Eagles Need Better D

Posted: September 28th, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 36 Comments »

The Eagles might be 3-0, but if you just looked at the defensive stats you would expect the team to be 0-3. The numbers are not good.

Put the numbers aside and judge some individual situations. You will see the defense making some key stops and even coming up with key takeaways. Andrew Luck got the ball back in a tie game with 3 minutes left and had to punt. Last week the Skins got the ball almost in FG range needing only 3 points to tie and they couldn’t gain a yard. Malcolm Jenkins has key 2nd half picks in each of the last 2 games.

What is wrong with the defense in the 1st half?

I don’t see one thing that needs to be fixed. Cary Williams was awful in the 1st half against the Jags and that hurt the overall team. All it takes is one guy breaking down and you’ve got problems. The pass defense was much better in Indy, but the Colts ran the ball behind their unbalanced look and ate the Eagles up. Last week Bradley Fletcher was the player who got attacked over and over.

The biggest problem against the Skins was the failure to get them into 3rd/long. Kirk Cousins and Washington had manageable 3rd downs and were able to convert those over and over and over. The Skins stayed on the field. I don’t know that they physically wore down the Eagles because the defense played better as the game went on. There is no question that the defense got frustrated and that had to affect them mentally and emotionally.

Can the good moments become good games? Can the defense eliminate the sloppy play and get into a groove?

That’s what happened last year. Starting on October 6, the Eagles held 9 straight opponents to 21 points or less. There was no magical flick of a switch. The coaching was better. The players executed better. Players got into a comfort zone with their roles and each other.

The scheme isn’t new this year so expectations were higher. There wouldn’t be a learning curve. So what’s the deal?

I wish I had an answer for you.

I do think this defense can play better. Getting Mychal Kendricks back will help a lot. He is a key playmaker. Young defenders like Beau Allen and Brandon Bair are still adjusting to real games. The coaches need to find a way to get Nolan Carroll on the field more. The defense can be quite a bit better if they just eliminate mistakes. Think of all the times the defense jumped offside in Indy. They gave away 1st downs. Bradley Fletcher played too soft on a FB in the Red Zone. That’s just a sloppy mistake and easy TD. Nate Allen made a simple mistake against the run in Indy and gave up a 28-yard run. There were the short TD passes to RBs on play-action passes in Indy. Bill Davis says they have corrected those mistakes. Fletcher Cox had a crucial hands-to-the-face penalty last week that took the Skins from 3rd/long to 1st down. That extended a TD drive and might have cost the team 4 points.

The Eagles do not have great defensive talent, but they should be better than they are right now. Davis and the staff need to figure some things out. The players need to play with better discipline. The talent isn’t going to change until the offseason so improvement for now is all about better execution. And that is possible.

* * * * *

Here are your inactives.

No surprises.

The backup OL are Andrew Gardner and Wade Smith. Let’s hope they aren’t needed.

Marcus Smith will see some more time in the Nickel defense. He had a couple of good moments last week. Would be great to see him take another step forward this week.

_

36 Comments on “Eagles Need Better D”

  1. 1 Anders said at 3:19 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    I would love if Smith shows some good things from the ILB spot again.

  2. 2 the midatlantic said at 3:21 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    “Young defenders like Beau Allen and Brandon Bair”

    Well, Bair is young for the Phillies…

  3. 3 SteveH said at 3:24 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Defense has started as slow as the offense this year, if we can figure out how to start games I think our stats will improve.

  4. 4 BlindChow said at 3:35 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Alex Henery Update: hit a 51-yard FG earlier for Detroit, but just missed a 52-yarder.

  5. 5 wee2424 said at 3:52 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Didnt realize he was in detroit. How has he been doing this season so far?

  6. 6 BC1968 said at 4:12 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    I’m pretty sure that’s how he’s been doing cause he was just signed and those were his two kicks. Not positive though.

  7. 7 BlindChow said at 4:34 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    This was his first game. Signed this week.

  8. 8 wee2424 said at 3:46 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Everyone ready for another heart attack or anxiety attack?

