The Washington Redskins are off to a surprising 2-1 start and a lot of their early success can be attributed to the play of rookie linebacker Ryan Kerrigan.
The NFL announced Thursday that Kerrigan has been named the league's Defensive Rookie of the Month for September, becoming the first Redskin to win the award since Chris Horton in September 2008.
Kerrigan, a first-round draft pick out of Purdue University, registered five tackles and returned an interception for the go-ahead touchdown in the Redskins' season-opening win over the New York Giants and finished the month with 13 tackles (five solo), five quarterback pressures, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, two passes defensed and one interception.
In Washington's Week 2 win over the Arizona Cardinals, Kerrigan recorded his first sack of his career and tipped a Kevin Kolb pass that was then intercepted by linebacker London Fletcher.
Kerrigan totaled 210 tackles, including 57 for loss, 33.5 sacks, 14 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, one interception and seven passes defensed in his four-year career at Purdue. His 14 forced fumbles tied the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision record.
