6 minutes ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

Please go listen to the Philly Special podcasts with Sheil Kapadia.  He lays out the issues pretty clearly. 

The Eagles have been an above average defense on 1st and 2nd downs, according to success rate.  (Success rate is when a play does what is expected in terms of yardage.  2 yards on first down isn't a success.  2 yards on 3rd-and-1 is a success.)

They have been abysmal on third down.  Why?  Our pressure and sack rates on those downs are last or near-last in the league.  And it's not because the ball is getting out quickly.  Desai had been doing a good job of mixing coverages.  The secondary had been doing a decent job of getting QBs to their second reads.  The front four just isn't winning their 1v1s.  Or taking the QB down.  Or rushing with discipline.

This defense ONLY works if the front four delivers.  They haven't been.  Maybe they are just tired.  

It’s really weird that we’ve had a rotation at LB and nickel but we have gotten away from rotating our edge rushers. 

I wonder if Desai was just running too much stuff. We saw way too many coverage busts and secondary players looking at each other after big plays. 

Or maybe it actually takes a rocket scientist to call the defense. 

9 minutes ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

Please go listen to the Philly Special podcasts with Sheil Kapadia.  He lays out the issues pretty clearly. 

The Eagles have been an above average defense on 1st and 2nd downs, according to success rate.  (Success rate is when a play does what is expected in terms of yardage.  2 yards on first down isn't a success.  2 yards on 3rd-and-1 is a success.)

They have been abysmal on third down.  Why?  Our pressure and sack rates on those downs are last or near-last in the league.  And it's not because the ball is getting out quickly.  Desai had been doing a good job of mixing coverages.  The secondary had been doing a decent job of getting QBs to their second reads.  The front four just isn't winning their 1v1s.  Or taking the QB down.  Or rushing with discipline.

This defense ONLY works if the front four delivers.  They haven't been.  Maybe they are just tired.  

To the tired point, sweat is already over 600 snaps this year as compared to last year he was under. They really lack the quality depth they had last year. At DT could go hargrave, Cox, suh, Joseph, Davis and Williams. This year you have Carter, Williams, Davis, cox and tui. The depth ain’t nearly as good. I’d argue Williams was playing at a higher level last year. Pass rushing they have sweat, reddick and graham. Graham is solid but not like he was last year.  They frankly don’t have the quality depth they had last year. I also think hargrave pass rush is not a small loss even with Carter. As great as Carter is and how he’s going to be an all pro type player, hargrave is a pro bowler who’s done it for 17 games plus playoffs. 

15 minutes ago, e-a-g-l-e-s eagles! said:

 

Bryce is a true renaissance man. Even speaks Japanese.

1 minute ago, vikas83 said:

The thing which stands out while watching the game is the undisciplined rush by the front 4. The 3rd down conversions almost always come from a QB extending the play it feels like. The front 4 aren't rushing together -- it's everyone for themselves.

This I can agree with, which is why I alluded to the Jim Washburn error.   They were ALL about themselves.  And its why I bristle when I see DL get mad about intentional grounding flags in place of sacks.  They are looking for stats rather than team results.   On the stat sheet a sack vs. an intentional grounding looks different... in the complexion of the game, it works out almost exactly the same.

1 minute ago, ManuManu said:

It’s really weird that we’ve had a rotation at LB and nickel but we have gotten away from rotating our edge rushers. 

I wonder if Desai was just running too much stuff. We saw way too many coverage busts and secondary players looking at each other after big plays. 

Or maybe it actually takes a rocket scientist to call the defense. 

The best scientists are the ones that can take complex ideas and make them simple.   The worst are the ones that take the simple and make it more complex.   

4 minutes ago, ManuManu said:

So are we thinking fired head coach for DC? Eberflus makes sense. Saleh would be nice. 

I'd like Saleh but he doesn't run the Fangio defense. If that's what Nick still wants and if he has final say then I don't think that's going to happen. Plus the timing might not work if we do end up making a run in the playoffs. I doubt he'll be on the street very long.

2 minutes ago, e-a-g-l-e-s eagles! said:

To the tired point, sweat is already over 600 snaps this year as compared to last year he was under. They really lack the quality depth they had last year. At DT could go hargrave, Cox, suh, Joseph, Davis and Williams. This year you have Carter, Williams, Davis, cox and tui. The depth ain’t nearly as good. I’d argue Williams was playing at a higher level last year. Pass rushing they have sweat, reddick and graham. Graham is solid but not like he was last year.  They frankly don’t have the quality depth they had last year. I also think hargrave pass rush is not a small loss even with Carter. As great as Carter is and how he’s going to be an all pro type player, hargrave is a pro bowler who’s done it for 17 games plus playoffs. 

I think the rookie wall is real, and I think based on snaps from last year, Davis, in addition to Carter are both hitting the wall.    They need to find a second wind.

6 minutes ago, ManuManu said:

So are we thinking fired head coach for DC? Eberflus makes sense. Saleh would be nice. 

Eberflus, Saleh and Allen will likely all be on the market. Give the bag to any of them. 

Running a pure 4-3 again just feels right.

Second favorite football moment of the weekend after the obvious:

Andy Reid's Chiefs taking a knee on the NE 9 on 4th down with 35 seconds left on the clock giving the ball back to Belichick Patriots instead of taking the easy insurance points

 

What I remember from Patricia as DC from that Patriots 2017 team was them being 30th in the NFL in pass defense, yet somehow top 5 in points allowed.

