Is Eagles New ‘Problem’ Now Revealed?
They are on a three-game losing streak, and so by the very nature of that fact, the Philadelphia Eagles look bad in so, so many ways. So bad that they have some reason to feel “miserable.” That characterization of the Philly locker room – coming from inside that very locker room – is a damning one as the 10-4 playoff-bound Eagles gear up Monday for a Christmas Day matchup against the New York Giants. It’s damning … and it’s psychological. But as the rest of the NFL spends a moment pondering what exactly is “wrong” with the defending NFC champs, one critique points not at the psychological but rather at a physical issue.
“Being old and slower on defense has been a problem for them,” an exec from an opposing NFC team tells Mike Sando of The Athletic. OK. But … how did that happen all of the sudden? And given the youth injection around here as the result of the last couple of NFL Drafts, how can it be true? Some of the numbers are stunning. Philadelphia gave up 42 points to the San Francisco 49ers and then 33 points to the Dallas Cowboys in consecutive weeks. … and then slipped up badly in the clutch in a 20-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks last week. But we think some of this analysis and some of this panic is overreaching. We don’t believe Jalen Hurts’ stoic leadership style is a weakness; we think it’s a strength.
We don’t think the vets on this defense are “too old”; we think that right about now, with the playoffs on the horizon, is a fine time to rely on those very veterans. And we don’t think all is lost … as the Eagles still control their destiny for the division title if they simply win their final three regular-season games. … all three of which will feature Philly as heavy favorites.
Related: ‘Miserable!’ Eagles vs. Giants: 5 Keys to Snapping Streak
The Eagles are 13.5-point faves today. The Giants last week struggled to score in a 24-6 loss to the Saints. And undrafted free agent rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito – the toast of New Jersey – was sacked seven times by New Orleans.
“Old and slow”? It’ll be amazing just how quickly that scouting report changes if the veteran Eagles mesh with the kids and find a way to end the skid and move to an impressive 11-5.
