What is going on with the Philadelphia Eagles secondary?

What was the least of the teams’ worries has now become the biggest issue for the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Philadelphia Eagles have just wrapped up a difficult three-game road trip. As they are set to play at home for the first time in close to four weeks, they could really use the confidence booster after a difficult set of matchups. The Eagles have been crowned NFC East champions and clinched a first-round bye. But everything just doesn’t feel as satisfying as desired at the moment.

Plenty of people called the Eagles done when it was announced that Nick Foles would be the starting quarterback for the remainder of the season. But after the last minute victory against the New York Giants, Foles looks like the last of the Eagles worries moving forward.

We’ve seen plenty of teams be successful without an elite talent under center. But it is tough to think of many teams who have been able to win in the playoffs without a top-tier defense. At this point in the season, it is difficult to tell what the Eagles are on defense. The same unit that has been a problem to opposing offenses all season has now become the biggest problem to their own team.

As the 2017 NFL Playoffs are quickly approaching, we have no choice but to think about this question. Is the Eagles secondary simply in an exhausted slump? Or are they actually just frauds? Let’s have a discussion about the secondary that is also known as ‘Gang Green’.

Struggles in the secondary:

Heading into the 2017 season, the defensive backfield was the teams biggest nightmare. Jalen Mills was having growing pains while Patrick Robinson was close to getting cut. Ronald Darby was still taking reps in Buffalo and Sidney Jones was sidelined without a timetable to return. The only defender who really got a pass was 2017 third-round draft pick, Rasul Douglas.

Even with Douglas showing some potential early on, the team decided he was not ready to get some full-time game reps. It didn’t take long for the Eagles to find a newfound success with the secondary early on. Mills was stepping up to each and every challenge while Robinson soared in the slot role. Darby missed most of the season with an ankle injury. Fortunately, he was backed up with some excellent play from the rookie, Douglas.

Everything clicked at cornerback while the Pro Bowl hopeful safety duo of Rodney McLeod and Malcolm Jenkins continued to shine. What was once the biggest question mark on the Eagles roster has now become what looked like an elite secondary at the time. Somewhere along the line, though, they came back down to reality and fell apart.

Back to reality…

The Eagles may be on top of everything, but they are far from untouchable. They went from an elite unit to middle of the road real quick. The truth is, the Eagles secondary has been figured out and exposed. Ever since the devastating loss to the Seattle Seahawks, opposing teams got their eyes on what the defensive backs are really like.

The Eagles now sit as the 22nd best passing defense in the NFL. With quarterbacks avoiding pressure from the Eagles defensive front, they are able to extend plays and find a window of separating between the receivers and the backs. As the games go on, the unit starts to get fatigued. That is when opposing offenses start to throw the ball all day.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning was the most recent quarterback to work the Eagles secondary. He threw for his season-high of 434 yards and three touchdowns just two weeks after getting benched.

Real or pretenders?

As the Eagles sit on top with a 12-2 record, it is tough to label the team as average. They aren’t average. But they don’t seem to be up to the task of performing at their peak just yet either. Could they just be in a slump because they took their foot off the gas? Sure. Is that the likely situation right now? It’s tough to tell.

One thing is for sure, though, the secondary will need to step it up sooner than later. Maybe the return to Lincoln Financial Field will build up enough momentum for the team to get back to its old ways. But as of right now, the secondary looks more exposed than it looks fatigued.

Next: Pederson isn’t worried about resting players right now

With the Oakland Raiders coming to town, it will be a good opportunity for the defense to get back to it’s old ways and show the league that they are a problem. If the Eagles allow another game of outstanding passing numbers from the opposing teams quarterback, then it may be time to hit the panic button. This week’s game will reveal the true identity of the Eagles secondary.