The BBH/Big Hitter's Scouting Report: Eagles Defense

[bighitterdalama]

Hi guys. Sorry, I 've overwhelmed this week and am way behind schedule. I thought I'd get what I do have done of the defensive report out now and add linebackers and DBs later when they are done. As always, thanks for the interest and kind words.

Eagles Defense

Jonathan Gannon's hire as the Eagles' defensive coordinator is his first stint as a DC. Gannon previously spent several years as defensive backs coach, first with the Vikings, then with the Colts, where he worked along side Nick Sirianni. Originally a scout for the Rams, Gannon has a key eye for talent. In his first-year (2021), the Eagles' defense was solid, ranking 10th in yardage and 18th in points. During the last off-season, the Eagles added three pieces that bolstered their defense from "good" to elite: linebacker/edge Haasan Reddick, corner James Bradbury, and safety CJ Gardner-Johnson. More on these players below.

Technically a 4-3-4 defense, the Eagles almost never use that alignment. In any given game, the Eagles most common alignment will be the 3-3-5, played on about 60-65% of the snaps. The next most common, the 4-2-5, mostly used on run downs, will account for about 30-35% of the snaps, while the 3-4-4 alignment will account for less than 10% of the snaps. The Eagles preferred coverage is zone with a Cover 2 shell, but they do utilize man-2-man about 40% of the snaps and shift out of Cover 2 to a Cover 1, Cover 3/Cover 6 and Quarters. The Eagles' off-ball defenders rarely blitz, with DBs sent just 35 times and off-ball linebackers 54 times (out of a total of 636 pass attempts). The Eagles fearsome pass rush is generated by four-and-five-man fronts. They key to the pass rush is the multi-dimensional Haasan Reddick, who can seamlessly shift from a three or four man front SAM to a four or five man front edge.

Statistically, the Eagles are 2nd in the NFL in yards/game (301.5) and 7th in points (20.2 PPG). Their run defense is middling, yielding 121.6 yards/game (16th), with an average yards/carry of 4.6 (24th). Their pass defense has been fantastic, ranked #1 in the NFL at just 179.8 yards/game. This success results from a combination of both a fierce pass rush and terrific coverage, particularly by starting edge corners Darius Slay and James Bradbury. The Eagles recorded 70 sacks, first in the NFL and just 2 short of the all-time record, while their sack yardage, minus 491 yards, was also 1st best. The Eagles had the 4th most interceptions (17) and the 4th most takeaways (27). They yielded the third least number of third downs (325) and allowed just a 38.6% success rate on third down. Opponents had a 41.6% run/pass ratio.

Defensive Tackle

The defensive philosophy of Eagles' DC Jonathan Gannon requires a firm base at defensive tackle. Strong play at DT allows for the multiple front pass rush schemes employed by the defensive ends and outside linebackers. As such, the Eagles, who average 2.25 DT personnel per snap, utilize various DT packages. Employed mostly on run downs, they use the traditional 1 tech NT/3 tech DT alignment on about 37% of the snaps. The Eagles currently carry two nose tackles. Rookie Jordan Davis, selected with the #16 overall pick, became an immediate starter. Davis played well but suffered an ankle injury in the Week 8 win over Pittsburgh that landed him on the non-season-ending IR. The Eagles subsequently signed 34-year-old free agent Linval Joseph, the Giants' second-round pick way back in 2010, to play NT in Davis' place. Davis was reactivated on December 3rd, and since then he and Joseph have split action at NT. On the season, Davis, who has taken 224 defensive snaps, has 18 tackles (8 solo), 1 tackle-for-loss, and one pass defended. He earns PFF grades of 71.8(run defense)/59.4(pass rush)/71.4(overall). Joseph, with 189 defensive snaps, has 20 tackles (8 solo), 0.5 sacks, and 1 QB hit. Joseph grades 59.9(run)/59.1(pass rush)/58.9(overall).

When not utilizing a nose tackle, the Eagles utilize a variety of 3-tech packages. In fact, on about 25% of the snaps, they will employ a third DT outside the tackle in a 5-tech alignment. The Eagles base 3-tech duo consists of veterans Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave. The 32-year-old Cox, a six-time Pro Bowler and (in my mind) a future Hall-of-Famer, is not the dominant player he once was but nonetheless remains solid. On the season, Cox recorded 43 tackles (23 solo), 7 TFL, 7.0 sacks, 14 QB hits, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery. He scores 49.0(run)/62.0(pass rush)/56.4(overall), ranking #77 of 125 qualifying DTs. 29-year-old Hargrave, a former Steeler, had another terrific season. On the year, Hargrave recorded 60 tackles (37 solo), 10 TFL, 11.0 sacks, 2 PDs, 16 QB hits, 1 forced fumble, and 2 fumble recoveries. Hargrave received PFF scores of 48.2/90.8/78.2, ranking #12 of 125.

