As often is the case this year, the Eagles’ defense did its job. It’s hard for a defense to look dominant when it plays more snaps than it should, defends short fields all game, and sees every momentum swing erased by offensive mistakes. But, once again, the defense looked good, despite being let down by the offense.
Defense
The opening drive was the low point, and it showed the one recurring issue that keeps popping up: Nakobe Dean being targeted and isolated in coverage. He’s an unbelievably explosive downhill rusher, but lately his coverage issues have been increasingly visible. Here, he loses the flat completely, gifting the Chargers a huge gain. What saves the rep is the urgency and speed from Zack Baun and Adoree’ Jackson, both of whom flew from depth to clean up the play. Dean is struggling with eye discipline and route recognition, and it’s surprising we haven’t seen more of a timeshare with Jihaad Campbell, who didn’t play much again. Still, once this drive ended, the Eagles settled in and played impressively sound football.
Jordan Davis continues to be one of the stories of the entire season. His conditioning has always been the question. Right now, he looks better than ever. You can see the explosiveness on this rep, but more importantly, the stamina. He is consistently winning off the ball, resetting the line of scrimmage, and now even flashing some pass-rush juice. With Jalen Carter out, Davis carried the interior. It’s excellent to see him continuing to play well towards the end of the season. The conditioning work he put in has worked!
The secondary’s work in this game was quietly elite. Plays like this one from Cooper DeJean are just outstanding. He matches Ladd McConkey down the field, through multiple route phases, and never panics once before making a play at the catch point. The Chargers tried to hold the ball and look for deep crossers, but the coverage simply didn’t give them options throughout the game. DeJean does this without breaking a sweat, which is always a sign of an elite player.
Adoree’ Jackson played his best game of the season. His confidence looks restored, which is a very positive sign. Here, he triggers downhill instantly and makes a statement tackle. He wasn’t making this play at the start of the season because he would have been too passive. But what really matters is how he handled vertical routes throughout the game. There were reps where he ran stride-for-stride with Quentin Johnston. With Quinyon Mitchell locking down the boundary and allowing Jackson to play more field-side of late, he finally looks comfortable. And for now, he’s the best CB2 solution they have. I don’t expect that to change this season.
Nakobe Dean’s game was such a mixed bag, but this rep highlights his biggest strength: he is an absurdly powerful and explosive blitzer. He destroys running backs in protection every single week, and this rep is just another example of him wrecking the back and getting to the quarterback instantly. It’s the coverage and run-fit side that has been inconsistent, but as a pressure player, he’s unbelievable. It’s fair to wonder whether Fangio should use him as more of a matchup-based weapon rather than a full-time coverage linebacker, because the contrast between his blitzing and everything else is stark at the moment.
Quinyon Mitchell continues to play at an All-Pro level, and this might be his cleanest rep yet. I laughed watching this on film. The game is so easy for him! Ladd McConkey is an outstanding route runner, a player who wins with nuance and pacing, but Quinyon doesn’t even flinch at the double move. His technique and balance are perfect. His patience is elite. He is erasing receivers right now, and the Chargers had no answers. With Mitchell locking down entire sections of the field, everything else in coverage becomes easier for Vic Fangio. This is high-end corner play.
I’ve been critical of Byron Young this season (deservedly so, in my opinion), but credit where credit is due: he played a good game. Yes, the Chargers’ offensive line is terrible, but Young created real disruption both vs. the run and the pass. The Eagles needed him to play more after losing Carter, and he did well. It’s the kind of performance you want to see from a rotational lineman.
Marcus Epps’ return was one of the most pleasant surprises of the day. He looked like the same smart, steady, assignment-sound player he’s always been, but he also showed real downhill burst. This tackle is as physical as anything he put on film during his best years in Philly. I was such a big fan of Epps when he was here a few years ago, and it’s cool to see him back. He understands Fangio’s structure intuitively, knows where his help is, and fits the run with timing. He doesn’t have the ceiling of Andrew Makuba, but he’s a fantastic backup who shouldn’t make a lot of errors. I think he was a clear improvement on Sydney Brown.
The pass rush numbers look fantastic, but so much of that came from the coverage. Herbert held the ball because nobody was open. The back seven communicated beautifully, passed off routes cleanly, and suffocated every intermediate window. The Chargers’ scheme didn’t help Herbert, and the offensive line certainly didn’t, but the Eagles’ DBs deserve enormous credit. The pass rush has been the talking point all week, so I thought I’d give the secondary some love.
It’s always hard to know who exactly to fault on a run fit, but this one reflects Dean’s current issues against the run. He hesitates instead of meeting the pulling lineman, and that moment of indecision creates the crease that springs the Chargers’ biggest play of overtime. Dean has been caught with his eyes in the wrong place multiple times over the past two weeks, and this is another example. It doesn’t erase the good things he did, especially as a blitzer, but it’s why you’d expect to see Campbell mix in more going forward.
Final Thoughts
This defense played well enough to win, and they deserved better. They dominated the line of scrimmage. The coverage was excellent. However, none of it mattered because the offense continues to let them down. It’s hard to sustain defensive excellence when playing a ton of snaps, but this defense is managing to do it. If the offense can simply stabilize, this defense has the potential to carry this team down the stretch. They just need some help from the other side of the ball.
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