Just my opinion

[Eaglebreath]

The Eagles defense is simply not good enough, and I don't think adding Leonard is going to help enough. We kind of saw this last year in the Super Bowl, when KC scored consecutive TDs on every drive in the second half. Against the 49ers, they gave up 6, SIX! consecutive TD drives. I honestly can't remember that ever happening since I've been a fan. Not even in a down year.

The schedulers didn't do them any favors, obviously. And, after playing the 9ers, who had 10 days to prepare, we go to Dallas, who have 10 days to prepare, and I don't expect the defense to suddenly make a turnaround at this point. One thing I will say though is that it's really hard to beat a good team 3 times in a row, so I would prefer to take a loss now, instead of in the playoffs. But, with this defense? I'm curbing my Super Bowl enthusiasm.

So, what is the problem? The defensive line certainly isn't. But, then you have everything else. I don't know where to start. There's a lot of trash in the back 7. I hate to say that, but it is what it is. The LBers are pedestrian. Someone's made comments about how the team doesn't value the position. They don't. Dean looks like a whiff. Morrow and Cunningham aren't great. Ellis is a special teamer. Reed Blankenship is a complete liability in coverage. I like his physicality, but nowadays in the NFL safeties need to cover. He is not good. Maybe Sydney Brown develops, maybe not. But it's a big problem. They have one decent corner, in Slay, who is beginning to show his age too. Bradberry has not been good all season. I wouldn't say he's trash like Samuel did, but he's not playing well. It's just a hot mess in the back 7. I've said it before, this is not a Super Bowl caliber defense.

The offense is loaded, Hurts is football Jesus, but they are going to have to make a major investment in the defense going forward. I appreciate that Howie has done everything he possibly could to fill in the holes in the bucket, but it really looks to me like the entire back 7 needs a rebuild.

I hope I'm wrong, but it's going to be really difficult, borderline impossible, to win the chip with this defense.

[NoDakIggle]

I agree with the sentiment in your post EB. I’ve said previously the O has to outscore opponents because the D is going to give up points. Usually not to the extent SF scored though.
I’d offer up two things. First, while Hurts is top of the line I think he has games where he goes AWOL. Last week there were open receivers that he just didn’t react to. Maybe SF had him confused and he couldn’t react fast enough but Hurts didn’t play at a high level last week.
Second, I think one or two real good players in the backend will fix the D. I really think they miss CJG. Blakenship is fine as the second safety but he will never be a superstar. Get a guy who can do multiple things at safety. And yes Slay/Bradbury are good but not great this year. I think both have peaked. I don’t think they can count on Maddox being a fixture. Maybe Ringo develops but the birds need to hit on a corner in the draft. I think other teams were right in passing over Dean. He will get another shot but I don’t think they can count on him.
LB, CB, or safety. Somewhere in those positions they need two real good players to fix the D.

[Eaglebreath]

I don't know if just two players would fix it long term. The entire back 7 is questionable at this point. Other than Slay, who is a bit of a question mark himself at this point, they could blow the entire LB unit, and secondary up. It's that bad.

[musicman]

we need to run the fucking football, control the game and then see what the defense and the addition of Leonard looks like. Our best team football is when the offense hitches up their big boy pants and allows the line to impose their will. We still control our destiny to the HFA. Just watched Comcast Sportsnet and we had some terrible breakdowns on the SF big plays. They are things that can be fixed, but I will say that if SF plays like that, nobody in the NFL can beat them. That was a clinic on Sunday.

[Eaglebreath]

we need to run the fucking football, control the game and then see what the defense and the addition of Leonard looks like. Our best team football is when the offense hitches up their big boy pants and allows the line to impose their will. We still control our destiny to the HFA. Just watched Comcast Sportsnet and we had some terrible breakdowns on the SF big plays. They are things that can be fixed, but I will say that if SF plays like that, nobody in the NFL can beat them. That was a clinic on Sunday.

Totally agree. To me that kind of falls on Brian Johnson, the guy who is installing the offense, and calling the plays. I also think that Hurts knee issues, and the desire to keep him healthy, have altered their approach to rushing a bit as far as the scheme is concerned. But yea, the defense is suspect, at best, and a sieve at worst. If they can run the ball effectively, and control the game, that would certainly help. There have been games where they have gotten Swift going. They should try and do better there. They also need to be effective in the red zone. Those opening drives against SF that resulted in FGs really hurt them.

I don't think there's any doubt right now that SF is the best team in the league. But there is still a lot of football to be played, so we'll see. Biggest thing is still staying healthy. I don't think the Eagles have been as healthy as SF was last week all year, plus they had 10 days rest.

