Eagles “D” Gets The Turnovers When They Need Them

I’ve got to give to Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott credit because he kept the heat on Tampa’s second-year quarterback Josh Johnson. 

He started bltizing the kid when he came out of the tunnel and didn’t stop until the game was over.

Amazingly the youngster didn’t seem to be rattled.  He has tremendous athletic ability which means getting to him isn’t the hardest part of the defensive linemen’s jobs.

The hardest part of their jobs was trying to get the quick and athletic youngster on the ground.  He avoided the rush numerous times and delivered strikes to his receivers.  Some of those throws were dropped and some of those were caught.

Trent Cole contributed two sacks.  Darren Howard pitched in with a safety, while Asante Samuel came up with two interceptions and Sheldon Brown pitched in with another.

McDermott and his troops did a great job of coming up with turnovers when they had to have them.

They did let a bad offense control the football and move it up and down the field.  The Birds have to get better at getting off the field on third down.

The truth is though that the blitz wasn’t the problem for the Birds, they got production out of the blitz, it was the penalties that cost the Birds.

Numerous times when the Birds defense was going to get off the field, a penalty gave the Bucs another series of downs.

Cole and Howard have to be smarter about trying to get a jump on the snap.  Gocong’s interference penalty was a necessary move in the position he found himself in. 

Still, they can’t take chances in their own territory.  They must play more disciplined and stay away from playing dumb football.

Rookie Macho Harris has to know that he can’t pound a receiver if he’s looking the other way.

They can get away with this versus the Bucs and the Raiders but they won’t be able to play at this level and win in the division.