By Julie Glass
The Eagles’ defense started the season looking like one of Jim Johnson’s tough and ready crews.
Now they look like they were created in a creampuff factory!
For the second straight week, the Eagles gave up 21 points in the first half. Though there’s plenty of blame to go around for the 27-20 loss in Washington, the defense was a glaring issue.
On Sunday against their divisional foe Washington, the Eagles defense gave up the most points of the season and gave up 205 more yards than any other game.
The unit helped their team stay in the game on one occasion, with a crucial pick-six by Malcolm Jenkins in the second quarter, but other than that they really struggled.
The front seven didn’t get pressure frequently enough and the secondary was beaten by Washington’s receivers all day. On top of that, the defense couldn’t stop the run whatsoever.
Washington put up 493 yards, 230 of which game on the ground. It didn’t really matter who was carrying the ball, the Eagles couldn’t stop any of Washington’s running backs. All three of the team’s backs averaged more than four yards per carry against the Birds.
A big factor in their poor play was the amount of time the defense spent on the field. Due to giving up seven third down conversions, Jenkins’ pick-six and Wendell Smallwood’s kickoff return for a touchdown, the defense was on the field for over 34 minutes.
The Eagles started out the season hot because of their strong defense. If the unit continues to struggle like they did in Washington, it will be hard for them to stay in games as their schedule gets even harder.
