Each week, I dive into the film of the Eagles’ upcoming opponent to get a feel for who they really are. Think of it less as a stats preview and more as an overview of what shows up repeatedly on film, and what the Eagles will be facing.
Pass Defense
Few defenses in the NFL mirror the identity of the modern game as clearly as the Chargers do. They rarely play base defense, live heavily in dime, deploy multiple three-safety looks, and rarely blitz. Their entire philosophy is built around taking away explosives, confusing quarterbacks post-snap, and relying on a disciplined front to generate enough pressure without sacrificing bodies. It’s a very good defense.
They are overwhelmingly a zone-based unit (Cover 3, Cover 4, and match variations) designed to erase the vertical game and force quarterbacks to be patient. They do not want to get into isolated man-matchups against elite receivers and do a good job protecting their corners. I’m worried about the Eagles’ offense this week unless they change something. They will show pressure with 6 on the line of scrimmage and then bail into coverage. The Eagles have struggled badly against teams that do this so far this season.
Derwin James is the centerpiece of the operation. His versatility gives the defense its disguise capabilities. He can rotate late, buzz underneath windows, align in the slot, play deep, or blitz from depth.
He creates uncertainty in the quarterback’s post-snap picture. While he has struggled with missed tackles, his influence on structure is enormous. The corners thrive in zones where they can read the quarterback rather than carry routes vertically. They take the ball away well and are aggressive at the catch point.
The Chargers don’t need to blitz because their front can generate pressure with four. Odafe Oweh, Tuli Tuipulotu, and, if available, Khalil Mack give them enough one-on-one wins to maintain their philosophy.
The pass rush isn’t overwhelming, but it does not need to be. The coverage structure forces quarterbacks to hold the ball, and the rush closes naturally.
Against an Eagles offense that has struggled against zone-heavy teams, this is a concerning matchup. If Philadelphia again relies on basic 2×2 concepts, mirrored hitches, and simple spacing ideas, it will run directly into the Chargers’ strengths. To succeed, the Eagles must change. They need to run more flood concepts, more zone beaters, more intermediate stressors, and more RPO sequencing designed to loosen the structure. Post routes can be successful against cover 4, and we’ve seen the Eagles run concepts like post-cross and double post this season.
The other way you beat a zone defense is by flooding areas of the field, which the Eagles have not done this year, hence why every team plays zone against us!
If I had to pick a weak link in the secondary, I think Cam Hart is someone the Eagles can target vertically. I would run 4×1 and try to get AJ Brown isolated against him where possible.
Run Defense
The Chargers’ run defense has stabilized after an ugly start to the season. Early on, injuries, alignment issues, and light-box structures were exploited by teams willing to run directly at them. But last week against the Raiders, they allowed just 31 yards on 18 carries, showing improved fits, physicality, and communication. However, that was just the Raiders…
Their run defense still varies based on personnel. Because they major in dime and split-safety shells, they naturally invite light-box runs. The challenge for opponents is creating displacement at the first level. However, gaps still appear when linebackers hesitate or when safeties are late to trigger downhill, which is why the Chargers remain vulnerable.
For the Eagles, the opportunity is there. This would be a fantastic game to run QB draw from empty because the Chargers will play two deep safeties the majority of the time. However, the Eagles have not consistently exploited poor run defenses this season, and the Chargers’ structure isn’t as bad as the Bears! I think the Eagles’ running game must carry the offense this week. I have no idea if they can.
Final Thoughts
From the Eagles’ perspective, this is a challenging defensive matchup. The Chargers do almost everything Philadelphia has struggled with. They play a ton of zone, they disguise rotations, they rarely blitz, and they generate just enough pressure with four to keep their structure intact. They want to force quarterbacks into tight-window throws and punish impatience. This is not a defense that breaks easily. I think the running game is going to have to get going this week.
For Philadelphia to succeed, the offense must evolve. They cannot enter this matchup with the same shallow, predictable passing menu. They will need to flood zones, integrate RPOs, and use misdirection to create timing and leverage advantages. If they go 2×2 and run basic concepts, it may get ugly.
The Eagles’ defense may play well, but expecting them to shut down the Chargers’ offense completely is unrealistic. Philadelphia’s offense has to be better.
Thank you for reading! I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to comment below and ask any questions. If you enjoyed this piece, you can find more of my work and podcast here. If you would like to support me further, please check out my Patreon here!
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