Eagles Film Review: 3 things to like about the defense and 3 things to improve

I might often full a evaluation of the Eagles’ offense and protection through the bye week, however this yr is a bit uncommon with the Eagles’ bye week being so early within the season. I wished to put in writing a ‘How I might repair the Eagles’ offense and protection’ article, however I made a decision it felt too damaging. So, as a substitute, I’ll do ‘3 issues I like concerning the Eagles’ protection and three issues I might enhance’ to talk about a few of the good things I’ve seen up to now this yr! Yow will discover the offense model right here. This might embrace a particular participant, a positional group, or a schematic factor. Any stat I take advantage of is from Professional Soccer Focus or Sports activities Information Options.

The Good

Zack Baun

This has been the perfect factor concerning the Eagles’ protection this yr, little question. Though he struggled towards the Falcons, I don’t even need to take into consideration how a lot worse this Eagles’ protection can be with out Baun. Baun is a novel athlete who can play both as an off-ball linebacker or an EDGE defender. This versatility has helped the Eagles, particularly because it has enabled them to get to a 5-man entrance with out bringing an additional defensive lineman. As a reminder, I mentioned this about Baun’s efficiency vs. the Saints.

Zack Baun moved from linebacker to EDGE simply earlier than the snap again 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 numerous strain on an offensive line’s means to speak and alter on the fly. I feel Zack Baun has been the Eagles’ most vital participant on protection from a schematic objective, however he can play numerous roles nicely. He can play at EDGE, and off-ball linebacker, and never many gamers can do each nicely.

The Eagles did this repeatedly, and it solely works due to Baun’s distinctive versatility. If that is performed nicely, it’s so helpful for a protection. Most offensive coordinators will see the Eagles in nickel and anticipate a 4-2-5 protection and, due to this fact, name performs based mostly on that. Nonetheless, the Eagles can change their entrance a break up second earlier than the snap, making it very robust on an offense.

It’s not simply the flexibility, although. Ignoring that, I nonetheless suppose Baun has had a very good yr as a conventional off-ball linebacker. This cease towards Alvin Kamara stands out as a powerful play, as Kamara is a wonderful short-yardage again. Though he’s at EDGE right here, it takes numerous energy to make this play.

I’ve mentioned this in earlier articles, however I might attempt to lengthen Baun to a team-friendly deal as quickly as potential. I anticipate him to have some up-and-down moments all through the season, however I feel he’s already proved that he’s a participant who is a superb match within the fashionable NFL.

Oh yeah, he also can cowl receivers down the sphere, too, if wanted. As I mentioned, a contemporary NFL linebacker.

Quinyon Mitchell

Quinyon Mitchell has not been excellent by any means, however I feel that cornerback is the toughest place to start out as a rookie outdoors of quarterback. The stats present that he will get beat however he passes the attention take a look at. He seems easy on the market. He’s solely given up 1 penalty in 4 weeks which is an effective signal too and he’s had at the least 1 move breakup each week.

The largest praise I may give Mitchell is that he seems like he did in faculty. I really feel fairly good about my scouting report up to now.

When it comes to scheme match, he’s a match made in heaven for Vic Fangio’s protection. You’ll be able to line him up outdoors and he ought to have the ability to play one-on-one protection on remoted receivers and has the size to hold receivers vertically down the sphere. He’ll love enjoying off-coverage the place he can exhibit his click-and-close velocity and he reveals excellent route recognition in zone protection already, which is one thing essential on this protection. What stands out about Mitchell’s sport, is how comfy he’s when the ball is within the air. Loads of latest draft busts at cornerback have been as a result of groups have overdrafted unbelievable athletes who can’t compete on the catch level. Mitchell won’t have this subject.

The power to play high receivers on the skin? Examine.

Click on-and-close velocity? Examine.

Route recognition in zone protection? Examine.

The power to play the soccer within the air? Examine.

He’s been a couple of beat away from a pick-six after leaping a comeback route, and I wouldn’t be shocked if that is the week he will get his first interception. Cornerbacks will at all times get beat, and I anticipate Mitchell to have just a few tough video games, however I be ok with the Eagles’ first-round78 choose.

5-man/6-man fronts

The Eagles’ run protection has sucked this yr. However the Eagles’ run protection has been actually good after they use 5-man or 6-man fronts—the numbers again this up, too.

I perceive the priority with move protection when enjoying a 5-man entrance, however there are methods you will get round this. You’ll be able to drop an EDGE if mandatory. You’ll be able to simply rush 5 and play fireplace zone protection behind it. You’ll be able to carry C.J. Gardner Johnson down as a nickel cornerback. You don’t need to play a 4-man entrance towards 11 personnel.

