Eagles-Panthers Film Review: Takeaways on defense

Effectively, this was an attention-grabbing watch on protection. Bryce Younger and this Panthers’ offense performed effectively. However the Eagles solely gave up 16 factors, so it’s arduous to be too crucial. There was some good and dangerous this week. Let’s get into it. (Beforehand: Eagles-Panthers offensive movie evaluation.)

Protection

Two weeks with out Brandon Graham and two weeks with elevated use of 12 personnel. I don’t assume that’s a coincidence. The Eagles did kick Josh Sweat inside a couple of occasions this week, nevertheless it’s not the identical as kicking BG inside. I might count on to see extra 12 personnel the remainder of the season which is a disgrace as a result of it does lead to Cooper DeJean on the sideline. I might count on groups to throw from 12 personnel towards the Eagles’ base protection over the subsequent few weeks. Disappointingly, the Eagles had a couple of poor reps towards the run this week, the place the defensive linemen have been pushed again on this recreation. It wasn’t the very best recreation from a run-fit perspective. This was a recreation when the Eagles missed BG on protection. I don’t assume it is going to be the one time they miss him, sadly!

I believed C.J. Gardner Johnson had a wonderful recreation (when he was on the sector). That is an impressive rep of half-quarter-quarter. HQQ means the Eagles have a 1⁄2 security to the passing energy and two 1⁄4 safeties to the opposite facet. CJGJ performs this completely by masking the offenses’ receivers inside to out after which laying an enormous hit on the receiver. That is excellent. My solely situation with CJGJ is that he’s hitting too arduous of late! I’m a little bit frightened about his well being if he retains hitting this difficult as a result of he isn’t the largest man. He could be a little reckless on the market.

Ah, Zack Baun is now blitzing and beating guards one-on-one. What a ridiculous season this man is having. The Eagles despatched lots of stress this week and performed a good quantity of man protection. Adam Thielen was open right here, so credit score Baun for an necessary rush. What number of off-ball linebackers have the flexibility to beat offensive linemen one-on-one when blitzing? Baun had one other incredible recreation. He’s a particular expertise.

(I posted the improper play on my thread; it was speculated to be this one)

We don’t have to overreact, however Cooper DeJean bought labored on this recreation. As at all times, some out was right down to context and a few was simply dangerous play. The Eagles despatched numerous stress on this recreation and performed a couple of extra heavy fronts. This results in extra single-high protection and fewer split-safety protection. Single-high protection typically results in extra man protection or one-on-one protection, whereas split-safety protection is often extra about route distribution and communication. DeJean’s means to distribute routes and talk has been distinctive, however we haven’t seen him actually examined in shut protection till this recreation. Thielen is a savvy veteran, and he beat him fairly cleanly all through the sport. In DeJean’s protection, Thielen beat Darius Slay within the above clip, too, so that Thielen was feeling good on the market. There’s not a lot to fret about but, nevertheless it’s value noting how a lot he struggled in man protection.

I can’t talk about how good Jalen Carter and Zack Baun are each week. However I’ll give them a point out or two. Carter was dominant as soon as once more. The play earlier than this one, he tossed apart the guard and practically made the deal with within the backfield. The Panthers’ offensive linemen didn’t study their lesson as a result of he did this on the very subsequent play. My phrase. What a celebrity we’ve got. He did get a couple of snaps off on this recreation, however I do assume he regarded a little bit fatigued on the market. I’m unsure he can carry this heavy workload each week. Regardless of this, I count on him to play a hell of quite a bit this weekend towards a superb Steelers workforce!

That is the form of stuff we haven’t seen a lot of from this protection over the previous couple of months. All NFL defenses will get beat. I don’t thoughts giving up a landing on a choose play; it occurs on a regular basis! The Eagles ran choose performs efficiently towards the Panthers’ protection; it occurs. Nevertheless, you count on the protection to play this higher. They aren’t even shut. You both have to Banjo this (each the defensive backs cross this off to at least one one other and swap receivers) or CJGJ wants to return downhill quite a bit faster. The published minimize to Vic Fangio after this play and he was livid. I can see why.

