The Philadelphia Eagles are in first place in the NFC East, but it hasn’t been the way many people expected it to happen. Fresh off a 27-7 win over the New York Giants on Monday Night Football, Chip Kelly’s team is winning football games with a defense that looks like one of the best in the whole National Football League.
The Eagles allowed just seven points to an Eli Manning and Odell Beckham, Jr. offense, forcing four turnovers (three interceptions and a fumble recovery), recording three sacks, and scoring a defensive touchdown on a Nolan Carroll pick-six. That’s a total of 24 points this Eagles squad has allowed in the last two weeks, and this has been against quarterbacks Drew Brees and Eli Manning, each of whom may one day make the Hall of Fame.
The sheer statistics for the Eagles say that this defense is capable of carrying the team for extended stretches, even if the offense is struggling. Philadelphia ranks sixth in the league in total points allowed. They’re third in turnovers and average rushing yards allowed per attempt, and they’ve allowed only one rushing touchdown all season (a fumble recovery by Kirk Cousins that he managed to run in).
That means no running back has scored a rushing touchdown against the Eagles, and that’s a credit to the front seven. Fletcher Cox is arguably the best defensive player in the NFC East. Bennie Logan is a star in the making. Cedric Thornton and Vinny Curry are key contributors at the 5-technique spot.
At linebacker, injuries to Kiko Alonso and Mychal Kendricks have opened the door for playmaking rookie Jordan Hicks. Meanwhile, pass-rushers Connor Barwin and Brandon Graham are adept at getting to the quarterback.
Even the secondary, which hasn’t gotten a fine reward from $63 million cornerback Byron Maxwell, has had others step up. Carroll had the defensive score in this past game. Cornerback-turned-safety Walter Thurmond has three interceptions in just six games. His counterpart, Malcolm Jenkins, is quietly one of the best in the business at his craft.
When Alonso and Kendricks return from their injuries, the defense should only get better. The schedule is favorable, too. The Eagles play an undefeated Cam Newton-led Carolina Panthers squad next week, but then the slate of opposing quarterbacks gets very manageable.
There’s Matt Cassel, who will be taking his first snaps with the Dallas Cowboys. Then there’s Ryan Tannehill, who has regressed to a 80.1 passer rating that ranks 27th in the league. Then it’s the rookie Jameis Winston, whose 77.6 rating ranks 31st, then Matthew Stafford, who is tied with Sam Bradford for the NFC lead in interceptions (9).
That’s four straight games in which the Eagles’ underrated defense should thrive and start to gain the national respect it deserves. As long as the offense can keep this team afloat, the defense will do the bulk of the work in getting the Eagles the victories.
