Eagles' Defensive Breakdown Starts Up Front

Philadelphia's defensive front has failed to live up to expectations early in the season.

Sep 16, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) runs past Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Josh Sweat (19) during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA - The focus of the Eagles' disappointing 22-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night will start with a dropped pass by the otherwise stellar Saquon Barkley and the ensuing coverage breakdowns over a 65-second microwave-like drive in which the stationary Kirk Cousins had his way with Vic Fangio's coverage schemes.

Peel back the onion a bit and the perceived strength of Fangio's defense is what has called in late for the 2024 season.

For the second consecutive game, the Eagles’ defensive front didn’t exactly set the tone whether it was muddying the running lanes for Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier or pressuring the 36-year-old Cousins into feeling uncomfortable less than 11 months off a torn Achilles.

The highlights were few and far between, namely Milton Williams racing through a Chris Lindstrom block in the red zone for a third-down sack — the Eagles’ only one of the night — during the third quarter. On the same rush, however, Robinson chipped second-year edge rusher Nolan Smith into oblivion.

Embattled nose tackle Jordan Davis batted down a Cousins pass at the line of scrimmage on the Falcons’ first drive before settling down into anonymity while Jalen Carter didn’t even start the game, something that at least smells like a potential disciplinary issue. The second-year defensive tackle is Philadelphia's most talented defender and mustered only a pressure on a Cousins incompletion late in the third quarter.

The team's $51 million edge rusher Bryce Huff continues to spend most of his time on a milk carton when in pass-rush mode, only to be found when flailing in run support.

Veterans Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham remain the most representative players up front while Smith and interior role players Thomas Booker and Moro Ojomo are not playing enough to be difference-makers.

"We'll look at this game and see what happened," head coach Nick Sirianni said when asked about the shaky pass rush. "Sometimes you have to earn the right to rush, meaning you have got to have them in passing situations. Didn't seem like we had some passing situations today. They were in third and manageable or second and manageable.

"So sometimes you have to earn the right to rush.

That speaks to the ineffectiveness on both front, though. Robinson and Allgeier combined 150 yards rushing at over 6.0 yards a clip and the rush generated Williams' sack and just two QB hits.

"Like I said, when they were ahead of the sticks, that makes it a little bit harder on the pass rush," said Sirianni. "We'll look at the tape of this game -- Yeah, we'll see what it is. "

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