When Jeremiah Washburn, a career offensive line coach, switched to coaching the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive ends and outside linebackers in 2022, he brought a rare perspective that transformed the team’s pass rush into one of the NFL’s most dominant units. Without relying on blitzes, his four-man rush racked up six sacks against Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LIX, leading the Eagles to a 40-22 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs. Washburn’s blueprint—rooted in an offensive lineman’s mindset, precise data, and selfless group rushing—offers a masterclass for coaches aiming to collapse pockets and disrupt quarterbacks. Here’s how he does it.
From O-Line to D-Line: A Game-Changing Perspective
Washburn’s journey as a guard at Arkansas (1997–99), followed by stints coaching offensive lines for teams like the Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears, gave him an intimate understanding of blocking schemes. In 2019, Eagles GM Howie Roseman saw potential in flipping Washburn to defense, betting that an O-line coach could teach edge rushers to exploit blockers’ weaknesses. “Howie sold me on it,” Washburn said. “He made me believe in it.”
The result? A pass rush that doesn’t need exotic pressures. Washburn’s offensive lens lets him reverse-engineer protections, pinpointing vulnerabilities he once taught linemen to avoid. “I still coach the D-line like an O-line coach,” he says, blending technical precision with a predator’s instinct for weak spots.
The Launch Point: Where It All Begins
Washburn’s pass rush starts with one non-negotiable: the quarterback’s launch point. “If you don’t rush where the quarterback is, you’re wasting reps,” he says. “Rush where they are, not where they ain’t.”
Using heat maps and film study, Washburn shows his players weekly data on:
- Where the quarterback sets up in the pocket.
- Escape tendencies under pressure.
- How protections shift based on formation or down-and-distance.
This isn’t guesswork—it’s surgical. In Super Bowl LIX, the Eagles’ four-man rush overwhelmed Chiefs tackles Juwaan Taylor and Joe Thuney, sacking Mahomes six times without a single blitz. Creative stunts and edge rushers looping inside created free paths, forcing holding calls and trapping Mahomes in a collapsing pocket.
The Pillars of Washburn’s Pass Rush
Washburn’s system isn’t about flashy schemes—it’s about mastering four key principles, echoing the “elegant simplicity” Noah Riley champions in offensive design:
- Launch Point Precision: Every rush targets the quarterback’s preferred spot. Heat maps guide rushers to collapse the pocket where it hurts most, similar to Andy Merfeld’s focus on efficient blitz paths.
- Cross-Training Advantage: Washburn’s O-line background sharpens his teaching. He knows blockers’ techniques and weaknesses, letting him coach rushers to exploit leverage and timing, much like Dan Quinn’s emphasis on clarity in leadership.
- Tailored Rush Plans: No one-size-fits-all approach. Washburn builds individual toolboxes for each rusher—Josh Sweat’s speed, Haason Reddick’s power, Nolan Smith’s agility—based on body type and matchup, akin to Dale Carlson’s quarterback-specific RPO reads.
- Group Rush Choreography: “It’s like a fast-break in basketball or an odd-man rush in hockey,” Washburn says, crediting co-coach Tracey Rocker. Rushers move as a unit, balancing one-on-ones and complementary angles to trap quarterbacks. This selflessness led to 70 sacks in 2023, third-most in NFL history.
Washburn’s “group rush culture” thrives on ego-free play. “Our guys want sacks, but they care more about wins,” he says. In 2023, four Eagles—Reddick (16), Sweat (11), Brandon Graham (11), and Javon Hargrave (11)—hit double-digit sacks, a first in NFL history.
Super Bowl Proof
In Super Bowl LIX, Washburn’s rushers dominated without blitzing, a testament to coordinator Vic Fangio’s trust in the four-man front. “We didn’t plan not to blitz,” Washburn said. “It just worked out that way.” The Eagles’ relentless pressure forced Mahomes into rushed throws, with Sweat (2.5 sacks) and Smith (4 postseason sacks, an Eagles record) leading the charge.
This mirrors Washburn’s 2023 season, when the Eagles’ 70 sacks included a five-sack game against the Jets and seven against the Saints. Strong coverage from corners like Darius Slay and James Bradberry gave rushers extra time to finish, proving Washburn’s point: “If the quarterback holds it a click, our guys are closing.”
Why It Works
Washburn’s dual perspective—offense and defense—eliminates blind spots. His data-driven approach, like Brian Sheehan’s clock management charts, ensures no rep is wasted. His emphasis on group rushing fosters the same player-led accountability Dan Quinn built in Washington. And his tailored coaching, like Dennis Long’s leadership-driven snapping drills, unlocks individual potential within a cohesive unit.
Takeaways for Coaches
Want to elevate your pass rush? Steal these from Washburn:
- Use film and heat maps to target the quarterback’s launch point.
- Cross-train coaches or study the opponent’s perspective to spot weaknesses.
- Build rush plans around each player’s strengths, not generic moves.
- Teach group rushing as a coordinated attack, not a free-for-all.
- Keep schemes simple but precise, letting talent and execution shine.
Washburn’s blueprint proves that seeing the game from both sides of the line creates an unstoppable edge. As he puts it, “Every coach has blind spots. When you’ve coached both trenches, you see the whole picture.”
Level up your pass rush by learning how blockers think—then exploit it.
See also Jeremiah Washburn – Developing Disruptive Edge Rushers
