Let's examine the long drive the Eagles first defense surrendered to the Ravens. It was a classic case of breakdown after breakdown. There clearly wasn't enough focus by the first unit.
I saw Trotter drop the wrong way and open up a throw to the tight end, just as Gocong was about to get a sack. This allowed Baltimore to get off the goalline. One of the vulnerabilities the Eagles showed last year was Trotter not being able to cover the tight end on run downs. It wasn't an accident that they threw on first down, and McNair was looking for the tight end.
On the next play Gocong did a good job of tackling McGahee on a short route to the flat. On the next play both Kearse and Considine make the tackle for a short gain on a run play up the middle. McGahee cuts it back and they're there for the stop. On third down Will James gets turned around by WR Demetrius Williams. You can't ever get your back turned to the receiver you're covering. They've got to get off the field on that play.
I then saw the Ravens run the same stretch play that the Colts used to kill the Birds last year. This wasn't a coincidence that the Ravens were running this particular play. Just like a hitter in baseball, opponents will throw you the curveball until you prove you can hit it. The Eagles will see this play again during the season. Brodrick Bunkley who played well, got good penetration into the backfield on the play. Trent Cole widened so much that he put the inside guys in a bad situation. Trotter did a good job of attacking the guard and covered a lot of ground by getting off the block. Spikes squeezed the play from the outside but Cole didn't do his job and played like he was on skates (that's not a compliment). That stretch play went for nearly 20 yards.
On the next play, the Ravens ran a bootleg which would have been a short gain, but turned into another 20 yards when Takeo Spikes missed an open field tackle. He didn't breakdown so he could make the tackle. A Will linebacker is a professional tackler and should do a better job than that against a tight end, Todd Heap who isn't that quick. Spikes has to correct this. Rather than miss the tackle, this should have been a caused fumble.
On first down, the Ravens go to a play action pass with McNair looking for Heap but James does a good job and the pass falls incomplete. The Birds are all over a draw play. Trottter and Spkies both read the draw then get off their blocks to make the play.
With third down and …. to go, the Ravens got back to the well again against Will James. This time Derrick Mason beats him badly and McNair gets it to him for a first down. It's a costly play because the Ravens would have been forced to kick a field goal. It's a get open route with Derrick Mason beating Sheldon Brown for the first down.
The D line does a good job on first down by stopping McGahee on a misdirection up the middle for no gain. On second down, Darren Howard has a good pass rush with good arm over move.
Then with 3rd down and nine yards to go, the Eagles get into a zone which is surprising on the goalline. The Birds get no pass rush until Trent Cole produces a little pressure late. But McNair takes his time and fakes like he's going to a crossing route in front of Gocong , then throws in back of him for a touchdown. The veteran looked Gocong off to take him out of his area. The pass rush was ineffective and didn't get there in time. Considine broke late on the throw.
As you can see it was everybody taking their turns breaking down. That's not good football.
