Eagles Movie Evaluation: Protection takeaways from the loss to the Buccaneers

My Philadelphia Eagles defensive opinions this yr have been absurd. I’m both being extraordinarily optimistic or extraordinarily damaging. Final week was nice, however I did warn you that I didn’t suppose every thing was mounted as a result of the defensive sport plan was particular for the Saints.

It’s price mentioning that the Saints play a really completely different model to the Falcons. The Saints made it simpler in some methods for the Eagles to get to their 5-man fronts by taking part in a whole lot of 12 and 21 personnel.

Apologies, however this week is a damaging one. This protection was terrible towards the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and I believe Vic Fangio deserves a whole lot of blame. The entire sport plan sucked. Let’s get into it.

Protection

First play of the sport. As a protection, you need to set the tone early. Ship a message to the opposing crew that you’re a bodily, robust protection to beat. Or you may simply come out and provides a 31-year-old Mike Evans 10 yards of cushion regardless of having a security excessive. If you wish to ship a message that your protection is comfortable and gives you simple throws all day, then that is the way you need to begin. I can not totally clarify how a lot I hate this model of protection. This isn’t an anti-Fangio scheme take both. You’ll be able to run the Fangio scheme and never line your cornerbacks 10 yards off. You’ll be able to run a Fangio scheme and nonetheless play press protection. However on this explicit sport, the Eagles have been means too passive, and it value them. It additionally aggravated me immensely.

Fangio admitted in his press convention that this sport plan stunned the Eagles. Not less than he’s trustworthy.

Nonetheless, if everybody at dwelling may see this, I don’t know why the Eagles didn’t regulate or do something completely different. I may depend on one hand the quantity of press protection I noticed from the Eagles’ cornerbacks.

I may have taken ten clips from C. J. Gardner-Johnson from this sport. I’m not sure if one thing was up with him, however he was abysmal on this sport. I’ll hardly ever ever query somebody’s effort on the sector, but when I’m actually trustworthy, he had performs the place he regarded disinterested in tackling or coming downhill. If Sydney Brown was wholesome and on the bench, I’d have requested for CJGJ to be benched. He actually didn’t play nicely. That is one other instance of the Eagles’ cornerbacks being too far off. Avonte Maddox is thus far off that it’s simple for the Bucs to examine it all the way down to the slot receiver, and the tight finish can simply come throughout and block Maddox. CJGJ has to get downhill faster right here. Nolan Smith saves a landing right here with a really athletic play.

I’ve watched a whole lot of Fangio’s defenses over the previous few years. I don’t acknowledge this protection. It simply doesn’t seem like a typical Fangio protection. Fangio usually needs to be +1 on every half of the sector. I do know this can be a large oversimplification however simply consider it like that. In case you have 3 receivers on one facet of the sector, Fangio will most likely need 4 defenders on that facet distributing the routes. Now, examine what I’ve simply mentioned to this clip. The Bucs solely have 3 receivers out on a route right here. The Eagles have 4 defenders on that facet of the sector. However there isn’t a distribution of routes. No communication. When you suppose the Fangio protection is about taking part in two-high safeties, then watch this movie. The Eagles incessantly rotated to single-high and have been ineffective after they did. They ended up with performs like this the place Blankenship makes an attempt to cowl Mike Evans. This is not good. It’s not what I anticipated to see in any respect, both.

One other factor I discovered disappointing about this week was the quantity of confusion. There have been many snaps the place gamers regarded round confused post-snap and complained to 1 one other. No matter you consider the Fangio model, it isn’t ok for it to be week 4, and gamers nonetheless being confused. If the scheme is just too sophisticated, then simplify it. If the gamers are making errors, then it’s worthwhile to coach issues higher. I don’t get why it’s taking place, however I do know it’s not ok. CJGJ is clearly taking part in as a cut up security right here, which leaves the center of the sector open, however Slay is taking part in with exterior leverage.

I’ve repeatedly mentioned that I hate these line of defense stunts. It really works right here, however I nonetheless don’t like them. They’re very aggressive and incessantly don’t work, however after they do work, they give the impression of being superior. The Eagles didn’t rush the quarterback nicely on this sport, however I blame the scheme greater than the gamers. It’s onerous to hurry the quarterback when the cornerbacks are taking part in 10 yards off the receivers and giving up simple throws. If Fangio was going to be extra artistic on this sport, I want he ran extra simulated pressures and creepers reasonably than these line of defense stunts. Although it labored superbly right here!

We could pause the negatives to speak a couple of optimistic for a second? I believe Quinyon Mitchell was one of the best Eagles’ defensive again on this sport (I respect that isn’t saying rather a lot). That is pretty much as good because it will get towards Mike Evans within the purple zone. Evans excels in these contested conditions, and that is an excellent rep from the rookie. He wasn’t good, however he’s had a superb begin to his Eagles’ profession.

