Defensive end Andre Carter had 10.5 sacks last season, more than twice as many as any teammate. So when Washington acquired NFL active sacks leader Jason Taylor in July, the sky seemed the limit. After all, if left end Taylor were double-teamed, Carter should be free to swoop in from the right end.
That hasn’t worked out as planned. After spraining a knee in August, Taylor had emergency calf surgery in September and a follow-up procedure in October. He has posted just one sack. Meanwhile, Carter has three sacks — far below his career average of one every other game and half a sack behind team leader Demetric Evans.
“You’d like him to have more sacks, but fundamentally Andre has played extremely well,” defensive line coach John Palermo said. “He’s been close so many times, but it’s like anything else in life — close doesn’t matter. You gotta make the play.”
The 6-foot-4, 252-pound veteran leads the Redskins with 12 hurries, three more than Evans has. Last season, Carter had 19 hurries. He had 21 in 2006, when he had six sacks.
“This is a production business, so I would like to have more sacks, but I feel like I’m playing my butt off,” Carter said. “I’m there — but a split second late. It’s that split second. That’s all I need. From a technique aspect, when I watch film of myself it’s by far the best I’ve seen it in my career. It may not show in the stat box, but the film doesn’t lie. I’m playing hard. I’m doing my best to get off blocks. That’s all I can do.”
After partially tearing the plantar fascia in his right foot Nov. 23 at Seattle, Carter missed practice all last week. But with tackles Cornelius Griffin and Kedric Golston also hurting, Carter wasn’t going to miss the rematch with the NFC East-leading New York Giants. He took a pain-numbing shot before the game and another at halftime; he played 30 snaps and posted his third sack.
“I felt like I needed to play,” said Carter, who hasn’t missed a game since 2004 and until last week hadn’t missed a start since Week 2 of 2005. “It was a very important game against a division opponent. We’re pretty banged-up on the defensive line, and I had to help somehow. I was on pins and needles the whole week about whether I was going to play. My wife was telling me I shouldn’t, but I was like, ’Babe, I need to. This is what we do.’”
Carter said since he couldn’t practice last week — he returned to limited duty Friday, so there’s less doubt about his availability Sunday at Baltimore — he spent extra time in the film room. Taylor, who suffered the same injury last December and didn’t miss a game, suggested Carter gradually increase his workload to avoid a setback.
Carter’s effort against the Giants validated what defensive coordinator Greg Blache, his position coach the past two years, always believed about his reputation as a pass-rush specialist who faltered in run defense.
“Last week, everyone got to see what we already [knew],” Blache said. “He’s always been a warrior. I don’t think he’s changed. I think people’s perception of Andre has changed. He’s always been a complete player. That’s why, when he was available [in free agency in 2006], he was one of the guys we targeted. We felt like he could come in and rush the passer but also play the run.”
Perhaps Carter’s sack last week will start something. He had just two sacks in his first 11 games for Washington, but after he recorded one in Week 12 of 2006, he had 12 more in his next 16 games.
“It’s hard to say what the difference is between this year and last year,” he said. “That’s one thing I try not to focus on. Every year is going to be different. I’ve just got to keep grinding and eventually they will come.”
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