Eagles Defense Needs To Get Tougher

Perhaps no play portrayed the state of the Eagles defense on Sunday better than the first quarter touchdown run by Ryan Torain.

On the play, the Eagles defensive front was pushed back off the line of scrmmage. The linebackers over pursued the run and had to turn around to try to make a play. Once Torain got into the secondary, he ran over safety Quintin Mikell like he wasn’t even there. Touchdown, Redskins!

This play not only was typical of the day, but it was typical for the season so far when it comes to the defense.  They were there to make the play, but unable to finish.  This defense is one that will succeed with its speed. It has no big bodies on the line, and it’s linebackers are also undersized.

The cornerbacks and safeties are ball hawking players that will rarely put a lick on a receiver coming across the middle.  Many times they’re in position to make a game changing hits or tackles but their lack of size and aggressiveness prevents them from doing so.

On Sunday, the defense was beaten and bruised up and down the field.  Clinton Portis, a player who was considered washed up the week before, ran through tackles like he used to in his prime.  He shed the smaller Eagles’ arm tackles like they weren’t even there.

Numerous times the Eagles used their speed to get to him in the backfield, but were unable to finish the play.  Their inability to make the tackles really highlighted the problem this defense will face all year.   They are simply not big enough to beat an offense man to man.  They can blitz and scheme their way to an occasional big play, but they cannot win the one-on-one battles when it matters most.

The defense lacks any toughness what-so-ever.  The only player that strikes any semblance of fear into players is MLB Stewart Bradley. Other then that, the unit has no intimidator.  This is one area where the team really misses Brian Dawkins.  Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott tries to use Mikell in that blitzing safety/linebacker role which Dawk excelled in, but he lacks the size and toughness to mix it up like Dawk did.  Ask Torain if he is afraid when Mikell comes running at him.

When the Eagles defense was at its best, it had players who would knock the daylights out of an opposing player.  Jeremiah Trotter and Brian Dawkins punished players throughout the game, to the point where they would wear down as the game went on.  By the fourth quarter, the players were so physically beaten up that they could not run like they did when the game started.

One player who became available this week that might help is safety Michael Lewis.  Lewis was released by San Francisco, and is now a free agent. For all of his liabilities in coverage, Lewis would bring an attitude and toughness to this defense it lacks. People said Dawkins could not cover when he left, but he brought enough to the Denver defense that he earned a Pro-Bowl bid a year ago.  Clearly Lewis is no Dawkins, but the Eagles are thin at safety already, and Lewis would not have been knocked over like Mikell was on that play.

This unit has talent. It can create turnovers and only gave up 17 points on Sunday. But if it wants to move to that next level and really become a defense that can win a game, it needs to toughen up, start winning the one-on-one battles, stop being pushed around.