Sonny Styles intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown to help the Washington Commanders beat the Seattle Seahawks, a play that confirmed his rapid rise in the NFL. The rookie linebacker, drafted seventh overall, has already made three turnovers this season, including a sack in the opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. His performance earned him the NFC Defensive Player of the Week award for Week 3.
Commanders defensive coordinator Daronte Jones expressed surprise at how quickly Styles has adapted to the professional game. “He’s a little ahead of schedule, if I’m being honest with you,” Jones said. “He’s ahead of schedule, which is not really surprising based off of if you got to know him in the offseason in terms of the draft process and you kind of see how cerebral he is and how serious he is, how mature he is in terms of how he takes the craft.” Jones added that many young players don’t fully respect their craft until a few years into their careers, but Styles entered the league with a professional mindset that has shortened his learning curve.
The Commanders’ defense gave up 31 points against the Seahawks but forced three turnovers, including Styles’s interception return for a touchdown. Those takeaways were vital to Washington’s victory. Styles joins a small group of rookies with both an interception and a sack in the first three weeks of the NFL season.
Washington will count on Styles again Sunday when they face the Indianapolis Colts in London. Both teams are 1-2 after securing their first wins in Week 3. The Commanders’ defense will need to maintain pressure as they try to build on Styles’s early impact and stay competitive in the playoff race.
According to Yahoo Sports.
