Demetric Evans stands 6-4, weighs 287 pounds and is an athletic-type defensive end.
This season, and even going back to the latter stages of 2007, Evans has added a critical component to his game--the ability to get into a quarterback's passing lane, jump at the precise moment and bat down passes.
The seventh-year NFL veteran out of Georgia has become the Redskins' "Bat-man."
Evans began to show a knack for knocking down pass attempts during preseason.
In the regular season, Evans did it against Drew Brees and New Orleans in Week 2 and he did it again against Derek Anderson and Cleveland last Sunday at FedExField.
Against the Browns, the entire Redskins defensive line got involved in batting down balls.
Jason Taylor (twice), Kedric Golston and Anthony Montgomery each swatted away passes, in addition to Evans.
That's five tipped balls from an aggressive front that also produced one sack, from Andre Carter.
Remarkably, those tipped balls came against a quarterback who stands 6-6, the Browns' Anderson.
"As a pass rusher, you drive as far as you can," Evans said after the Redskins outslugged the Browns 14-11 to improve to 5-2. "When you reach that point, you get your hands up, and maybe you can make things harder for the quarterback. That's all you can do."
Cleveland trailed the Redskins 14-3 but had a drive going with 5:53 left in the game. The Browns traveled to the Redskins' 3-yard line and faced a key 4th-and-goal situation.
Anderson tried to hook up with wide receiver Braylon Edwards short and over the middle.
Evans got his hands up high and stopped Anderson's effort, in a sequence that really motivated the Washington defense.
"The play was right in front of me," Evans said. "When you get an opportunity like that, you have to make it. And it got our defense fired up, too."
Evans remains a key part of the Redskins' defensive line rotation in 2008 for new position coach John Palermo.
This season, he has posted 11 tackles and four QB pressures. He has started three games as Taylor works through a calf injury.
Last year, Evans produced 32 tackles and one sack, coming against Jon Kitna of the Lions.
Evans may have flashed his ability to defend against passes in the middle of last December.
When the Redskins turned back the Giants 22-10 on Dec. 16 at the Meadowlands last year, Evans was able to get pressure on Eli Manning and had two pass deflections, including one in the fourth quarter when the Giants, the eventual Super Bowl champs, were trying to rally.
Evans does not often make the highlight reels, but he always seems to contribute key plays.
For Evans, being in the right place at the right time is enough to make a difference.
