January 09, 2024
With Philadelphians already dreading Monday night in Tampa, I'm assessing my confidence in every Eagles positional group. There will be three grades: green light (🟢) for confident, yellow light (🟡) for somewhat confident and red light (🔴) for not confident.Â
On Monday, I handled the offense. It's time to take stock of the defense. Shocker: it's not looking good...
The Eagles have four Pro Bowl veterans along their defensive line: Haason Reddick, Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox and Josh Sweat. One of those had a Defensive Player of the Year-worthy season in 2022. Two are franchise linchpins who've played more games in an Eagles uniform than any other defensive player in team history. The other one, coming into 2023, was perhaps the most underrated pass rusher in the NFL.
The Eagles have three first-round picks from the last two drafts who played on the greatest college football defense of all time: Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith. Davis should be able to shape the run defense on his own. Carter looked to be the early season favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Smith could be a speedy rotation player to spell the vets.
Even with all the money and resources poured into those premier players, the Eagles finished tied for 19th in sacks this year with 43. They had 70 last season, which is tied for the third most in a single season by a team ever.
Unacceptable. It's just unacceptable.
The scheme has been a disaster from Sean Desai's woes down to Matt Patricia's rocket scientist collapse. That is undeniable. Even with a defensive gameplan that an average CYO coach in the Delaware Valley could outsmart, based on sheer talent alone, this unit had to be better this season.Â
Where is the accountability? Where is the leadership from two of the greatest Eagles of all time?Â
For more than two decades, the Eagles have constructed their roster around their defensive line and it's brought proven results. When that unit fails, in both the run D and the pass rush, everything crumbles.Â
If all else fails, the Eagles should be able to rely on their defensive front. That hasn't worked this season and it would be foolish to give these guys the benefit of the doubt at this point with the disappointing concrete results and the schematic limitations.
Confidence: 🔴
What needs to be said about the most perennially maligned positional group in Philadelphia sports? The Eagles are getting torched in the middle of the field over and over again. Opposing play-callers should dial up crossing routes and slants all game long and cruise to an easy 35-point day.Â
It's a trickle down effect from the defensive line's struggles, too. When the interior D-line isn't up to par in the run game, they're going to get trucked at the second level of the D.
Confidence: 🔴🔴
Darius Slay has missed the last four games after getting arthroscopic knee surgery heading into the Eagles' Week 15 matchup with the Seahawks. Fourth-round rookie Kelee Ringo has filled in valiantly, but is probably not up to the task at this point against a talented Tampa Bay wide receiver group that includes future Hall of Famer Mike Evans and the ever-reliable Chris Godwin.Â
When healthy, Slay had not been quite the cornerback he was in his previous two seasons in midnight green, but he was unquestionably the team's top DB.Â
After picking up a Second-Team All-Pro nod last year, James Bradberry has fallen off a cliff in 2023. The Eagles won't do it, but they may be better rolling the dice with Ringo than watching Bradberry get torn up against the Buccaneers.Â
Coming off yet another lengthy injury stint, slot corner Avonte Maddox returned two weeks ago against Arizona. He played 38 percent of the defense's snaps against the Cardinals and 42 percent against the Giants on Sunday. Maddox is obviously an upgrade from what was out there, but his presence alone hasn't made a difference at this juncture.Â
The safeties? No good. Baker Mayfield could beat them alone on those previously mentioned throws over the middle.
Again, the scheme is doing all of these players no favors, but confidence is certainly low on the back end of this defense.
Confidence: 🔴
The move from Sean Desai, who was not doing well in his role as defensive coordinator, to Matt Patricia will go down as one of the most short-sighted in team history, causing disarray and sinking this defense from mediocrity into a dark abyss.Â
Look at the difference in third/fourth down stats between Desai and Patricia:
Patricia started calling 3rd/4th downs in Week 11, so we have a decent sample of both DCs on those downs.#Eagles 3rd & 4th Down Defense (allowed)
— Deniz Selman (@denizselman33) January 6, 2024
Weeks 1-9 (Desai):
.078 EPA/play (24th), 47.2% success (26th)
Weeks 11-17 (Patricia):
.412 EPA/play (30th), 55.9% success (31st) https://t.co/yfrEt39Ptl
Desai was struggling and appeared a bit in over his head. It was his first year with the organization and he didn't even last the entire season. The rashness of the move has created a domino effect that has cratered this unit.
It's so improbable that this defense can be this bad with the talent along the defensive line. That collection of guys should bump them from "atrocious" to merely "below average."Â
Blame coaching.
Assistant coaches in football are obviously way more important than basketball, baseball and hockey. In trying to recall a coach I had less confidence in than Patricia, the only thing that comes to mind in recent history is Eddie Jordan, who oversaw a dreadful Sixers team in 2010.Â
Congrats, Matt Patricia. You've entered the Eddie Jordan zone.Â
Confidence: 🔴🔴🔴
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