All things considered, Panthers defensive coordinator Eric Washington liked the way his defense played in Sunday’s 23-17 loss to Washington. Three sacks, five quarterback hurries and five tackles for a loss are tough to ignore on a stat sheet, and he credited the Panthers’ pass coverage for successes rushing the passer.
Washington only averaged 4.5 yards per attempt through the air, but its longest play of the game — a 22-yard touchdown pass from Alex Smith to Vernon Davis in the first quarter — remains in the first-year coordinator’s mind, even as the team prepares to face Philadelphia this weekend.