OK, nobody can accuse me of being damaging now I’ve given you a optimistic! So, let’s get again to the negatives. What the hell is that this?! It’s 4th and 1, and the Bucs run a typical read-option. Brandon Graham does the correct factor and comes crashing down on the working again instantly, which causes Baker Mayfield to maintain it. Reed Blankenship should know the state of affairs and are available downhill on the quarterback instantly. He needs to be aggressive right here. Even when he misses the deal with, that’s higher than what he does. There’s completely no level in tackling the ball provider low on the 1-yard line. It’s a full and utter waste of time. If any play epitomizes the Eagles’ passive strategy to taking part in protection, it’s this play. I imagine that Blankenship was not feeling nice and didn’t final the total sport so I’m not personally criticising him, however aggressiveness in brief yardage conditions is one thing the coaches have to stress.

Hey, one other optimistic! I don’t suppose I’ll converse positively about any gamers on this article aside from Quinyon Mitchell and Brandon Graham, and I believe that’s fairly truthful. I can’t imagine I’ve made it this far and haven’t spoken concerning the Eagles’ missed tackles! I’ve fairly a controversial tackle that, so let’s do it now as a result of I haven’t acquired one other play within the thread that exhibits a missed deal with!

Right here’s my controversial take: I believe the missed tackles resulted from the Eagles’ passive scheme reasonably than people being garbage. Now, don’t get me incorrect, there was a whole lot of Eagles’ defenders who have been horrible on this sport. However there have been so many missed tackles as a result of Eagles’ defensive backs incessantly should fly out within the flats from 10 yards deep and deal with working backs. When you permit the offensive to simply examine the ball all the way down to working backs in receivers within the flat, then your protection will miss a whole lot of tackles! I’m not excusing the Eagles’ gamers, however the scheme didn’t put them in a great place to succeed. That’s the entire level of a training employees and a scheme.

Right here’s one more error. I clearly can’t be sure with out being within the assembly room, however I’m nearly sure that is one other error from CJGJ. It appears to be like like a 5-man rush with a fireplace zone protection behind it. This could end in CJGJ being answerable for the flat, which he doesn’t cowl right here. Nevertheless, simply watch out that I don’t know precisely what the decision is.

This was the play after I totally misplaced. I can perceive why, towards a sure movement or late shift, an ideal offensive thoughts might pressure one in all your EDGE gamers to drop into protection. I don’t have an issue with dropping an EDGE and dashing an off-ball linebacker. However not like this! The push needs to be disguised. There’s completely no disguise right here in any respect! It’s extremely apparent to anybody pre-snap that Nolan Smith is in protection, which can possible end in a linebacker dashing the quarterback. You nearly can’t make it any simpler for the Bucs right here. The one optimistic is that Nolan Smith truly does a fairly good job masking Chris Godwin, or this may have been much more embarrassing for Fangio.

I don’t know if this can be a participant or coach challenge, nevertheless it should cease. There is no such thing as a situation when Quinyon Mitchsell ought to be giving this a lot cushion to any extensive receiver. Not to mention Sterling Shepard on 2nd and 12. Fangio incessantly speaks about how the gamers resolve whether or not to press or not however at this level, the coaches have to make the choice for them. I don’t care if Quinyon or Darius Slay are extra snug in off-coverage. That’s irrelevant. You can not give this a lot area to any extensive receiver and anticipate to have any success. I’ve seen this fashion too many occasions the previous 3 years.

Simply to complete us off, let’s take a look at some extra miscommunication. It’s fairly clear right here that Avonte Maddox and Kelee Ringo should not on the identical web page in any respect. Maddox is livid after the play. There additionally seems to be some confusion as to who’s dashing the quarterback as Zack Baun finally ends up as a kind of quarterback spy, which you do not want towards Baker Mayfield on third and lengthy. You’ll be able to’t quit performs like this as a result of your defensive backs should not on the identical web page. This isn’t the preseason anymore. It’s week 4, and these video games matter.

Lastly, I hate the usage of personnel right here, too. If I’m going to play some DIME and usher in Kelee Ringo, there isn’t a likelihood I’d put him within the slot. Ringo must be exterior and taking part in with bodily press protection. There’s nothing good about this play. Nothing.

I apologize for the damaging rant once more, however I can solely say what the movie exhibits me. I used to be not keen on this sport plan in any respect. I believe Vic Fangio actually must take a tough take a look at this protection over the bye week and desires to come back again with a brand new id, or this might be an extended, lengthy season.

Thanks for studying! I’d love to listen to your ideas, so be happy to remark beneath and ask any questions. When you loved this piece, you could find extra of my work and podcast right here.