Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell threw his third interception that was returned for a touchdown in three weeks in last week’s 45-15 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
The pick-six was Howell’s fourth of the season.
Miami linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel intercepted Howell’s pass and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown. It would give the Dolphins an insurmountable 17-0 lead with just under one minute remaining in the first quarter.
Here’s the play:
What was Andrew Wylie doing here?pic.twitter.com/6Z7zA5wrW6
— Scott Abraham (@Scott7news) December 3, 2023
This was just a weird play from the snap. Watch right tackle Andrew Wylie. Van Ginkel was clearly ready for this play, and as he explained afterward, there was something he saw Wylie do on film that led to the interception.
“It starts during the week in preparation, and [defensive coordinator] Vic [Fangio] puts in good play calls,” Van Ginkel said. “He does a good job explaining throughout the week what to expect in certain situations. It’s something that was kind of on my radar. When I saw the tackle [Andrew Wylie] kind of do his, he kind of does the same thing on wide receiver screens, so I kind of expected it. When it happened, I couldn’t believe it, and the rest was history.”
We aren’t sure what Van Ginkel saw from Wylie, but it’s clear from his quick reaction he knew what was coming.
Wylie has struggled in his first season as Washington’s right tackle. In addition to Van Ginkel’s interception, he gave Wylie fits coming off the edge, too.
It’s not uncommon for players and coaches to find an advantage during tape study. It goes back to excellent coaching. Those types of details are what Washington has been missing in recent seasons.