The Eagles had solid rotational backup DTs in Milton Williams, Marlon Tuipulotu, and Ndamukong Suh. In fact, the 23-year-old Williams, a 2021 third-round pick from LSU, was terrific. In 396 (36%) of the defensive snaps, Williams recorded 36 tackles (19 solo), 9 TFL, 4.0 sacks, 2 PD, and 6 QB hits. He graded 75.7(run)/58.5(pass rush)/72.6(overall), ranking #26 of 125. Tuipuloto, a 2021 sixth-round pick from USC, did not have a good year. In 232 (21%) snaps, he recorded 16 tackles (8 solo), 1 TFL, 1.0 sacks, 2 QB hits, and 1 fumble recovery, earning poor grades of 40.7/57.7/48.5. Following Week 10, Tuilupotu was benched, his spot in the rotation taken by veteran Ndamukong Suh. Suh, who has since taken about 35% of the defensive snaps, has played fairly well. In 176 total snaps, Suh has recorded 10 tackles (4 solo), 1.0 sacks, and 2 QB hits, grading 68.9/54.6/64.2. Suh, like Tuipulotu before him, was often employed in the 5-tech role described above.

Defensive End

With the 5-tech DT included in the numbers, the Eagles average just 1.15 defensive ends/defensive snaps. As such, the single true DE position consists of the outstanding rotation of Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat. The 34-year-old Graham, a 2010 first-round pick from Michigan, had terrific season. In 473 (43%) of the defensive snaps, Graham had 35 tackles (19 solo), 11 TFL, 11.0 sacks, 1 PD, 16 QB hits, and 2 forced fumbles. Graham earned PFF grades of 71.9(run)/89.1(pass rush)/89.9(overall), ranking #6 of 120 qualifying players. Sweat, the 2018 fourth-round pick from Florida State, was every bit as good. In 587 (53%) of the snaps, Sweat recorded 48 tackles (31 solo), 15 TFL, 11.0 sacks, 1 PD, 1 interception (a Week 16 pick against Dallas that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown), 23 QB hits, and 1 forced fumble. Sweat earned grades of 80.5/82.1/86.6, ranking #8 out of 120.

[Bob In PA]

Brian: It occurred to me Eagles have had WAY MORE THAN their fair share of luck this season, and a lot of it is related to two circumstances of which not many people are aware....

(1) They got Reddick (according to Reddick) because he desperately wanted to return to Philadelphia (his home town) to play for his favorite team.  Just think what the Giants might be if that guy grew up a Giants fan.

(2) They got A.J. Brown (according to Brown) because he and Hurts were long-time buddies (even prior to college) & Hurts was intent on them reuniting on the same team (suspecting IMO it might help save his then-faltering NFL career).

Bob

[bighitterdalama]

Here is the rest of the Eagles' defense:

Linebacker

The SAM position, a role primarily filled by Haasan Reddick, is the key to the Eagles' pass rush success. Reddick, a local kid who played his college ball at Temple, was the Cardinals' first round pick in 2017. After playing four years in Arizona and a single year in Carolina, Reddick signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Eagles this last off-season. Year-to-date, he has been worth every penny and more. A multi-talented player, Reddick is able to seamlessly shift back and forth from a true SAM outside linebacker playing in three and four man fronts to a devastating edge rusher in four and five man pass rushing schemes. Reddick, who has played 817 (74%) of the defensive snaps, finished the regular season with 49 tackles (35 solo), 11 TFL, 16.0 sacks, 3 PD, 16 QB hits, 1 forced fumble and 2 fumble recoveries. He earned PFF grades of 59.9(run defense)/90.0(pass rush)/48.5(coverage)/81.1(overall), ranking (too low, in MHO) #20 out of 120 qualifying players. Reddick's primary sub is second-year player Patrick Johnson, a seventh-round pick from Tulane. Johnson, a serious drop off from Reddick, has taken 213 (19%) of the defensive snaps. He recorded 11 tackles (7 solo), zero TFL, zero sacks, 3 QB hits, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery. He's earned grades of 54.4/56.4/58.4/56.1. The Eagles also have OLB Robert Quinn, obtained from Chicago in a mid-season trade, to spell Reddick. Quinn, a three-time Pro Bowler who had 18.5 sacks just last season, has seen his production dissolve. In 88 plays with the Eagles, Quinn's stat line consists of two solo TFL. His season-long PFF grades read 34.7/58.3/65.8/43.6, ranking #118 out of 120.

