Eagles Film Analysis: Defense takeaways from the win over the Saints

This is without doubt one of the most enjoyable Eagles defensive performances I’ve ever watched. I completely liked this movie from the Saints recreation. Let’s get into it.

(Beforehand — Eagles Movie Evaluation: Offense takeaways from the win over the Saints)

Protection

I used to be so essential of the Eagles’ defensive philosophy final week. Let’s shortly recap what I mentioned.

Hear, the gamers deserve blame. Milton Williams was blown up by double groups a number of instances. Moro Ojomo struggled in opposition to double groups. They didn’t play nicely in opposition to the Falcons’ outsize zone run scheme. However they weren’t helped by their coach. The Eagles refused to play 5-man fronts with Jordan Davis as a nostril sort out. 5-man fronts could be excellent in opposition to exterior zone as they offer gamers one-on-one matchups and stop the offensive line from attending to the second stage. When you stick Jordan Davis at nostril, you make it a hell of loads more durable for Lindstrom to get to the 2nd stage and take out Baun as he does right here, once more. However the Eagles didn’t alter and continued to run these 4-man fronts out. I do know enjoying a 5-man entrance may give you points in go protection since you lose a defender, however I don’t care. Nothing else issues to me if you happen to can’t cease the run on early downs

I’m not exaggerating after I say this week was utterly completely different. It was like watching a unique workforce. The Eagles had been obsessive about stopping the run. They performed the run on early downs prefer it was 4th and 1. It was superior to see. It’s price declaring that the Saints play a really completely different type to the Falcons. The Saints made it simpler in some methods for the Eagles to get to their 5-man fronts by enjoying a whole lot of 12 and 21 personnel. However that doesn’t take away from the protection this week. They had been excellent in opposition to the run. Nakobe Dean appears actually good enjoying behind a 5-man entrance, as he’s normally stored clear and may play sideline-to-sideline soccer. It fits his type.

Vic Fangio was on hearth this week. He performed a whole lot of 5-man fronts, however he didn’t simply use customary 5-man fronts. He rotated Zack Baun from linebacker to EDGE simply earlier than the snap time and again. This completely modified the Eagles’ defensive entrance a second earlier than the play, and the Saints couldn’t deal with it. While you change the entrance earlier than the snap, you’re placing a whole lot of stress on an offensive line’s means to speak and alter on the fly. I believe Zack Baun has been the Eagles’ most essential participant on protection from a schematic objective, however he can play varied roles nicely. He can play at EDGE, and off-ball linebacker, and never many gamers can do each nicely. The opposite purpose why not many groups can transfer an off-ball linebacker to EDGE earlier than the snap is as a result of they don’t have an EDGE defender who can shift inside to defensive sort out. The Eagles do. The Eagles have Brandon Graham, who performed loads on this recreation due to this!

It is a incredible instance of the Eagles shifting Baun on the final second. This resulted in a 6-man entrance, which the Eagles used at instances. It isn’t simply the truth that the Eagles performed extra 5-man and 6-man fronts. Additionally they used personnel that had been higher in opposition to the run. Simply take a look at the six gamers within the entrance under! That may be a robust entrance to run on. Brandon Graham makes an incredible play, as does Jalen Carter. We’ll get to Jalen Carter later as a result of I may write an essay on his efficiency.

I do know I’ve posted a number of performs on Baun transferring to EDGE already however I can’t assist it. I really like the way it labored in opposition to the Saints. I discussed Brandon Graham’s versatility earlier, however Milton Williams deserves a shoutout, too. There have been instances when the Eagles lined up like this and didn’t transfer Baun, leaving Williams because the EDGE defender. I actually like that concept. He can’t precisely rush the quarterback any worse than Nolan Smith and Bryce Huff at the moment are. And he’s loads higher in opposition to the run than Huff and Josh Sweat, so why not?

Zack Baun also can carry broad receivers vertically down the sector. Now appears like a superb time to remind everybody that Baun signed a one-year $1.6 million contract this yr. Is it too early to barter with Baun on a contract extension? I’m undecided it’s.

Proper, it’s time to speak about Jalen Carter. I don’t suppose I’ve seen a single participant’s efficiency as dominant in an extended, very long time. I believe Carter is a participant who will get pissed off simply, however when he’s profitable, he begins enjoying with actual freedom. You’ll be able to virtually see that he’s having a blast on the market. He was single-handedly blowing up performs at instances. The Saints couldn’t deal with him as a run defender or go rusher. After the primary couple of weeks, I’ve mentioned to not fear about Jalen Carter. I nonetheless suppose he’s essentially the most gifted participant on the Eagles roster. I’ve mentioned earlier than that I believe he has ‘Defensive Participant of the Yr’ expertise, and he confirmed it on this recreation. He was unbelievable this week.

