Eagles Need To Fix Defense
By Ed Benkin
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- In the NFL, a lot can change in two weeks. The Eagles' defense is providing the perfect example.
Throughout much of the first half of the season, the Eagles defense looked vastly improved from a year ago. The defense kept games close while the offense was trying to get on track. However, the last two games have been nothing short of a dumpster fire for Bill Davis' squad. The Eagles have given up 90 points over the last two contests, and questions are being raised about nearly every player and coach on the defensive side of the ball. Defensive Coordinator Bill Davis understands his team may be facing a confidence crisis.
"Human nature is your confidence is going to be shaken," said Davis. "What we can rely on and go back to talk about are the games we had: the first Dallas game against (Tony) Romo, the Drew Brees game and the Eli Manning game against New York. Those are times we had success with the same calls, with the same guys and with the same tools. We just have to get back to that."
On WIP Monday night, Safety Malcolm Jenkins said there is an accountability issue on this team. Jenkins still backed the coaches on Tuesday, and said the scheme is not the reason why the defense has struggled over the past two games.
"I think the scheme we have is just not being executed," Jenkins said. "There's probably two or three plays a game where they scheme up something to beat what we're in. I think it's more of us not executing the scheme."
Linebacker Connor Barwin could see part of what was wrong during the team's blowout loss in Detroit on Thanksgiving. He believes Lions Quarterback Matthew Stafford was able to read when the pressure was coming with plenty of time to spare. The result was a plethora of big plays against the Eagles Defense.
"We're showing our blitzes," said Barwin. "I showed a blitz. B.G. (Brandon Graham) showed a blitz. Other people showed a blitz. What is it? Week eleven? Stafford's watching some film. We show it. It's not going to work."
Even after giving up 45 points in back-to-back games, Barwin and the rest of his teammates believe they can get back to playing at a high level. Barwin also believes there is no loss of confidence, and added now is not the time to hold a pity party for anyone in the locker room.
"I'm not worried about it," Barwin said. "I'm worried about myself and how I'm playing. I'm not going to sit around and waste my time and worry about how everybody's feeling. We just need guys to start playing better football and doing their job."
