Home Away From Home

This will be my last post using the PFW statistical breakdowns from 2008. I promise. Maybe. Today, I have my eye on the defense. Specifically how they performed at home versus on the road last season.

Not surprisingly, the Eagles #3 ranked unit didn’t suffer too much of a drop-off when they left the friendly confines of Lincoln Financial Field. Take a look:

Home:

377 tackles, 23 sacks, 25 stuffs, 11 forced fumbles, 52 passes defended, 10 INT and 1 TD

Away:

459 tackles, 25 sacks, 31 stuffs, 9 forced fumbles, 45 passes defended, 5 INT and 1 TD

About even across the board. The increase in tackles on the road normally can be attributed to more defensive plays, which is often par for the course for the visiting team. I’d like to see more picks on the road. If they had more, those tackle totals would be lower.

It goes without saying that contending teams must play good defense away from home. This is where Jim Johnson could be missed the most. Knowing when to throw and exotic blitz or change an alignment is what makes JJ one of the best in the game. The ability to slow down offensive momentum on the road is crucial, especially if your own offense is struggling. Will McDermott be able to recognize when to unleash the hounds? We’ll find out soon enough.

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