[musicman]

We have the worst statistical defense in the NFL the past 6 weeks. I wonder how that coincides with the running attack or lack of. I remember how we weren’t running the ball well because Jurgens was out. We aren’t running the ball period. This offense feeds off the running attack and the defense is better when they aren’t on the field for 90 plays

[andrewaters]

Generally I agree. My issue though is if we are going to NOT blitz we better cover better. And if we are not going to cover better, we better blitz and get more pressure. When we did blitz last week it was predictable and not effective. I saw a corner blitz and a blitz by Morrow that were a click or two too late. All the blitz did was run the guy out of coverage.

We definitely need to be in the 5 man front a lot more and be willing to drop Reddick, Smith, Sweat, and maybe even Carter into coverage to disguise what we are doing. Not a lot... but sometimes. We need to be walking different players up to the LOS. We need to not be following presnap motion all the way across the LOS when we are in man and be willing to pass a player like Aiyuk and Samuel from one CB to another. We were just way too predictable.

And then you better tackle better too. Morrow was not just bad in coverage he was a terrible tackler.

I'm not willing to say the 49ers game was a one-off because let's be honest we looked bad against the Bills too. But we did slow down the Chiefs and the Dolphins.

Better back 7 personnel will help some. Cunningham and Leonard are way better than Ellis and Morrow.

An on offense, Hurts played poorly guys. The 49ers kept him in the pocket and maintained their rush lanes. That is a great recipe against him. Mainly because, they have high level LBs that can run, cover, and get to Hurts when he does break the pocket.

It is a week-to-week league and this is fixable. However, my prediction is the Cowboys go up and down the field on us too and the fanbase panics a little more.

[Eaglebreath]

However, my prediction is the Cowboys go up and down the field on us too and the fanbase panics a little more.

I hate to agree with this, but I do. I don't think they can stop Dallas' offense, and they have had 10 days to prepare for it. I'm feeling another loss here, but in a way that's OK. Like I said before, it's really hard to beat a good team three times in a row. Afterwards, I think they right the ship, and win out. Dallas, on the other hand has a few tough games to get through, and I don't think they're going to run the table.

[andrewaters]

EB... I agree with you. Last year the Birds went 14-3. That is where I think we end up again and that's OK. 14-3 should be the goal because 14-3 still wins the division.

And... 14-3 might still win the one seed. The 49ers have to play 5 more games. Any given sunday is still a thing. They could very easily lose one of their last 5 games and end up 13-4. And at that point it doesn't matter if they beat us, we still are the one seed.

This is fixable guys. Nakobe Dean looked good when he was healthy. We need him back. We need Zach Cunningham back. We need Leonard to be good... not great. We need Morrow and Ellis to be special teamers.

The secondary wasn't the issue. It was the middle of the field and our LBs.

[NoDakIggle]

I’ll agree they need Dean and Cunningham back but I certainly don’t believe they are a good LB team. They are serviceable LBs. Dean will never have an NFL career like his college career. And I don’t believe the secondary is good by any means. They REALLY need a slot corner.
I don’t believe you can pay stars everywhere. CJG wanted to be paid; That is why the let him go and it is showing. He was a guy who could go in and help out the slot; although he isn’t having the year he had with the Eagles. If he is on the Eagles where there is better talent maybe he has another good season. Bottom line for me is that the back seven (or six) need two upgrades. A slot corner and big time LB or safety. That will make the others better. If you can upgrade more then great. But two upgrade are definitely needed in the off season.
This is a topic for the off season however. Right now the offense has to produce better because the D can’t sustain the pace they are on. That means what some call ‘the best OL in the league’ needs to impose their will on teams and Sirianni needs to impose his will on Johnson to commit to the run. That will in turn open up one of the better WR tandems in the league.

[Eaglebreath]

I don't think it's fixable this year. I was hoping that Roby and Byard would make a difference, but it doesn't seem like it's helped much. The secondary is an issue. It's a big part of the problem, and not just the slot CB position. With a solid defensive line rotation, you aren't the worst defense in the league without some serious issues in the back seven. Now, granted, they have played a gauntlet of very good offensive teams, but still. Maybe they improve a bit. Leonard might help. Roby and Byard might get more comfortable. There is some hope for improvement.

But, the offense is going to have to win the day. Getting that run game going would help. And, it is getting colder. Speaking of running the ball, what happened to Rashaad Penny? Do we need to put his picture on a milk carton?

[ThoughtProcess]

Effectively running the ball helps the defense, certainly. While I appreciate Gainwell's blocking and catching ability, should that preclude Penny from seeing the field at all? So what if the opponent knows a run is coming with Penny back there. Just hammer them and make them stop him.

As for the defensive backs and linebackers....that will take more than a shift in in-game strategy to fix. Some FA signings and draft picks are needed. Perhaps more tweaking of the whole Vic Fangio scheme to better suit the talent (or lack thereof, as it stands now)

[ThoughtProcess]

By Reuben Frank--

Maybe Sydney Brown will develop into a starting safety. Maybe Kelee Ringo and Eli Ricks can replace James Bradberry and Darius Slay. Maybe Nakobe Dean in Year 3 will live up to expectations. Maybe Christian Elliss can grow into a consistent starting linebacker.

