Eagles Veteran DT Offers Opinion On Pass-Rushing Woes

Situations breed pass-rushing numbers, according to defensive tackle Milton Williams.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams (93) tackles Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams (93) tackles Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
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PHILADELPHIA - It wasn’t supposed to be this way with Vic Fangio running the Eagles’ defense.

Over the small sample size of eight quarters, the Philadelphia stop unit ranks 30th overall in defense, No. 27 in points per game, No. 25 in rush defense, and No. 28 in pass defense.

The chicken to this egg is that the Eagles can’t stop the run which makes rushing the passer harder and spikes the opposition passing game.

Fourth-year veteran defensive tackle Milton Williams has the only sack from a defensive lineman so far in Philly.

“We gotta stop the run first,” Williams said when asked about what’s going on with what was perceived as a talented front. “You can’t pass rush if they’re running boot-action, or we’re rushing four and they’re max protecting, and they got 6-7-8 blockers, and two receivers running routes. 

“You can’t pass rush like that.”

In many ways that’s common sense. Third-and-short is advantage offense and third-and-long is when the pass rushers can pin their ears back.

“There ain’t gonna be no pressures, win rate or whatever. You gotta stop the run and force them to drop back,” said Williams. “And then you can go rush.”

According to Williams, the Eagles’ reputation up front of defense also complicates matters.

 “We’re going to see a lot of Y zone [blocking], until we stop it – boots, max protection – because they know we got good rushers up front,” Williams said. “They don’t want to give us the opportunity to rush. We gotta make them by getting stops, get the offense the ball and go up two or three possessions. Make them have to drop back, and get them behind the sticks. Then you’re going to see the rush come alive.”

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John McMullen
JOHN MCMULLEN

John McMullen is a veteran reporter who has covered the NFL for over two decades. The current NFL insider for JAKIB Media, John is the former NFL Editor for The Sports Network where his syndicated column was featured in over 200 outlets including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and Miami Herald. He was also the national NFL columnist for Today's Pigskin as well as FanRag Sports. McMullen has covered the Eagles on a daily basis since 2016, first for ESPN South Jersey and now for Eagles Today on SI.com's FanNation. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube.com. John is also the host of his own show "Extending the Play" on AM1490 in South Jersey and part of 6ABC.com's live postgame show after every Eagles game. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen