Can the Eagles’ defense really be this good? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
When you shut down the Browns? OK, great. But let’s be serious, it’s Deshaun Watson and the Browns.
When you shut down the Giants? Good to see. But, come on, it’s Daniel Jones and the Giants.
This?
This was different. This was remarkable.
The Eagles’ young defense took on Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and the NFL’s 9th-highest-scoring offense Sunday in Cincinnati and after a shaky start put on a tremendous display of coverage, tackling, pressure, physicality and even a couple takeaways in a 34-17 win.
The days of Shaq Leonard, Nicholas Morrow, Kevin Byard, Zach Cunningham, Terrell Edmunds and James Bradberry seem so long ago, don’t they?
That was an old defense getting worse every week. This is a young defense getting better every week.
And on Sunday they came of age with a signature performance against a dangerous offense, holding the Bengals to just 10 points and 210 yards after their first possession.
Let’s do some math: Over the past three weeks, the Eagles are 3-0, and their defense has allowed just 29 points and 643 yards in those three games.
The 29 points are the fewest the Eagles have allowed in a three-week span believe it or not since Doug Pederson’s first three games – they allowed 27 the first three weeks of 2016 in wins over the Browns, Bears and Steelers.
The 643 yards are the 2nd-fewest the Eagles have allowed in any three-game span since 1992. In 2017 they gave up 591 in wins over the Broncos, Cowboys and Bears.
And get this: This is only the second time since 2008 the Eagles have allowed only two offensive touchdowns in a three-game span. They also did that in that same three-game stretch in 2017.
And this might be most impressive: The Eagles have allowed just 3.87 yards per play the last three weeks after allowing 5.97 yards per play the first four weeks. That’s also the fewest yards per play they’ve allowed since the same three-game stretch in 2017.
To fully appreciate where the Eagles are defensively seven games into the season, it’s important to look back at the way last year ended. From Week 12 on, the Eagles allowed an NFL-high 31 points per game.
That’s more per game than they’ve allowed in the last three games combined.
Howie Roseman jettisoned much of that lumbering, disinterested defense and replaced the flotsam with talented young kids. Rookies Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean have turned this into a fast, physical secondary. Nolan Smith has come into his own as a pass rusher. First-time starters Nakobe Dean and Zack Baun have given the Eagles solid linebacker play. Chauncy Gardner-Johnson has come back after a year in Detroit with his usual energy and playmaking. Jalen Carter is still looking for consistency but has been very good in his first year as a starter.
And with each passing week, the whole group has grown more and more comfortable with what Vic Fangio – the Eagles’ fourth defensive coordinator since 2022 – is looking for.
How’s that going?
The Eagles are up to 6th in the NFL in points allowed at 17.9 and 9th in yards allowed at 301 per game.
When you think about it, it’s not surprising that this defense took its lumps the first few weeks of the season with all the new pieces. They gave up 29 to the Packers in the opener in São Paulo. They allowed a game-winning 70-yard TD drive in the home opener vs. the Falcons. They got battered for 33 points in Tampa.
But since the bye, the whole thing has come together better and faster than anybody could have imagined.
DeJean is 21. Carter, Mitchell and Smith are 23. Jordan Davis and Dean are 24. Reed Blankenship and Milton Williams are 25. The only defensive starter older than 28 is 33-year-old Darius Slay.
It’s safe to assume they’re only going to get better, and they’re already awfully good.
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