Middle linebacker TJ Edwards plays pretty much every down, having taken 1041 (94%) of the defensive snaps. A 2019 UDFA signing from Wisconsin, Edwards, a tackling machine, has been terrific. His regular season stat line reads 159 tackles (99 solo), 10 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 7 PDs, 5 QB hits, and 1 fumble recovery. He earned PFF grades of 83.4(run)/79.7(coverage)/81.0(pass rush)/84.8(overall), ranking #3 of 84 qualifying inside linebackers. Kizer White, the WILL linebacker, was a 2018 fourth-round pick of the Rams. White, who took 844 (76%) of the snaps, recorded 110 tackle (66 solo), 3 TFL, 1.5 sacks. 7 PDs, and 3 QB hits. He earned PFF grades of 63.9/62.0/63.6/64.3, ranking #41 of 84. Rookie Nakobe Dean, a third-round pick from Georgia, who played mostly on specials, did take 34 defensive snaps. In total, he did make 13 tackles (9 solo), including 1 TFL. He graded 69.1/75.8/60.0/78.7.

Cornerbacks

The Eagles starting corners, Darius Slay and James Bradberry, have been flat out terrific. I don't have the current numbers in front of me but, as of Week 12, the QB rating against Slay was 53.2, Bradberry 43.2. These numbers were 20-30 points lower than the lowest rated quarterback in the NFL. Slay, a former college teammate of Fletcher Cox, was a 2012 second-round pick of the Lions. A 2019 falling out with then-Lions head coach Matt Patricia resulted in an off-season trade to the Eagles. Now 31-years-old, Slay, who took 1003 (91%) of the defensive snaps, remains one of the top cover corners in the NFL. In 2022, Slay had 55 tackles (40 solo), 14 passes defended, and three interceptions. His PFF grades were 77.4(coverage)/44.7(run defense)/73.1(overall), ranking #24 of 120 qualifying corners. Bradberry, Carolina's second-round pick in 2016, came to the Eagles last off-season as a free agent following his release by the Giants in a cost-cutting measure. Bradberry, who played 1078 (97%) of the defensive snaps, recorded 44 tackles (39 solo), 2 TFL, 17 passes defended, and three interceptions, including a 27 yard touchdown return against the Lions in Week 1. Bradberry earned PFF grades of 80.2/44.7/74.1, ranking #18 of 120.

Avonte Maddox, the starting nickel corner, will not play against the Giants due to a toe injury. He previously missed several weeks with a hamstring injury. When healthy, Maddox, a 2018 fourth pick from Pitt, is a quality player. This season, Maddox took 457 (41%) of the defensive snaps. He recorded 43 tackles (28 solo), 3 TFL, 1.0 sacks, 3 PDs, 1 interception, 2 QB hits, and 3 forced fumbles. Maddox earned PFF grades of 70.3(coverage)/62.7(run defense)/77.6(pass rush)/71.3(overall), ranking #31 of 120 qualifying corners. In his absence, Maddox will be replaced Josiah Scott, a 2020 fourth round pick from Michigan State. In 388 (35%) defensive snaps, Scott had 26 tackles (19 solo), 2 TFL, 8 PDs, and 2 interceptions. He graded 62.3/39.8/51.8/58.4, ranking #82 of 120. One more option is Zech McPherson, a 2021 fourth-round pick from Texas Tech. Utilized mostly as a specialty teams ace, McPherson has taken 99 defensive snaps. His season stats, including specials, are 14 tackles (12 solo), 1 TFL, 1.0 sacks, 1 PD, and 1 QB hit. McPherson grades 50.0/68.7/60.0/51.7.

Safeties

Free safety CJ Gardner-Johnson, the Saints' 2019 fourth-round pick (Florida), came to the Eagles last August for 2 draft picks. He immediately won the Eagles free safety job, starting the first the first 11 games. He then suffered a lacerated kidney that kept him out for five games before returning for the season finale against the Giants. A rambunctious loudmouth, Gardner-Johnson is nonetheless an effective cover safety and a top-shelf ball hawk. On the season, Gardner-Johnson recorded 67 tackles (61 solo), 5 TFL, 1.0 sacks, 8 PDs, 6 interceptions, and 2 QB hits. His 6 interceptions were tied for the league lead. Gardner-Johnson earned PFF grades of 65.9(coverage)/57.2(run defense)/66.1(pass rush)/65.2(overall), ranking #48 of 87 qualifying safeties. The starting strong safety is Marcus Epps, a 2019 sixth-round pick from Wyoming. Epps, who took 1096 (99%) of the defensive snaps, recorded 94 tackles (70 solo), 4 TFL, and 6 PDs. He graded 44.7(coverage)/84.4(run defense)/54.5(pass rush)/56.3(overall) ranking #71 of 87. The primary backup, Reed Blankenship, started five games at FS when Gardner-Johnson was out with his kidney injury. With 291 (26%) of the snaps, the rookie UDFA from Middle Tennessee had 34 tackles (20 solo), 2 PDs, and 1 interception. He earned impressive grades of 71.6/76.8/69.4/75.8. Lastly, backup strong safety K'von Wallace took 164 (15%) of the defensive snaps. He recorded 28 tackles (21 solo), 1 TFL, and 2 PDs. He earned grades of 56.2/61.2/70.7/58.4.