This was additionally a extremely good signal. The Eagles haven’t been a superb stunt workforce for a very long time, and it’s one thing that each good protection ought to be capable to do. It could assist with a go rush and take a look at the offensive line’s means to speak. It was good to see a stunt end in a sack, and hopefully, that is one thing we see extra of the remainder of the season.

Simply take a look at how late the Eagles shift Baun to EDGE right here. That is so late! That needs to be so exhausting for an offense to foretell. As soon as once more, you may see Milton Williams at EDGE right here. Jalen Carter wrecks the play, after all. The explanation why I just like the 5-man fronts is as a result of I believe it fits the Eagles’ personnel higher. It will get the defensive linemen extra one-on-one matchups and retains the Eagles’ linebackers clear. The Eagles do not have massive stacked linebackers who can fly down and tackle guards on the level of assault, so I believe they’ll wrestle to cease the run from a 4-2 entrance. Which is why I’m not prepared to say the protection is mounted after one week. I nonetheless have to see the Eagles use these 5-man fronts in opposition to groups who play extra 11 personnel. We would discover out this weekend because the Bucs run a whole lot of 11 personnel, however additionally they can’t run the ball in any respect. So we would see the Eagles return to extra 4-man fronts.

Whether or not you play a 4-man entrance, a 5-man entrance, or a 6-man entrance, none of that issues if you happen to don’t have the mentality that you just need to cease the run. The Fangio’ teaching tree has often been criticized for being passive in opposition to the run. Effectively, the Eagles had been something however passive in opposition to the run this week. Seeing how a lot they cared about stopping the run was a pleasure. You get the sensation that the Eagles’ gamers have been studying the criticism on-line, which bothered them. This was an incredible play by Jordan Davis, too. I haven’t talked about Davis but, however I believed he had his greatest recreation of the yr.

Everybody on the protection should play an element if you wish to cease the run. C. J. Gardner-Johnson was signed due to his versatility in protection. However in back-to-back weeks, he has made excellent performs in short-yardage conditions. Final week, he stopped Bijan Robinson on 4th and 1. This previous week, he stopped Alvin Kamara on third and 1. CJGJ talks a whole lot of trash however backs it up on the sector. This was an incredible play.

Stopping a workforce from gaining a yard on third and 4th down is troublesome. As soon as once more, this can be a incredible play by Zack Baun. I’ll repeat what I mentioned earlier: ought to the Eagles begin speaking to Baun a few contract extension? I truthfully suppose I might. His value will maintain going up if he retains enjoying like this!

Jalen Carter. My goodness. There’s nothing else to say. He was simply unbelievable on this recreation. Extremely, he didn’t find yourself with a sack. Which is why you all the time have to observe the movie and may by no means depend on the stats. I haven’t talked about Darius Slay or Quinyon Mitchell in any respect but, and that’s in all probability a superb signal. I believed each of them had been actually good as soon as once more.

This was the weirdest name of the night time. It appeared like man protection with two underneath-hole defenders. That’s fairly an uncommon name that I haven’t seen fairly often. The 2 beneath defenders seem too shut collectively in my view. CJGJ leads to man protection with the slot receiver, who can go each methods. It is a robust cowl, however he performs all of it fallacious. It virtually makes me suppose he’s speculated to have exterior assist, however I’m undecided. Both approach, the receiver is broad open.

Lets finish with a optimistic play! The Eagles go to man protection once more, however this time, they’ve a deep security. Brandon Graham continued his excellent recreation with an incredible rush, which forces Derek Carr to throw off stability. Though BG was wonderful on this recreation, I fear a bit about how a lot the Eagles wanted him, contemplating his age. Carr overthrows his receiver, and Reed Blankenship makes a incredible diving interception. These diving interceptions usually are not straightforward and that is the second time that Reed Blankenship has made virtually the very same play. I believe Blankenship has had a wonderful begin to the season, and I’ve all the time thought he is without doubt one of the most underrated Eagle defenders.

This was a enjoyable recreation to observe. The Buccaneers play a really completely different type of offense to the Saints and they’ll create completely different challenges for the Eagles to cope with, however I’m feeling fairly good after this week.

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