The Eagles defense has been on the rockiest of roads in 2018. In fact, it’s a road so rocky that the shocks sent through the bottom of the car as a result have wounded the entire secondary. From choking leads and extensive injury problems, to a wealth of execution problems and poor tackling, the Jim Schwartz defense just doesn’t look the same. But through all the setbacks and question marks, there’s one thing Schwartz is yet to do that could’ve prevented a lot of turmoil.
It would be unfair to say that Schwartz doesn’t make defensive adjustments, because he does. For instance against the Saints, the team played the most man-coverage looks they had all year due to the nature of the offense they were facing. Now it didn’t go according to plan, but the sentiment was there, as it was against the Cowboys and as it was against the Jaguars. Subtle tweaks and changes have been worked into the defense, but there is a pressing need for a much bigger one…and it should’ve happened a long time ago.
In 2016, the Eagles went out of their way to acquire the services of Rodney McLeod, cementing one of the most ruthless tandems in the NFL. Malcolm Jenkins would be joined by a ferocious hitter and in their first season together combined for 155 tackles, 2 sacks and 6 interceptions. That now seems like a distant memory.
One year later, the Eagles opted to use Jenkins inside the box far more frequently where he admittedly thrived. One reason why Schwartz was able to do this without consequence is that the production from Jaylen Watkins and Corey Graham on the back-line allowed Jenkins to line up wherever Schwartz wanted him to, knowing that there’s help over the top. That defense of course then ploughed through the playoffs and to their first ever Super Bowl.
With great power, comes great responsibility however and what comes with winning a Super Bowl is accepting that you’re going to lose players to free agency and trades. The Eagles lost Jaylen Watkins in that way and while Corey Graham did eventually return, depth was minimal. We quickly learned that the team couldn’t lean on Tre Sullivan (who was promptly cut after a costly error before eventually returning) and Corey Graham wasn’t playing to the level he was in 2017.
Then, the injuries started hit. Rodney McLeod suffered a season-ending injury against the Indianapolis Colts and a couple of weeks later, Graham would miss time after picking up a knock against the Vikings. Instead of moving Malcolm Jenkins back to Safety, where he’s turned in all-pro season after all-pro season, the Eagles left him playing in the box to aid the run game and instead moved Avonte Maddox, a rookie corner who had never played the position, let alone started a game, to the backline.
By some miracle, this payed off for the Birds. Maddox hit the ground running and in a few short weeks became an integral part of the defense. The Eagles started playing frequent cover-3 (which drops corners deep down the field and allows Maddox to watch the middle) and although costly at times, Maddox had some dominant outings against the Giants, Jags and looked strong against Dallas.
But then Maddox went down with an injury. So instead of, you guessed it, moving Malcolm Jenkins back over the top, the team gave Tre Sullivan another shot alongside Corey Graham. In most scenarios, even this would be passable. But the fact is that the entire secondary has been wiped out.
No Jalen Mills. No Ronald Darby. No Sidney Jones. No Rodney McLeod.
When you have a group of practice squad promotees with a complete lack of NFL experience, communication becomes a problem. Schwartz even alluded to this earlier during the week:
“There are so many calls that we make, and you guys probably aren’t privy to it. There are a lot of things, calls that you make when you’re an offensive lineman based on a front or when you’re a secondary player based on a formation. Coaches, you have those layers. Okay, “Hey, we’re going to make this call versus this formation that gives us this adjustment.
In real life that call doesn’t get made very often because you get tempo, you get guys on the ball, and you just have to have unspoken communication, because everybody knows, well, yeah, that’s what that is.
I had a player one time — and this is way off limit — but like in the middle of the game forgot the call and said, “Hey, alert that whatchamacallit right there.” And everybody was like, “Yeah, okay.” They all just sort of knew what the situation was.
But, I mean, there is no excuses in that. Communication is a part of football, just like tackling and blocking, and that’s something that we have to be able to perform and we have to be able to get accomplished during the game.”
So you now have a secondary filled with players who haven’t really been exposed to NFL offenses who are now having to defend Odell Beckham Jr, Sterling Shepard, Evan Engram and Saquon Barkley. Nice.
If there is EVER a time for a vocal leader to help structure the secondary, get guys lined up and be the safety net he earned garnered a stern reputation for playing like, it’s now.
The Eagles have linebackers. Hicks may be doubtful to play, but currently active are Bradham, Grungier-Hill, Gerry, Alexander and Reynolds. Three of those have starting experience this year alone and have proven their worth. If Bradham is forced to start inside, you have to very laterally fast linebackers either side to hold the fort. Jenkins doesn’t NEED to play inside the box for this game at least.
The secondary has been crying out for help and now there’s no tears left to shed. All that remains is a shell of what once was as Malcolm Jenkins, who was the heartbeat of that unit not so long ago, plays closer to the line of scrimmage. If Jim Schwartz wants his Eagles defense to avoid allowing another 48 points on Sunday, having a Safety who can tackle efficiently, lead the defense and ensure that communication to his teammates outside is clear, is going to be absolutely pivotal.
Schwartz has refused to move Jenkins back to Safety full-time despite the defense falling apart around him and all signs pointing toward the obvious. Those signs have now become desperate and if the Eagles march out onto the field with Corey Graham and Tre Sullivan helping out Chandon Sullivan, CreVon LeBlanc and De’Vante Bausby…the defensive coordinator is going to experience a whole new world of pressure.
Mandatory Credit: Scott Clause/The Advertiser via USA TODAY NETWORK
