By Teddy Brenner
The WFT are an unusual organization.
And not just because it is owned by an idiot in Daniel Snyder.
Plenty of NFL teams are run by idiots.
For most organizations in the NFL, the quarterback is the face of the franchise. But since the WFT does not really have a franchise quarterback (no disrespect to ironman Alex Smith), that isn’t the case in Washington, where the player who appears to be emerging as the leader of the organization is rookie defensive end Chase Young.
The No. 2 overall pick in April’s draft, Young finished Washington’s upset win over the 49ers in San Francisco with six tackles, one sack, two QB hits, one tackle for loss, two passes defended and one forced fumble.
Led by Young and the rest of the defense, Washington was able to improve to 6-7 on the year and stay in first place in the NFC East despite being outgained 344 to 193 and failing to score an offensive TD in a 23-15 victory.
“It feels good because we’re seeing flashes of what we talked about early in the season,” Young said after the win. “The only thing [we have to do is] keep going. We can’t let up.”
It was a breakout performance for Young, who also nabbed his first career touchdown with an impressive scoop-and-score.
Already the odds-on favorite to win the 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award, Young became one of five players since 2000 to record a sack, force a fumble, recover a fumble, record a defensive TD and have two passes defensed in a single game on Sunday.
While Young’s play on the field is enough to make him a star, the way the former Ohio State standout carries himself with the media is also entertaining, and should quickly endear him to fans around the league. For example:
With games left against the Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles, Washington has a good shot at finishing at 8-8 and going to the playoffs despite starting the season 1-3 and having to bench quarterback Dwayne Haskins in favor of Kyle Allen, who suffered a season-ending ankle injury four games later and was replaced by Alex Smith.
If Washington does make the postseason for the first time since 2015, it won’t be because of Haskins, Allen, Smith or any other offensive player. It will be because of the WFT’s formidable front seven on defense, with Young as their ringleader.
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