Yesterday we decided who the Redskins Offensive MVP should be for 2011. The people's choice was veteran wide receiver Jabar Gaffney who finished the year with nearly 1,000 yards and five touchdowns. The Offensive MVP was depressing to some, but today we'll touch on the other side of the ball and their should be some more exciting candidates.
Brian Orakpo: Orakpo led the team in sacks this year with nine, while starting every game for the Skins. He also had a career high in tackles (60), forced fumbles (3), fumble recoveries (1), and passes defended (5). I'd speculate he would have gone to the Pro Bowl as an alternate if it wasn't for his recent surgery.
Ryan Kerrigan: The selection of Kerrigan had many Skins fans scratching their heads on draft day, but so far he has turned out to be a stud. Kerrigan was the only Skins player to play every, single snap on defense. For the year Kerrigan had 7.5 sacks, an interception for a touchdown, 64 tackles, four forced fumbles, and four passes defended.
London Fletcher: All the old man did was lead the league in tackles, with 166, and make the Pro Bowl. The 36 year old also had two interceptions, 1.5 sacks, eight passes defended, and two forced fumbles while anchoring the Skins defense.
Stephen Bowen: In his first year as a Redskin, Bowen registered six sacks and 41 tackles while starting every game at defensive end.
Barry Cofield: Cofield doesn't have the worlds most impressive stat-line with three sacks, 26 tackles, a fumble recovery, and eight passes defended. But the impact that Cofield made as this team's nose tackle cannot be overstated. Cofield knocked the Ma'ake Kemoeatu stank right out of our mouth in Week 1.
Josh Wilson: We have to throw someone in from the secondary, right? Wilson gets on the list by default. His year wasn't too dissimilar from DeAngelo Hall, but I feel as if Wilson had more of positive impact on the season. He finished the year with two interceptions, 15 passes defended, 63 tackles, and a fumble recovery. Wilson returned kicks in both Baltimore and Seattle, it would be interesting to see him get a similar chance here.
My Pick: It's hard to go against London, but I just love what Ryan Kerrigan did in his first year and the lunch pail attitude he brought to the Skins. His Week 1 touchdown versus the Giants was one of the biggest highlights of the year and he was a game-changer. Question to ponder for the future: how much of Kerrigan's success is a result of Orakpo being on the other side?
1 recs | 33 comments
I just couldn't vote against fletcher
but a lot of the players mentioned are worthy…our defense has a bright future
atark001 - January 11, 2012
It's hard not to take Fletcher
as the undoubted leader of this defense or Cofield because without his impact at nose tackle, the defense isn’t anywhere near as good. But I had to take Kerrigan. For a rookie making a transition from 4-3 DE to a stand-up OLB in a 3-4, given about a month of an off-season that was shortened still by a knee injury, to not only start every game but to play every snap and have such an impact is unbelievable for me.
The scary thing is, How good can this front 7 be with a whole off-season of work together, and potentially some more weapons added?
UkRedskin - January 11, 2012
kerrigan really did impress
his ability to adapt and to learn from his mistakes so quickly is going to make him a great player for a decade…I was really impressed with coverage skills as the season progressed…while he may have given up catches, he always seemed to be close enough to whoever he was covering so as to limit any YAC
atark001 - January 11, 2012
Agreed
I took Fletcher, but both Kerrigan and Cofield are right behind him in my book
skinsfan28 - January 11, 2012
and just wait...
until jenkins is in the mix!
j.q. higgins - January 11, 2012
Fletcher
Not even close. The truth is, as much as we complain about everyone else not giving London his due respect, we really take him for granted. If you want to ask how much of RyKer’s success due to Rak, you have to think about how much BOTH of them depend on Fletcher to do the “grunt work” so they can rack up the “sexy stats”.
After that I say RyKer. Yes, his stats might be helped by Rak, but you could say the opposite is true as well. And, at the end of the day, RyKer’s numbers were better than Rak’s pretty much across the board. Frankly, if anyone else deserved to go to the Pro Bowl, I’d argue it be him.
CJHutch - January 11, 2012 via mobile
I don't know about that. I understand what Fletcher does, but the job Cofield did would be more symbiotic to the pass rushing OLBs than Fletcher
Parks Smith - January 11, 2012
kerrigan did mention how fletcher helped him line-up when they faced certain offensive sets
atark001 - January 11, 2012
Absolutely
Parks Smith - January 11, 2012
Fletcher is the quarterback of the defense
And we do not have a backup quarterback at all on that side of the ball
Skins Fan '77 - January 11, 2012
Disagree, Keyaron Fox knows this defense just as good as anyone else.
