From PhillyVoice · · 3m
Zack Baun was everywhere against Washington
Twelve tackles, two breakups, and one near-interception that made his own teammates stop and stare.
In brief
Twelve tackles, two breakups, and one near-interception that made his own teammates stop and stare. When you cannot scout the opponent's playbook, fundamentals and fast eyes still win the game. Originally reported by PhillyVoice.
Quick answers
- Kingsbury or Ben Johnson?
- Blough coached under Kliff Kingsbury but played for Ben Johnson in Detroit, and his scheme leaned Johnson. Johnson's Bears put up 59 points in Week 1. Washington managed 22.
- What is the key takeaway from Zack Baun was everywhere against Washington?
- When you cannot scout the opponent's playbook, fundamentals and fast eyes still win the game.
I wanted that one
An hour after the win, Baun stood at his locker thinking about the play he missed, not the twelve he made.
“"I wanted that one."”
A 24-22 survival
The Eagles held on against the Commanders in Week 1. The win showed warts on both sides of the ball, but it counted against an NFC East rival.
Ojomo clinched it
Defensive tackle Moro Ojomo wrapped up John Bates on a shovel pass a few yards short, killing a two-point try with 61 seconds left.
The stat line
Twelve tackles. Two passes broken up. A steady stream of stops that made Washington's offense miserable from the first drive on.
The one that got away
In the second quarter, Baun trailed tight end Chig Okonkwo 15 yards downfield, leaped, shielded him off the ball, and hauled in a Jayden Daniels pass.
One foot in
He knew before he jumped that he had no room to land. He went for it anyway, and the ball came down out of bounds.
“"I knew my feet weren't inbounds, but I was gonna try anyway."”
Campbell saw it too
Fellow starting linebacker Jihaad Campbell was standing right there on the sideline, watching the almost-interception unfold.
“"I ain't gonna lie, when he caught that little pick, I was like, 'Whoa.'"”
From nobody to All-Pro
Baun arrived from New Orleans as a special teamer and rotational edge rusher. Three seasons in Philly later: two Pro Bowls, an All-Pro nod, a Super Bowl ring.
He leads by example
Campbell shrugged at the idea of explaining him. Baun just does it every single day, and the rest of the room notices.
“"He's an All Pro, man. There ain't really nothing to explain."”
A drive he killed alone
Before the near pick, Baun dropped Jacory Croskey-Merritt with an ankle tackle just as the back was about to burst past the second level.
Then Diggs, then the screen
Two plays later he jumped a throw to Stefon Diggs for a breakup. On the next snap he beat a 324-pound lineman to blow up a screen seven yards behind the line.
Just reading keys
Baun's explanation for three straight game-wrecking plays was almost boring. He saw what he was taught to see and trusted it.
“"I'm reading my keys. Those three plays came up and I had good instincts on them."”
No tape to study
Washington's first-year coordinator David Blough had no film on him. The Eagles went in without a real read on what he would call.
Kingsbury or Ben Johnson?
Blough coached under Kliff Kingsbury but played for Ben Johnson in Detroit, and his scheme leaned Johnson. Johnson's Bears put up 59 points in Week 1. Washington managed 22.
“"It did make it complicated."”
Chased down from behind
Third quarter, third down: Richaad White broke a tackle in the flat and needed one yard. Baun ran him down from nowhere and tripped him up. Washington punted.
Running the show
Cooper DeJean called him the reason the defense has an identity, and the reason nobody in that huddle is surprised anymore.
“"He's in the middle of our defense running the show. He sees things really fast and makes a lot of plays."”
The takeaway
When you cannot scout the opponent's playbook, fundamentals and fast eyes still win the game.