  9. 9 Dragon_Eagle said at 4:08 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    My cardiologist told me the Eagles will be the death of me. I just looked him in the eye and said, “Yep.”

  10. 10 GEAGLE said at 4:19 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Be easy… 4-0 here we come

  11. 11 jshort said at 4:13 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Since the time i passed out screaming at the TV, try to keep as calm as possible. Hard to do!

  12. 12 GEAGLE said at 4:18 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Hate road games when I have to watch games from my house.. I start screaming and Flipping put and my dogs go crazy .

  13. 13 GEAGLE said at 4:16 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Only numbers that matter:
    ..
    1) points scored. This needs to improve. Have to keep teams under 24
    ..
    2)’3rd down conversions.. This hasn’t been good in first half, but we showing a lot of improvement on 3rd down in the second half of games
    …
    3) Turnovers…considering we have the longest active streak of games in a row with a turnover, it’s tough to complain especially when our turnovers come at clutch times,.
    …
    Overall, defense has to improve. And it’s going to improve over the course of the season, but right now as rough as the games are, defense has done it’s part in the 3 wins..
    …
    1) there is no comeback if we didn’t shut out Jags in second half.
    ..
    2) really good game against Luck, holding him under 200, shutting him down 3 and out, in the clutch with the game hanging in the balance..
    …
    3) tightened up in second hall didmt let cousins convert on 3rd down..dropped his completion rate to like 10 of 23
    ….
    It hasn’t been pretty. But when the dense needed to step up, it has answered the bell every time and done it’s part in all 3 wins
    .,
    Fans will be pleasantly surprised by the level of this defense in December. Like last Year, we will peak at the right time!

  14. 14 GEAGLE said at 4:16 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Start this damn game

  15. 15 BC1968 said at 4:17 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Why am I watching the Steelers still? Are they waiting?

  16. 16 GEAGLE said at 4:18 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    I have the same problem 4:25 start

  17. 17 BC1968 said at 4:19 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Ok I thought it was 4:15

  18. 18 Joe Lawrence said at 4:21 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Yowza.

  19. 19 BC1968 said at 4:21 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    lol choke job

  20. 20 GEAGLE said at 4:21 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Glennon won the game for Tampa.. Been saying all season that those idiots needed to play Glennon… Kid can play

  21. 21 Corry said at 4:21 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    He was helped by Brad Wing shanking a punt.

  22. 22 GEAGLE said at 4:22 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    I see some Nick FOles in the kid

  23. 23 BC1968 said at 4:23 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Steelers defense is awful

  24. 24 Corry said at 4:24 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Yup. And they ain’t getting any younger either.

  25. 25 GEAGLE said at 4:24 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Surprised Jaylen Watkins is innactive considering the 5 WR looks the Niners were using last week… I know Malcolm would pick up the 5th WR, but we need an emergency CB

  26. 26 Corry said at 4:25 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Ok that’s game. Time to go to the Philly game Fox. Let’s go…like let’s go 10 minutes ago.

  27. 27 BC1968 said at 4:25 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    We get the ball first.

  28. 28 GEAGLE said at 4:26 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Fuck we get the ball first.. We been winning getting ball at halftime

  29. 29 BC1968 said at 4:26 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    It’s a nice change to get started on offense and get this thing rolling. Last week we were on the sideline the whole quarter.

  30. 30 GEAGLE said at 4:27 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Prefer the ball at halftime

  31. 31 GEAGLE said at 4:26 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Bomb..Go deep

  32. 32 BC1968 said at 4:27 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Is Tommy sleeping? Where’s our official thread

  33. 33 BC1968 said at 4:28 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    First down I think

  34. 34 BC1968 said at 4:29 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    He’s challenging the spot. I don’t blame him

  35. 35 Corry said at 4:29 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    Thread is up guys. http://igglesblitz.com/2014/09/1st-half-phi-at-sf/

  36. 36 Erik Richardson said at 9:56 PM on September 28th, 2014:

    The Eagles need better CB’s. They need a younger ILB to replace Ryans. They need their depth on defense to show up during games. Carroll? Has been silent. The LB depth is all injured and unproven. Should have upgraded the Rush OLB position to bolster the starters as well.