The Carolina Panthers had rolled to a 17-point halftime lead Sunday and you wondered whether defensive coordinator Sean McDermott might ease up a bit and let the defense coast home in the second half against a bad Washington team.
Carolina had coughed up a 17-point, second-half lead to Indianapolis on Nov. 2 and nearly blew a 23-point lead to Green Bay a week later.
But instead of sitting back in zone coverage on the first play of the second half, McDermott sent Bené Benwikere on a blitz, and the second-year cornerback proceed to sack Kirk Cousins, strip him of the ball and recover it at the Washington 11.