Eagles vs. Packers Analysis: Defense and Special Teams

The Philadelphia Eagles squared off with the Green Bay Packers last night, pulling away with the victory in what quickly became yet another one-sided affair. The clear focal point of this one was undoubtedly Sam Bradford and the offense, but lost in the shuffle was the defense and special teams units, who showed promise in their own right.

Throughout the preseason the Eagles defense has been exceptionally strong at the point of attack, controlling the line of scrimmage and smothering opponents’ rushing attacks. Last night was no exception, as the Eagles’ core front-3 of Cox-Logan-Thornton continues to impose its will on opposing offensive fronts.

Bennie Logan had yet another splash play, bursting through the middle of the line and hauling down Eddie Lacy in the backfield for a loss. Cedric Thornton did a good job of using his hands and making it to the football later in the half, stripping QB Brett Hundley. Fletcher Cox, meanwhile, was his usual disruptive self, pushing the pocket and bringing down the ball-carrier behind the line of scrimmage. These three were the catalyst for an Eagles’ defensive front that allowed a meager 5 yards on 9 carries. Granted, the Packers were down several starters on the offensive line, but the DL was nevertheless consistently dominant.

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What has really stuck out to me is the added pop that Logan and Thornton have provided as pass rushers. No one is going to mistake the two for Warren Sapp, but both have shown improvement this preseason, and should do a better job of pushing the pocket in 2015. Logan in particular has impressed me with his impressive movement skills, shifting extremely well laterally, while quickly getting square and accelerating upfield. Logan’s arrow is pointing up for the regular season and seems primed to take a big step in year 3.

The second half of the Eagles’ front seven, the linebackers, had what I would consider a solid showing last night. Connor Barwin and Brandon Graham performed well in both run support and in coverage, and –to my surprise– showed better than expected as pass-rushers on the second watch-through. There were several occasions where Barwin and Graham brought pressure and forced the quarterback off his mark, but to his credit, Hundley did an excellent job of avoiding the rush and extending plays, creating opportunities for himself that other less athletic QBs might not. On one occasion, however, Graham did get home, forcing an ill-advised throw and prompting an interception.

I’d like to see Barwin and Graham win more consistently to the outside, but overall, they did a good job. I’m particularly impressed with the way that Graham has rounded out his game this offseason, showing improvement as a coverage backer, and building on the run defending ability he displayed in 2014. Many have pegged Graham as a pure pass-rush specialist, but he’s shown an ability to contribute in the other phases of the game.

Barwin and Graham’s counterparts, Mychal Kendricks and DeMeco Ryans didn’t show quite as well. Kendricks seemed pretty uninhibited by the injuries that have held him out to this point, however, his rust showed, particularly so on Ty Montgomery’s 55-yard catch and run where he was late to the ball, taking an awkward angle. Otherwise, Kendricks moved well and kept himself around the ball, although he didn’t register a tackle.

The same can’t be said for DeMeco Ryans, unfortunately, as he looked slow and out of place next to the dynamic Kendricks. Ryans is still recovering from a late-season Achilles tear and simply isn’t 100% at this point. Beyond that, following his second Achilles injury, I’m not convinced that Ryans will ever get back to where he’d like to be. Pre-injury, Ryans was already showing signs of wear, slowing down significantly in recent years. Now, I still like Ryans and he will undoubtedly be a part of the team moving forward, but I’d be hard pressed to believe that he contributes much more than in a limited capacity on early-downs. Ryans would be best suited as a quasi player-coach at the moment, and barring further complications with Kiko Alonso, that might be the case when the regular season rolls around.

The defensive backs rose to the occasion last night, playing sound coverage and making a couple of splash plays. Walter Thurmond came up with yet another interception, showcasing good recognition, and returning it all the way to the house for six. Byron Maxwell had an athletic interception erased by an untimely holding call, and Nolan Carroll held up on the outside keeping his man under check.

The Eagles defense surrendered a few big plays against the Packers, but in contrast to recent years, they weren’t a product of poor coverage (at least in the starters’ case). That isn’t to say that the defensive backs weren’t at least somewhat at fault; getting off perimeter blocks was an issue on several occasions for the Eagles’ secondary. Considering that the DBs are exceedingly long and physical, they should be ideally equipped to fight through blocks and limit yardage on catch and runs. This is an area that the coaching staff will undoubtedly address during film study. Regardless, it’s still important to tip the cap to the Packers offense, who, on Starks 22-yard catch and run, picked up the blitz and executed the play. Sometimes the offense just wins.

Of the young defensive backs, there was a pretty mixed-bag. Eric Rowe continues to flash, breaking up a pass intended for Randall Cobb on the opening drive, but continues to have lapses in space. As we’ve talked about in the past, Rowe shows a lot of promise, but having him on the field in any significant capacity is going to result in rookie growing pains.

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EJ Biggers had a poor showing, getting burned badly on several occasions and committing a pass interference penalty on the far sideline. Jerome Couplin and Ed Reynolds, on the other hand, both enjoyed pretty good outings, showing well in run support. I really hope the staff can find a way to hold on to Couplin, who has flashed physicality and athleticism the last 2 weeks. Reynolds, who has had himself a nice preseason as well, is likely headed to the practice squad.

Jaylen Watkins has been a pleasant this offseason, and continues to excel in coverage, nearly coming down with a pick during the second half. He’s had his moments in run support, missing a few ugly tackles, but Watkins seems like a lock to make the final roster at this point.

As one might have guessed, the Eagles all-world special teams unit had yet another stand-out performance Saturday night.

On the opening kickoff, Raheem Mostert picked up a few good blocks and accelerated up the sideline for a return of 67 yards. Speaking of Mostert, I’d be shocked if he doesn’t land on the practice squad, as he’s showcased impressive speed and explosion during preseason and training camp. Hopefully the Eagles can either keep Mostert from being plucked off waivers, or designate him for Injured Reserve with a phantom injury.

Later, Chris Maragos and Brad Jones teamed up to lay a thunderous hit on Ty Montgomery, jarring the ball loose. These are the type of plays that often led to turnovers and scores for the Eagles in 2014, and so far in the preseason there has been no lack splash plays.

The Eagles special teams unit was not done there, however, as they also tipped a punt, coming inches from a block and potential turnover.

All in all, the special teams continue to assert their dominance, and should be in store for another huge year.

Next: Bacon, Eggs and Eagles: What's Wrong With Kiko Alonso?

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