Washington Redskins' Defense: Battered, Bruised, But Not Beaten

The Cleveland Browns were knocking on the door deep in Washington Redskins territory while down 14-3 late in the fourth quarter.

It had already been a hard-hitting game, but London Fletcher brought it to a new level as he stuffed the truck-like Jamal Lewis on two consecutive plays. Then the rest of the team caught on and stopped the next two plays to get the ball back.

Fletcher, the man in the middle, stepped up to fill the void in a big way all day with twelve tackles. Not only does his play speak volumes, but his fire and leadership really sparks the team. Those primal screams jump-started the team several times yesterday. They have been ravaged by injuries, but that didn't seem to matter.

Fred Smoot, Carlos Rogers, and Chris Horton all played with injuries, ensuring that the loss of Shawn Springs would be softened. Horton notched eight tackles and came up with some timely stops. Smoot continued his hard-nosed coverage while Rogers came up with two huge hits and consistent coverage all day.

The physical coverage the Skins have been relying on more and more the last few weeks has been working. Receivers get frustrated as they are beat up and have no room after the catch. When Springs returns, expect to see even more man coverage and more lock-down defense.

It's been the guys playing through injuries who have really kept the ball rolling, or not rolling that is.

These guys are run down and battling injuries all over the defense. Marcus Washington is coming off an injury. Cornelius Griffin is playing with a bad shoulder. And Jason Taylor isn't 100 percent. But right now, they don't seem to care. Batted passes, hard hits, big plays, and big hearts are just what every great defense needs.

Meanwhile, the defensive line was able to get a little pressure yesterday and came away with just one sack. This is a line with Jason Taylor and Andre Carter, and they can't provide pressure. That needs to change.

However, the line has been stopping the run. They are ranked seventh in the NFL in run defense, only yielding 86.4 yards per game. They stick runners at initial contact and rarely give up big gainers.

On the whole, the Skins defense has been tremendous this season. They are ranked number six overall in total defense and allow just 18.3 points per game. They could stand to force more turnovers and create extra pressure. But as things stand, this defense is as stifling as they come.