Philadelphia Eagles Believe More Traditional Defenses Starts vs. Commanders
PHILADELPHIA - After the Philadelphia Eagles persevered with a 34-28 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2, All-Pro center Jason Kelce called dealing with a Brian Flores defense "chaos."
Sandwiching that game was a season-opening win at the New England Patriots in which Bill Belichick unfurled a host of unscouted looks and Monday night's 25-11 win at Tampa Bay where Nick Sirianni raved about Bucs coach Todd Bowles and just how difficult his teams are to prepare for.
The Eagles ran the gauntlet against three of the best defensive minds in the NFL by going 3-0 at the expense of style points on offense, instead defaulting to the league's best offensive line and the running game to help deal with the kitchen sink being thrown at first-year play-caller Brian Johnson.
“They are going to keep throwing out chaotic things and trying to eliminate the big play because we were one of the most explosive offenses in the league last year, so they are trying to find ways to throw us off,” Kelce said after the Vikings game. “This is going to be the name of the game this season. We’re not going to see vanilla, cover one, it’s just not going to happen.
“It’s going to be chaos. So, the better we can adjust and the more we can continue to have things and be ready to go on the sideline, I think that’s going to be the name of the game for us.”
Dallas Goedert echoed Kelce's thoughts this week.
"I'd say the first three weeks will probably be the three most exotic (defenses) that we play with the coaches, the schemes that the other teams have," the star tight end said.
Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson talks with Jalen Hurts before a game against the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
The leader of it all, Johnson, added to the context of "the struggles."
"Credit to obviously the first three defenses that we played this season, I think, each one of those teams presented a very unique challenge," said Johnson. "... They put together plans to try to stop what we do well."
Johnson has taken some criticism early this season because what was the ninth-ranked passing attack in the NFL last season is currently at No. 23 entering Week 4. That said, Philadelphia is No. 6 in offense overall after finishing No. 3 last season and No. 2 in rushing offense at 185.7 yards per game.
The team has rolled up 425-plus total yards and 200 or more on the ground in consecutive games for the first time since 1950.
"Credit to our guys for being resilient and finding the way to continue to battle, continue to find a way to have some production, and ultimately win those football games," Johnson said.
Long-term, it's fair to say that the Eagles want to get the passing game going, however.
"You see those guys continue to get better, each and every week, and you know that's what this thing is about ultimately is continually trying to find ways to improve," said Johnson. "We still have a ways to go. By no means are we a finished product in terms of what we want to be. For us, that goal is to find that consistency to be able to go out there and do it at a really high-level week-in and week-out."
Solving the problems against three of the most innovative defensive minds in the NFL has brought a reprieve or so the Eagles think.
With the divisional rival Washington Commanders next on the docket, a familiar foe should calm the chaos somewhat.
"Watching film (of Washington) this week it seems like we're going know when they're in certain personnel, what fronts they are going to play, what coverages they are going to play," Goedert said. "When they change personnels we know they are going to change fronts, change coverage.
"We're aware of different things they do with the (secondary) so we feel like going forward, we'll probably be saying more defenses that are kinda routine in the NFL, not the exotic stuff we have been seeing."
Johnson isn't exactly resting, however. Riding a wave of 20-1 over the last 21 games quarterback Jalen Hurts has started, the Eagles' play-caller understands his team is the hunted and more curve balls are coming.
"I think for us, I think the biggest point is that each game is really its own independent entity," Johnson said. "Going into each game, teams are going to have specific plans and it's our job to be able to figure out what that is, be able to adjust to it properly, and put our guys in the best position possible to go win."
