Rick Gosselin

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The Washington Redskins knew there would be an adjustment period for first-round draft pick Brian Orakpo.

The Redskins were asking him to play a new position – linebacker. He was a defensive end at Texas.

The Redskins also were asking him to play a new side. A weakside pass rusher in college, Orakpo would be moving into heavier traffic on the strong side at Washington.

And the Redskins were asking him to dial up his game. The Lombardi Trophy winner may have seen three quality offensive tackles during the course of a college season. In the NFL, Orakpo would be facing an All-America every week.

There was, in fact, an adjustment period for Orakpo – one game. He made his starting debut in the season opener against the New York Giants but was nearly invisible, with two tackles and no sacks in a 23-17 loss.

But Orakpo was credited with two pressures in his second game against the St. Louis Rams – and has been a force in the pass rush for the Redskins ever since. He picked up his first NFL sack in the third game of the season against Detroit and has collected seven sacks over his last seven games. He also has been credited with 10 pressures.

Only weakside end Andre Carter has more sacks (eight) on the Redskins – and only Carter and Philadelphia's Trent Cole have more sacks than Orakpo in the NFC East. Only Denver's Elvis Dumervil and Pittsburgh Pro Bowler James Harrison have more sacks than Orakpo at linebacker.

Sunday will be one of the rare days in his young career that Orakpo will be more experienced than the player he's facing. With Marc Colombo gone for the season with a broken leg, Doug Free figures to draw his first NFL start at right tackle for the Cowboys.

The pass rush will be the key for the Redskins. The Packers last week and the Broncos in October threw Tony Romo around for five sacks apiece in upsetting the Cowboys. The Redskins drafted Orakpo to throw quarterbacks around. It will be Free's job this weekend to prevent that.