There was much apprehension with this writer at game time since there have been many questions, especially surrounding the defense and their capability to stop the run, some of which still hasn’t been answered. LeSean McCoy danced and pranced all over Lincoln Financial field for 185 dazzling yards and Michael Vick (when he wasn’t 
running for a truck load of first downs), passed the ball with such precision and efficiency that they kept the defense off the field for most of the first half.
The biggest concern this week I think was whether the Eagles could stop Dallas rookie running back DeMarco Murray. Well, the defense really didn’t stop him, but the offense did. The Eagles jumped out to such a big lead that Murray’s rushing became irrelevant because Dallas wasn’t going to get back into the game by running the ball.
He gained 74 yards on only 8 carries, giving him more than 9 yards a pop. Another 12 carries or so and who knows how many yards he might have gained. The Eagles run defense didn’t shine last night, but thanks to their offense, they didn’t have to.
The defensive line, particularly Jason Babin, Cullen Jenkins and Trent Cole, put such pressure on Romo early, it just 
made the pass coverage that much easier for middle linebacker Jamar Chaney and the rest of the linebacking crew. Chaney led the Eagles with seven tackles and made like a coat around Cowboys tight end Jason Whitten who, usually an Eagle killer, only had 4 catches for 28 yards and was a non-factor. Chaney, Moise Fokou and Brian Rolle played aggressively, downhill football for most of 60 minutes.
For a Dallas team that racked up more than 294 yards rushing a week ago, they had no time to commit to the run and could only muster 85 yards rushing with no touchdowns!
They had to throw the football and the Eagles pass rush and coverage was up to the challenge. There was terrific coverage from the secondary which is finally getting its legs under them and Tony Romo had nowhere to go with the ball. He completed only 18 of 35 passes for 203 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
The pick which he threw was swiped by cornerback – Nnamdi Asomugha, and the other starting corner – Asante Samuel came close to getting himself a pick six. I didn’t even hear the safeties mentioned a great deal until late in 
the game, which tells me that they didn’t have to make many tackles. I also didn’t hear Dez Bryant or Miles Austin’s name come out of anyone’s mouth either because they couldn’t find any open field. Though missed tackles still seems to be a minor concern, this defense is getting better!
On this day, with the offense playing on a very high level, the defense matched them for the most of the day and came very close to notching a shut out of an outstanding offense. This was by far their best performance of the season
One stinkin’ play! That’s all it took for the Eagles to lose their bid for a shutout last night against the hated Dallas Cowboys. Kurt Coleman, who won back his starting free safety spot a few weeks ago, bit on a Tony Romo mini-pump fake and was beaten for a seventy-yard touchdown providing the only real blemish on a solid defense effort.
For a little more than three quarters, the defense that had been criticized, scrutinized, ridiculed and everything else in between, bent at times but never broke.
Michael Vick and company established a lead and the defense, throughout the game, held it. The door is opening to what looks to be redemption for this defense. You could even say total redemption… if not for one stinkin’ play!
Other than the 8.5 they gave up on the ground, I hate to say it, ehm…, ehm…, ehm…, it was a very good called game plan, & utilization of the roster.
Dcar – what do you mean ‘except for the 8.5 they gave on the ground’? I see a ZERO problems with giving up 8.5 on the ground while holding the rushing offense to 0 points and very few yards. That’s the inner hater in you – creeping out even in this context. Squash dat shit bro!
Lets hope Reid really commits to running the ball now. Vick was masterful at checking out of plays at the line of scrimmage and into better “Blitz beating” plays. Defense was solid, but game went optimally for them, where the “O” gets a big lead and the other team has to throw the ball. Show me those teeth in a close game or a game when your trailing. Lets not get too high or too low. I like what Im seeing, I want to believe, but lets get to .500 first.
Im really proud of the Eagles defense and the team as a whole. They have found a nice little style of play on offense that allows them to run the ball and make good use of the FEAR opponents have of their team speed. Defense is getter better by the week…. they really just need to keep it up until somebody forces them to stop….
great game by all… good work
still a long road ahead and the Eagles need to stay consistent and play at a high level….can’t let one win get you content
Excellent job by the defensive players and coaching. It was very nice to see them just manning up Nnamdi and DRC in the first half rather than floating around. That’s exactly what those guys are suited for. Also good to see the line adjusting back and forth depending on the down and distance. So it seems some good adjustments have been made. Let’s see if we can keep it going. Oh yeah, Rob Ryan is a joke. He’s half the D coordinator that his brother and father are and talks too much.
That’s funny scorp – here’s what the paper said –
Asomugha was used in a variety of ways. He lined up man-to-man on Bryant and Jason Witten at times. But he also roamed like a linebacker/safety on certain downs. He did not play strict man-to-man/press coverage all game.
guess we all see what we want to
overall a great performance by the D – more on #24 who a couple weeks ago they (they being the collective group that whines he wasn’t being used correctly) were asking if signing him was a mistake –
This wasn’t a Rex Grossman special the Eagles were taking advantage of. The Cowboys entered the game averaging 24.8 points per game – 10th in the NFL – and putting up 415.5 yards per game, sixth best.
