ESPN’s Marcus Spears calls Washington defensive line ‘selfish’ and ‘undisciplined’

The first play Spears broke down was a 3rd and 4 in the second quarter for Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. Spears classified defensive tackle Daron Payne had good interior pressure up the middle against Allen. However, Young was “so sack hungry” he broke contain going wide.

Allen was able to scramble in the space Young should have been before delivering a dump off to running back Zack Moss, who beat linebacker Cole Holcomb to the end zone for a touchdown. All Young had to do was retrace after Payne’s inside pressure, according to Spears. 

A second play, Spears called Young and fellow defensive end Montez Sweat “greedy.”

Again there was good pressure inside, this time by defensive tackle Jonathan Allen. Yet, both Young and Allen chased the sack and went wide blowing past Josh Allen. That allowed Josh Allen to escape up and deliver the football to Cole Beasley. 

When speaking on the clip of Young yelling on the sidelines, Spears said “He needs to be yelling at his damn-self.”

The criticism by Spears on Young was similar to what Washington head coach Ron Rivera expressed while appearing on 106.7 the Fan’s Sports Junkies on Tuesday. 

He’s got tremendous skill sets, and the thing he has to do is focus on one at a time, one at a time,” Rivera said of Young. “When I watch him and he does go flying by the quarterback, there’s a couple things that go through my mind, is where’s my inside push? And, young man, you have to counter. You have to understand I’m at the level, come back underneath.”

Young recently said the team is focused on each other and not the outside noise.

Washington’s defensive line emerged last season with the addition of Young, the second overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year and Washington’s defense thrived as the No. 2 ranked unit in the NFL.

However they have been unable to live up to the hype this season. Washington’s defense ranks 31st in yards allowed with 432 yards per game this season. The defense is also allowing 58.7% of their third downs be converted into first downs.

Young has zero sacks despite yearning to be a record-breaking duo with Sweat. 

The lack of pass rush has opened the floodgates for the levels of defense behind. They’ll get their chance to rebound Sunday against Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons.