The Eagles defense didn’t even put up a fight against the Tom Brady-led Buccaneers offense for most of the game until Tampa Bay built a 28 to 7 lead. The defense seemed to be passive and resolved to the fact that they couldn’t stop the Bucs. I know Brady and the Buccaneers are good, but the Eagles defense made them look unstoppable.
At the end of the game, Brady and his offensive teammates took their feet off the gas pedal, but when they needed to move that football they easily went up and down the field against the Eagles defense. When they were aggressive and trying to score the Birds defense couldn’t stop them. In fact they couldn’t even slow them down.
Eagles defensive coordinator, Jonathan Gannon, did try to change things up by going to a five man defensive front to get some pressure on Brady, but he wasn’t pressured like the Eagles hoped. We didn’t hear very much from Javon Hargrave and Fletcher Cox or the rest of the Birds defensive front. Brady had time to throw and he carved up the Eagles defensive secondary. The Birds did prevent deep throws, but the Buccaneers took their time and moved up the ball consistently.
The Eagles defense must get better against the run and the pass. They gave up 28 points but it could have easily have been 35 or 42, if the Bucs had needed them. The defense didn’t compete with the Bucs individually as players and as coaches from a strategy standpoint. The Birds were in over their heads.