A lot of questions, but the reality is when it comes to the future of the Eagles’ back seven, the Eagles don’t have a lot of answers.

And that’s the scariest part of what we’ve seen lately.

Over the past six weeks, the Eagles statistically have the worst defense in the NFL.

Since they shut down the Dolphins in Week 7, they’re allowing 29 points per game, 435 total yards per game, 306 passing yards per game and 4.8 yards per rushing attempt. They’re last or next-to-last in each of those categories since Week 8.

The Eagles are only the fifth team in NFL history to allow 2,000 net yards, 1,500 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns and 4.8 yards per carry in any five-game span.

They’re one of only seven teams in history to allow 27 or more TD passes while recording six or fewer interceptions through 12 games.

And there are no easy fixes on the horizon.

The Eagles are loaded with young talent up front. Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis have faded a little bit under the weight of too many snaps the last few weeks, but both have been very good this year and both will be studs for years to come. Josh Sweat is still only 26 and Milton Williams is 24.

But what about the back seven? What does the future look like in the secondary and linebacker?

The 42-19 loss to the 49ers only brought to the fore issues that have been bubbling beneath the surface for a while now.

It’s scary. And Howie Roseman has a lot of work to do.

Reed Blankenship is a very good young safety, and he’s the one guy in the back seven you feel really good about when you look at the future.

But who else gives you confidence they can one day be starters?

And what makes this especially concerning is that Darius Slay and James Bradberry are both in their 30s and aren’t the players they used to be. Bradley Roby and Kevin Byard are better than the alternatives, but Roby is 31 and Byard is 30 and neither is signed beyond this year and it’s not like they’re playing at a Pro Bowl level. The Eagles added former all-pro Shaq Leonard on Monday, but he’s coming off back surgery, was benched and released by the Colts and doesn’t appear to be the player he once was.

And Roby, Byard, Morrow, Cunningham and Leonard are all unsigned beyond this year and all are older veterans so it’s not like any of them are long-term answers.

There’s plenty of young firepower on offense.

A.J. Brown is 26, Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith are 25, Cam Jurgens is 24, Landon Dickerson is 25, D’Andre Swift is 24. All but Swift are signed at least through next year.

But in the back seven?

Where are the future stars?

Or forget stars. Where are the future starters?

Roseman has done a remarkable job building two Super Bowl teams in a six-year span and stocking the roster with enough talent to get the Eagles to 10-2 on the heels of 14-3 and a Super Bowl appearance.

But his drafting when it comes to defensive backs and linebackers in recent years hasn’t been great, and although he’s had some success acquiring stop-gap veterans off the street and in trades, that’s not the ideal way to build for the long haul.

And as much as I agree with the general philosophy of building from the two lines out, I wonder if Roseman has done that too much, at the expense of the defensive backfield and linebacker.

Maybe that’s a knee-jerk reaction after an ugly loss to the 49ers, but when you look at the back seven and the nearly complete absence of promising young talent, it seems fair.

Here are the Eagles’ linebackers and defensive backs 26 or under who have played on defense this year along with their snap counts:

681 … Reed Blankenship
296 … Terrell Edmunds
219 … Josh Jobe
182 … Nakobe Dean
173 … Sydney Brown
149 … Eli Ricks
119 … Christian Ellis
83 … Nolan Smith
70 … Mario Goodrich
27 … Mekhi Garner
17 … Josiah Scott
1 … Kelee Ringo

Realistically, who on that list other than Blankenship could you one day see being an above average starter? Maybe Dean, although we haven’t seen it yet. Possibly Brown, although his snaps keep going down. Jobe is an outstanding special teamer but that's probably it. Isaiah Rodgers will be 26 next year when he’s presumably allowed to return from his suspension. Rodgers had three interceptions for the Colts in 2021 at 23 years old so maybe he can help.

But none of these guys are sure things.

The Eagles need play-making linebackers who can change a game. They need young corners who can run and tackle and young safeties who can cover and hit.

The last Pro Bowl linebacker the Eagles drafted was Trott, the last Pro Bowl corner they drafted was Lito and the last Pro Bowl safety they drafted was Michael Lewis.

There’s a lot to like about this team. They’re still 10-2, they still have one of the NFL’s most electrifying offenses, they still have the best record in the NFL and they still have a realistic chance to get to 14 wins.

But there are deficiencies and concerns on defense. They’ve been there for a while, but they were all on full display on Sunday, and there are no easy fixes.

[Eagle60]

If you are talking about winning the division the Sunday game is a must win. I'm not sure why everybody thinks that we will necessarily win out after the Dallas game. We have a very good team but we are not the best in the league. It takes a lot of luck to win the Super Bowl and we have a chance at that I suppose. December is the time to get hot so let's see what happens. Go Eagles!

[Eaglebreath]

Rube is spot on. The Super Bowl meltdown in the 2nd half was a shot across the bow that everyone missed.