reacted to take out the pulling guard.
The second run is an even better look at Knighton's recognition skills. He sussed out the trap created by the initial stretch blocking. Sensing counter, he stayed on what would be the play side and instantly transitioned thought to action by quickly moving to close the play down.
Put size, quickness and smarts together, and you have the kind of dominant interior lineman the Redskins have lacked for too long.
One thing that's really been missing from Washington's 3-4 base is a nose guard who can consistently absorb blockers and create plays for others. But those days are well and truly in the rearview following the arrival of one of the best two-gap linemen in football.
Making Plays for Others
As much as fans would have raved about Knighton coming to Washington, you can bet his teammates along the front seven were more excited. Fellow D-linemen and the linebackers will all know how he can improve their production.
Take a look at this play from Denver's destruction of the Arizona Cardinals in Week 5 of last season for an example of Knighton, the two-gap monster. He began head-up over the center as a classic, two-gap 0-technique:
Knighton immediately occupied the double-team of both the center and right guard:
His efforts meant linebackers Brandon Marshall and Nate Irving both had free pursuit lanes to the ball. Knighton also ensured the lineman on either side of him faced single blocking.
That's four players in favorable positions to make a tackle, all thanks to one man clogging up the middle.
On this occasion, it was a fellow lineman who won his one-on-one matchup and tripped Andre Ellington for a loss of two:
Knighton had taken away several of Ellington's running lanes. He'd also ensured key defenders either stayed unblocked or at least faced matchups that favored the defense.
Knighton was just as disruptive one week later in a big road win over the New York Jets. This time Knighton lined up as a tilted nose, almost as a 1-technique between center Nick Mangold and guard Willie Colon:
At the snap, Knighton slammed into Mangold, quickly getting both hands on the center and rocking him back onto his heels. The movement pushed Mangold into the backfield and obscured Chris Ivory's primary running lane:
Knighton now had both gaps on either side of Mangold covered, denying Ivory the interior running lane. He also ensured Irving was kept clean and free to run to the ball.
With Ivory now forced to hesitate and pick his spot, defensive tackle Sylvester Williams had time to beat his single block and make the tackle for a short loss:
Neither of these plays would have been possible for Washington's defense last season. There simply wasn't a player big and physically dominant enough in the middle.
Knighton will change that even if he'll first try to trim down slightly, per Steinberg:
"Knighton said he played at around 350 pounds last year and weighs more than 360 now, but promised 'the arrow’s going down, I know that.' His goal is to stay in on third downs this season, because 'that’s where the money’s made,'so he hopes to lose at least 15 pounds before the season begins, and ideally to drop into the 340s.
"
A lighter Knighton could also mean greater production from an underrated facet of his game.
Pass Rush
Strong interior pressure is essential for any defense that features playmakers on the edge. Crushing the pocket from the inside prevents quarterbacks from stepping into throws. The hesitation it creates gives those rushing the outside more time to climb the pocket and close on hesitant passers.
Although he's mostly known as a run-stuffer extraordinaire, Knighton has the pass-rush chops to make life easier for Ryan Kerrigan, Trent Murphy and rookie Preston Smith.
A sack of Tom Brady during the AFC title tilt with the Patriots shows what Knighton can do.
He began aligned as a 1-technique between Wendell and left guard Logan Mankins:
The latter was caught cold by a surprising stutter step from Knighton. That decoy step set up a swim move which got Knighton around Mankins' reach:
Now free to charge the backfield, Knighton zeroed in on Brady as Mankins snatched at air:
Showing above-average closing speed, Knighton corralled Brady as the quarterback attempted to flee the pocket:
This was a pass-rushing clinic from a massive man who can also utilize deceptive quickness and a varied range of moves to outwit and outrun blockers. If Knighton can show these kind of skills often in Washington, he'll provide a major boost to a defense that was sack-shy in 2014.
Knighton's potential impact for the unit that ranked 30th in points allowed and 20th in yards surrendered can't be overstated. No 3-4 can survive without a blue-chip force in the middle. That's a lesson the Redskins have learned the hard way since switching to the system back in 2010.
Now that Washington has its immovable linchpin, expect a rapid defensive revival in 2015.
All screen shots courtesy of CBS Sports, Fox Sports and NFL.com Game Pass.
All statistics and player information via NFL.com.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