Obviously not nearly as talented as Fletcher, but he is more than capable of running the defense.
Parks Smith - January 11, 2012
You may be right, but let's hope that is not proven
Skins Fan '77 - January 11, 2012
I'm with you Parks
The role Cofield executes is vital to the success of the defense. If he stands ground or drives forward (which he did a lot of this year), it signals trouble for the opposing offense with either a run stop or QB pressure.
If he gets pushed back, it means bad things for the defense.
StephanHart - January 11, 2012
Definitely
But that’s the JOB you’re talking about,, not the player himself. I think Cofield is more easily replaceable than Fletcher.
CJHutch - January 11, 2012
"pass rushing OLB's"
That’s my point. I realize that that is the main aspect of their position, but the reason they are able to focus on pass rushing is because they KNOW Fletch is on the back end taking care of business. Yes, I know it’s all symbiotic. But Fletcher is a luxury most teams don’t have and, in my opinion, the MVP on our (team?) defense.
CJHutch - January 11, 2012
Your most valuable player
Is the guy you miss most when he is not their… like Peyton Manning for the Indianapolis Colts.
That guy for the Washington Redskins defense is London Fletcher, is not even close.
the distant runner-up is Ryan Kerrigan
Skins Fan '77 - January 11, 2012
Yep
Kevin Ewoldt - January 11, 2012
Gotta be london
also adam carriker is a big part of rak and kerrigans sacks. plus he got a career high 5.5 sack this year
taylor21 - January 11, 2012
My man-crush on Fletch is well documented...
…however, the Defensive MVP was Barry Cofield. He brought a winning mindset to the team and played the most important position in the 3-4 very well. When he occasionally struggled, it was obvious the team struggled.
The Line was excellent with him as its anchor. Fletch led the league in tackles and the OLBs profited from the performance of the D-Line and the leader of the D-Line was Cofield.
Barry Cofield – Defensive MVP. I look forward to an even better season from him in 2012.
Stephen Beagrie - January 11, 2012
Fletch this year Kid Kerrigan next year.
Mark my words, from the interviews I have seen with that guy this season I think that he will replace London as the teams leader on the field for the next 15 years. Rack may be a better and more talented OLB over the next decade but something about Ryan strikes me that he will be an amazing leader for this roster, and the two will be the PB& J of the redskins sack sandwich
Alex35332 - January 11, 2012
I love Fletcher to death, but I gave the nod to Kerrigan
Fletcher deserves the honor over Kerrigan probably, but I’ve almost come to expect Fletcher’s greatness. Kerrigan came into his rookie season making the transition to 3-4 OLB, and put up a more impressive season than anything Orakpo has done yet.
Since London got some pro bowl love, I wanted Kerrigan to get some love as well.
willster - January 11, 2012
I went with Cofield
He played so tough inside. While Fletcher is at least as deserving, some of London’s success is due to the strength of Barry’s season.
Ken Meringolo - January 11, 2012
You could make a case for each of these players
That’s what’s so impressive and encouraging about this team for me. And who thought going into this year that our front seven would be our strong point on defense and not secondary with OJ and Landry? I thought our linebackers would be great but Kerrigan surprised the shit out of me and so has Riley, I wasn’t sold on our rotation up front especially with Jenkins going down but they proved they were more than capable.
travisjh86 - January 11, 2012
These are depressing Parks
alwaysremember21 - January 11, 2012
how?
I can understand a statement like that for the offense but the defense…?
travisjh86 - January 11, 2012
Season is over and Fletch whos the obvious MVP is another season older
sad to see
alwaysremember21 - January 11, 2012
Why worry as long as we have both? :)
And I think right now ‘Rak is a better player or at least more of a threat. I’d say more teams were gamplanning against Brain, at least early on. They are both great players and I think it’s important we find a way to keep both of them. You need good ’backers on both end if they want to stay dominant in the 3-4.
Also, they should think about using a high pick on a high risk guy like Burfict. London would be a perfect mentor for that guy.
tw10 - January 11, 2012
Write-in vote for DeJon Gomes
Omaha Sun - January 11, 2012
The honorable delegate from Nebraska has been denied
Parks Smith - January 11, 2012
Booo!!!!
Omaha Sun - January 12, 2012
Voted for Fletch
But for honorable mention Kerrigan, with a nod to Cofield.
Redskins_Fan - January 11, 2012
does perry riley get most improved?
i really though he did a hell of a job this season.
j.q. higgins - January 11, 2012
Kerrigan impressed me but Fletcher is the man
Always plays at a high level and is the leader of the D
The Red End - January 11, 2012
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