Vic Fangio threw lots of totally different seems at Bryce Younger on this recreation. Whereas the protection was hardly excellent, I respect having a defensive coordinator who’s keen to try to confuse opposing quarterbacks. The protection appears to have a distinct recreation plan every week ,which is cool. This was a singular look the place the Eagles lined up Baun at EDGE and dropped him and Nolan Smith into protection while sending Nakobe Dean as a blitzer. The stress didn’t get dwelling, however I feel Younger is a little bit confused by what he’s , and he makes a foul throw. CJGJ does excellently to learn this and make the play on the soccer.

The Eagles bought fortunate on the finish of the sport with a dropped cross that ought to have resulted in a landing. However they bought actually unfortunate right here. This can be a nice play by Jalen Carter. It’s a extremely heads-up play, and it could have been an impressive cease on 4th down.

I’ve stated this for some time, however the Eagles effort was excellent on protection. I believed Nakobe Dean had an incredible recreation. The trouble from each Dean and Moro Ojomo right here is excellent. You may have an incredible dernsive scheme and proficient gamers; nothing will ever high excellent effort on each single play. This Eagles’ protection continues to carry it even when issues usually are not going their approach.

I can’t fairly consider how good Bryce Younger was on this recreation. If we’re criticizing Jalen Hurts for enjoying conservatively, Younger was the precise reverse. To be honest to him, he appears to haven’t any stress on him in any respect. He’s on a shedding workforce. He’s been benched. He’s simply taking part in with a way of freedom which is superior to see. Generally, as a protection, it’s a must to give the offense credit score for making some incredible performs. You may criticize Josh Sweat for not bringing down Younger right here, however there’s nothing else the remainder of the protection can do.

I feel the Eagles actually missed Brandon Graham and Bryce Huff on this recreation. Jalyx Hunt is just not a superb cross rusher at this profession stage. Nevertheless, how good is that this?! I knew he was an impressive athlete for an EDGE defender, however this can be a ridiculous play to make within the open discipline. Bryce Younger ran away from Nakobe Dean earlier on within the recreation, and Dean is tremendous athletic, so this offers you a way of how briskly and athletic Hunt is. He is probably not a cross rusher at this stage, however having an EDGE defender who can drop into protection and do that is nice to see.

So it seems that on the finish of video games, Vic Fangio desires to blitz the hell out of the opposing offense to guarantee that the Eagles’ offense will get the ball again with sufficient time to attain. This has occurred a couple of occasions this season. While I don’t thoughts this tactic and in some ways I feel it’s the correct thought towards a extremely good offense, I felt this week it was a little bit bit too aggressive. Contemplating the Panthers offense has not been sensible all season lengthy, I really feel like Fangio might have trusted his protection to stop the landing. This message could also be coming from Nick Sirianni, too. The numbers again up the truth that the Eagles blitzed the hell out of the Panthers too. On the ultimate 8 performs, 7 of them have been man protection and the Eagles blitzed a linebacker on each single one of many 8 performs.

I felt the Eagles have been a little bit bit fortunate on the finish of the sport to not come away with the Panthers scoring as they did make a couple of errors when blitzing. For instance this blitz right here leaves Tristin McCollum one-on-one with Adam Thielen which is at all times going to be an inconceivable cowl for him. That is too simple for the offense.

Much like the above play, this play doesn’t work out very effectively, and this needs to be a catch and a landing for the Panthers. As I stated above, while Fangio’s blitzing might have given the Eagles’ offense sufficient time to reply if the Panthers had scored right here, I might a lot relatively the protection play a traditional fashion of protection on the finish of the sport to attempt to shut this one out. If I’m taking part in Patrick Mahomes and there’s 2 minutes left on the clock, I don’t thoughts blitzing to attempt to finish the sport or quit a landing with loads of time left on the clock. I’m unsure it’s wanted towards the Panthers,

Let’s finish it right here with a high play from Darius Slay. Bryce Younger goes on one other magic scramble, though there was a penalty on the Panthers, however Slay does an excellent job operating throughout the sector with Thielen and breaking apart the cross. Good things!

Thanks for studying! I’d love to listen to your ideas, so be at liberty to remark beneath and ask any questions. In the event you loved this piece, you’ll find extra of my work and podcast right here.