The Joy of Defense

The Eagles have a long tradition of great defense. From the pre-Super Bowl era to Gang Green to the Dawk era to the Super Bowl unit of 2017. Philadelphia has been home to some great players and great coaches. The 2024 unit is shaping up to be one of the best Eagles defenses of all time. Right now they are first in the league in points and yards allowed.

Only two other Eagles defenses have pulled off that feat. The 1949 defense was tops in both categories and helped the Eagles win the NFL title, their second in a row. The 1981 defense was also #1 in both categories. That was the year after the Eagles made their first Super Bowl appearance.

Vic Fangio was hired to fix a defense that finished last year 30th in points and 26th in yards allowed. The hope was that he could get the group into the Top 10 or so and help the team win some tough games. Here is something I wrote in the summer.

There are still questions with the defense. What version of Devin White will we see? Will Huff be a good replacement for Haason Reddick? Will the CBs be as good as expected?

I think the Eagles made a great hire in Fangio. I think they made smart moves in the offseason so that he’s got the talent he needs to win. That said, this defense won’t suddenly be 1991’s Gang Green unit. They still have some issues and will struggle at times. Still, they won’t be Charmin-soft like last year and they should do a much better job in coverage with all the changes at DB.

With the firepower the Eagles have on offense, this defense needs to be good enough. And I do think that is possible.

Boy is that dated. White is long gone. Huff has been a non-factor. And this defense is playing at a historic level. This performance shows you just how good Fangio is. His playbook isn’t some magical formula. It is about making the right calls at the right times. It is about knowing who to play. It is about player development.

That’s an area where Fangio and his staff have done a great job.

• Nolan Smith
• Jalen Carter
• Jordan Davis
• Milton Williams
• Zack Baun
• Nakobe Dean
• Quinyon Mitchell
• Cooper DeJean

These players are all playing at a high level. Most of them are exceeding expectations. Howie Roseman might have drafted them, but Fangio and his assistants are the ones getting these guys to kick ass every single game.

Nolan Smith was a MENACE on Sunday in a game where he played 95% of the snaps

✅ Pass Rush
✅ Coverage
✅ Run Defense
✅ Fanatical Effort

One of my favorite players to study on this #Eagles defense pic.twitter.com/gl7QQzuRGb

— Fran Duffy (@FDuffyNFL) December 16, 2024

There was a time earlier this season when Smith was talked about as a bust. Fangio kept teaching and Smith kept learning. Now we are seeing player development in action. The light has gone on and Smith is playing well. He’s got 5.5 sacks and 7 TFLs this season. The bust talk is now a distant memory.

What has put this defense over the top is that the players work so well together. They cover gaps in the run game. They rush the passer under control. They cover as a group. This isn’t just 11 talented guys running around wildly.

There are about a dozen examples I could’ve chosen from, but since this one is the closest to a diagram I already had, this gets the honor. The route distribution was so on point and it suffocated some concepts that theoretically should work, but that’s the beauty of well-coached… pic.twitter.com/PC8VjOT4z5

— Honest NFL (@TheHonestNFL) December 16, 2024

The back seven has done a phenomenal job in coverage. They have the physical ability to run with receivers, but they also are disciplined and execute the coverages well. There have been some breakdowns here and there, but that happens to all defenses at times. Since the bye, no QB has thrown for more than 222 yards on this unit. And the Eagles have played with the lead most of the time so teams have needed to throw. They just haven’t been able to do it.

We are used to the Eagles having talented defensive players. This group feels a bit different since they play smart and tackle well. You wouldn’t show Gang Green in defensive clinics. They would see organized chaos from freaky dudes. This defense is a lot more conventional. They are well coached, play as one and execute the calls. This feels like the kind of defense that is made for the postseason.

This defense has beaten mobile QBs, pocket passers, veteran QBs, Super Bowl winners…you name it and they’ve done it. The Eagles have allowed the fewest passing yards in the league. The run defense is darn good as well. They are 7th in yards allowed. Star receivers have struggled against the Eagles.

One of the things I like best about this defense is that they handle adversity well. The Eagles turned the ball over twice on Sunday, giving Pittsburgh short fields. The defense limited them to six points. They’ve had a few injuries to deal with. Backups have stepped up and gotten the job done. There is some drop-off, but the overall unit continues to perform well. And win.

It will be interesting to see what rankings this defense finishes with. They have a legit shot to be finish first in points and yards allowed. That would be special. More importantly, this defense will be judged on how they do in the postseason.

For now, just enjoy watching this group play. There is a lot of young talent on the field so the Eagles have a good chance to keep most of the group together for a few years, but this year feels special. Enjoy it.

The Eagles truly do have a great defense.

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