If I’m trying on the positives from this season up to now, it shouldn’t be laborious for Fangio to enhance the run protection. The reply is staring him within the face! It doesn’t require an enormous quantity of projection as a result of we’ve seen the Eagles succeed with these heavy fronts this season. The Eagles personnel is healthier suited to enjoying with 5-man fronts. Jordan Davis is healthier as a straight-up nostril sort out. I hope the Fangio is trying carefully at his run suits and has seen the Eagles’ success this yr when utilizing these 5-man fronts.

What I want to see

Improved run suits

OK, so I’ve already spoken concerning the want for extra 5-man fronts. However a few of the Eagles’ points in run protection usually are not nearly enjoying a 4 or 5-man entrance. The Eagles run suits have been actually poor by way of two weeks and I’ve noticed two main points.

Firstly, the Eagles have this weird concentrate on slanting their defensive tackles this yr. It’s so aggressive, and after they slant the alternative method of the run, it results in disastrous outcomes. I might love somebody in a press convention to ask Fangio what the plan is when he does this. I give coaches the good thing about the doubt quite a bit as a result of they know a hell of much more than me. However I can’t perceive how the good thing about slanting your defensive lineman outweighs the danger.

Secondly, the Eagles have often had an enormous hole between their defensive sort out and EDGE defender. You’ll be able to see it within the clip above clearly. I feel the EDGE defenders have been too broadly positioned all season. I don’t suppose Josh Sweat or Bryce Huff are good run defenders, however inserting them extensive makes it even more durable for them. It’s even worse when the defensive sort out (within the picture beneath it’s BG) slants inside.

Personally, I might play much more Nolan Smith and Brandon Graham on early downs, and I might additionally cease enjoying the EDGE defenders so extensive so as to make it simpler for the protection to suit the run.

Extra split-safety zone protection

I hate the Eagles’ single-high protection. Opposing offenses have repeatedly shredded the Eagles when enjoying cowl 3. It has been a catastrophe, repeatedly resulting in poor matchups and miscommunication amongst the defensive backs.

I need to see the Eagles return to an old-school Vic Fangio protection. It’s gotten so unhealthy that I lengthy for the times of the Eagles’ defensive communication underneath Jonathan Gannon. At the least that Eagles’ protection may play quarters protection repeatedly, they usually had been unbelievable at distributing routes. This Eagles’ protection seems prefer it’s by no means performed collectively at occasions. They don’t move off routes nicely.

I need the Eagles to get again to fundamentals and concentrate on enjoying much more quarters (quads/cowl 4 – no matter you need to name it), in addition to some cowl 6 and canopy 8. I’m a little bit sick of the single-high stuff as a result of it hasn’t labored in any respect this yr.

I puzzled if I used to be being a bit too essential, so after this rant, I appeared up the numbers. The numbers again me up. The Eagles have 67 snaps of MOFC protection (single-high), which is the 18th most within the league, they usually rank twenty seventh in success charge. Conversely, they’ve performed 53 snaps of MOFO protection (split-safety) and rank thirteenth in success charge.

Oh, and the Eagles at present rank thirty second in success charge when enjoying man protection and eleventh when enjoying zone.

Extra aggressive protection

Individuals appear to suppose that enjoying extra split-safety protection means you need to be passive. You don’t. If something, having two deep safeties ought to allow the skin corners to get extra aggressive and nearer to the receivers. You simply can’t win like this.

My podcast co-host Shane Haff tweeted these stats, they usually have blown my thoughts. That is genuinely psychological. How will you be this passive on protection? And the Eagles nonetheless surrender explosive performs anyway!

You don’t need to play aggressive press protection on each single snap, however you do at the least must problem receivers. You’ll be able to’t permit them to have a free launch each time. I used to be upset by Vic Fangio’s reply when questioned by the media on this matter as a result of he primarily blamed the gamers for his or her alignment. That’s nonsense. If you would like your corners to be extra aggressive, then inform them!

The excellent news for the Eagles’ protection is that lots of the modifications I’m calling for usually are not radical and don’t require a whole system overhaul. They require easy tweaks that shouldn’t be too laborious to do. I is perhaps within the minority, however I consider this Eagles’ protection has sufficient expertise to be at the least a median protection. It’s now as much as the teaching workers and Vic Fangio to create the state of affairs for them to excel.

Thanks for studying! I’d love to listen to your ideas, so be happy to remark beneath and ask any questions. For those who loved this piece, yow will discover extra of my work and podcast right here. We had BLG on this week and mentioned a variety of the matters on this article.