The Eagles shut them down at every turn. Asomugha was in the middle of it – often literally, taking on the multifaceted role that the coaches first envisioned.
He played press coverage on wide receiver Dez Bryant. He played in the slot in the nickel package, allowing Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to move to the right cornerback position, where he feels more comfortable. And he tracked dangerous tight end Jason Witten. He ended the night with two passed defended and his second interception of the season.
Paulman’s 3 Stars for the Eagles Defense last evening
#1) MLB Jamar Chaney played his best game of teh Season, was all over the ball in Run Defense and also in PAss Coverage.. Had a great Game
#2) CB Nnamdi Asmogoah played his best game as an Eagle so far, played fast,instinctively and was agressive in the WR’s faces all game long..I also like when they had him playing a rover in the middle of the field in multiple WR Sets (Like the Packers do with Charles Woodson and I have been waiting for this since Pre-Season)
#3) DT Mike Patterson had a very strong game and was able to get a lot of penetration up the middle making Romo back-up or roll out into the DE’s where Babin/COle were bringing it.. but by not allowing Romo the space to step up and throw was the key to me for Romo was off-target, late with his throws just about all night and a lot can be attributed to the Eagles Push up the middle led by Pattersobn with Jenkins and even Laws had a strong game..
Wow – Pman – you are going crazy tonight – Laws and Patterson Chaney – three Reid draft picks – all getting recognition for a job well done – thats just crazy man –
yeah – they did do a good job – nice to see the entire D line getting after it – the LBs were a little more active and other then one mistake by (I think) Coleman – a solid, solid outting –
I will aslways call them as I see them Navy and give credit where credit is due..
Patterson has been a real force the last 2 weeks and maybe now he has fully absorb Dl Coach WAashburn’s system.. remember that Patterson did miss a lot of camp when he had that faint eposide and probably is just now in tip-top shape.. Also playing alongside DT C Jenkins is a huge assett for he will see only single blocking since most teams will either double down with the Center on Juenkins nad use that guard to help the tackle with T Cole so Patterson will see mostly one on one blcoks and with Laws finally healthy, and a spring in his step, this allows for a good rotation (With LAndri too) so all 4 can rotates and therefore stay fresher as the game/season goes along because to me, the key of making this “Wide Nine” scheme work ithe best is when there is a surge and a push up the middle which in reality ends up moving the pocket of the QB to move right into a hard chrarging Cole or Babin..
whatever they are doing – whoever is teaching – whoever is coaching – keep it up – our OL and DL are quickly becoming major strengths –
any predictions on Graham?
They have 1 more week to make a Decision on whether to activate Graham or not.. I think they do activate Graham and have him ready to play by the Cardinals or definitely by the Giant game..I think DE’s J Parker or P Hunt are the odd man out and that the Eagles would probably lean towards keeping Parker for he’s one of Coach AR’s favorite and last of the long time players though Hunt has more upsode and I think actually has some rel potential down the road where Parker will be finished this year no matter what.. ..
Schill, just trying to keep it real, because if they give up 8.5 to any other team, that sticks with the run, it is going to kill them. That’s all I was trying to say. I had no problems with yesterday’s game. You can’t help yourself with your correcting ways, can you Schill. It’s my opinion. I told you a million times before, if you don’t like peoples opinions, don’t read our quotes. Your opinions aren’t everyones. Get over it. It was one game, don’t puff your chest out just yet.
if a team is running the ball 20-30 times and averaging 8.5, then its a problem, when they run the ball what 8-10 times? if that ? then it is not a problem
Dcar – I hear you, but as Zoltek pointed out, you gotta look at things in context. Not just 1 isolated stat.
Dude, I know what you’re saying about opinions. But notice, I never said that people can’t post their opinions or anything remotely close to that. I just posted my opinion – so your statement “if you don’t like peoples opinions, don’t read our quotes” – same can go for mine.
This is the Trade-Off on runnung an attacking Get after the pass-rusher scheme.. It’s a Passign LEauge and Defenses are now attempting to put more pressure on the QB & WR with Blitzes,Wide-Nine Schemes, etc,etc.. When you do this, you will end up giving more rushing yards… but at the end of the day, it’s about giving up points and preventing points scored on how you truly measure a Defense and not by the yards given up and if a team rushes for 120 yards with a 8 yard average and you beat them 26-17, then who cares… The Eagles Defensive philosophy is to take away the deep passing game and big plays and to get after the QB with Sacks,Fumbles, and cause bad/rushed passes for chances for Int’s.. If you give up some long runs in the process, then that’s the risk you take…
@Paulman, the one stat at the end of the game that matters is the scoreboard…The last two games we’ve seen a bend but not brake type of defense from the Eagles…A few times on Sunday they gave up some nice runs, that went for first downs..But settled in and forced punts. There were still a few missed tackles out there, just so happened the defense was in the right spots and everyone was rallying to the ball, so if the first guy missed it didnt matter…But the first guy needs to start making the tackle. There should be nothing to complain about after sunday’s night win…I’m just excited and ready to cheer my squad against the Bears, Monday is taking too long to get here!
Agreed 100% RT777
WE GOT A REDZONE STOP!
Touche Schill. LMFBO!