If he can have an influence in red zone stops that might be his best contribution.  

1 minute ago, Iggles_Phan said:

I think the rookie wall is real, and I think based on snaps from last year, Davis, in addition to Carter are both hitting the wall.    They need to find a second wind.

Yeah Davis has also never played this many snaps. Got hurt last year and really was a backup once they got Joseph. And he didn’t play this many at Georgia. He and Carter both hitting a wall isn’t all that unexpected considering. It’s why i think hargrave loss hurts more right now. Hargrave is an experienced nfl pro bowl caliber player. 17 weeks and playoffs he’s used to it. It wouldn’t be as bad of a wall if the eagles were also getting more out of Williams. Williams hasn’t been bad but watching him he was far more impactful in the second half of last year then he was this year. 

19 minutes ago, vikas83 said:

 

 

 

His decision, right.  No contending team wants him.

It's not like that Patriots' defense was full of talent. It had an all-pro CB (Gilmore), a good FS (McCourty) a very good but not elite EDGE (Flowers) and some solid LBs with Roberts and Van Noy. The were playing Jordan Richards in the SB. They were winning more with scheme/smarts than talent. They didn't have Hightower that year, which was a big reason they were much better on D the following year. 

2 minutes ago, RLC said:

It's not like that Patriots' defense was full of talent. It had an all-pro CB (Gilmore), a good FS (McCourty) a very good but not elite EDGE (Flowers) and some solid LBs with Roberts and Van Noy. The were playing Jordan Richards in the SB. They were winning more with scheme/smarts than talent. They didn't have Hightower that year, which was a big reason they were much better on D the following year. 

Helps having belichick who’s one of the better defensive minds over the last 3-4 decades. 

NFL is a week to week league.  The 49ers are the only team that has mostly stood above that rule this year.

Lots of football left.  Plenty of time for the Eagles to righten the ship and get back to the SB.  Of course, they could also sheet the bed again tonight and continue the fade into a quick out.

Bill Belichick and his weirdo son will be DC next year here 

23 minutes ago, Iggles_Phan said:

I think the rookie wall is real, and I think based on snaps from last year, Davis, in addition to Carter are both hitting the wall.    They need to find a second wind.

They need more rotation. Way too many snaps for those guys.

12 minutes ago, DrPhilly said:

NFL is a week to week league.  The 49ers are the only team that has mostly stood above that rule this year.

Lots of football left.  Plenty of time for the Eagles to righten the ship and get back to the SB.  Of course, they could also sheet the bed again tonight and continue the fade into a quick out.

49ers lost 3 in a row with their MVP QB not able to carry the team without Deebo and their LT.

Just now, judunno said:

49ers lost 3 in a row with their MVP QB not able to carry the team without Deebo and their LT.

Yeah, that's why I said "mostly".

Crazy big, this dude is just a three star recruit. 6’7 380

https://www.si.com/high-school/2023/12/18/photo-of-giant-texas-high-school-football-player-byron-washington-goes-viral
 

41 minutes ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

Please go listen to the Philly Special podcasts with Sheil Kapadia.  He lays out the issues pretty clearly. 

The Eagles have been an above average defense on 1st and 2nd downs, according to success rate.  (Success rate is when a play does what is expected in terms of yardage.  2 yards on first down isn't a success.  2 yards on 3rd-and-1 is a success.)

They have been abysmal on third down.  Why?  Our pressure and sack rates on those downs are last or near-last in the league.  And it's not because the ball is getting out quickly.  Desai had been doing a good job of mixing coverages.  The secondary had been doing a decent job of getting QBs to their second reads.  The front four just isn't winning their 1v1s.  Or taking the QB down.  Or rushing with discipline.

This defense ONLY works if the front four delivers.  They haven't been.  Maybe they are just tired.  

The D-Line has been frustrating at times, missing pressures by being too late/stupid penalties, but I remember quite often on third and longs, we're allowing other teams to make catches and convert while having no one within 5 yards to contest or make a solid tackle. The secondary has been garbage as well. 

Coaching/Injuries/Undisciplined/Penalties have really hurt this defense in critical moments.......this time last year we weren't making boneheaded mistakes. Yes we had more talent last year, but this year we constantly shoot ourselves in the foot.  

The more I try and digest things, the more I think part of the answer is this -- Desai was trying so hard to be smart and innovative, he overcomplicated things and caused confusion and dysfunction. My best examples -- rotating LBs and CBs. I never understood when Roby or Ricks would be on the field, or Brown. And with the LBs, we had Dean/Morrow/Cunningham and then Leonard for Dean. His desire to try and play everyone, mix and match to perceived strengths...there's a reason people don't do this. The back 7 has no continuity or trust. 

I'd like to see Patricia just go with defined roles and let guys play together consistently. Rotate upfront only.

19 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

Bill Belichick and his weirdo son will be DC next year here 

😆 His son is definitely a weird dude.

Including all the obvious problems we have on defense (3rd down & red zone) what I would really like to see this defense do tonight is stopping the run in a consistent stout way. No more chunk running plays. Seems they were doing a way better job of that early in the season. Stop the run and make them one dimensional, even if we’re not good in that dimension.😅