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Johnson: Points Allowed 'Out of Whack'
Terry Glenn beats Lito Sheppard for a touchdown two Sundays ago. (AP)
by Andy Schwartz
ComcastSportsNet.com
Thursday's poll on this Web site told the story.
The biggest disappointment for Eagles’ fans thus far hasn’t been the scarcity of running plays for Brian Westbrook.
It hasn’t been the coaching or the special teams.
Instead, it’s been the defense.
A stable defense has been an Eagles’ staple under Andy Reid.
As a certain high school baseball coach used to preach, hitting comes and goes, but pitching and defense keeps you in games.
The Eagles always could count on their defense to do so.
Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson’s mantra is “17 points or fewer.” Under Johnson, the Eagles are 54-7 when limiting an opponent to 17 or fewer points.
When an opponent has scored between 18 and 24 points, the Eagles are 10-12.
When an opponent has put up 25 or more, the Eagles are 6-12.
In 101 regular-season games, the Eagles have allowed over 17 points 40 times and allowed at least 25 points 18 times.
This season, the Eagles have allowed over 17 points three times – or the same number as in all of last season (excluding the last two games in which the starters were rested).
The Eagles have allowed 25 or more points twice – again the same total as in all of last season. (excluding the last two games).
“The thing that is a bit out of whack is that we gave up too many points, and we are going to correct that,” defensive coordinator Jim Johnson said.
The Eagles have allowed 20.2 points per game, 19th in the league. Since 2000, they’ve allowed an average of 15.8 per game, first in the league. Last season, they allowed 16.3 per game, tied for second in the league.
They’re also 19th in total defense, 23rd against the run and 18th against the pass. Last year, they finished 10th overall, 16th against the run and 12th against the pass.
The difference this year: big plays.
To wit:
Through five games last year, the Eagles had allowed three runs of 10 or more yards.
This year, they’ve allowed 20.
Through five games last year, the Eagles allowed one pass play of 35 or more yards.
This year, they’ve allowed five.
Through five games last year, they hadn’t allowed a pass play of over 45 yards.
This year, they’ve allowed two.
In the first quarter against Dallas, Drew Bledsoe hit Terry Glenn with completions of 18, 16, 15 and 38 yards. The last two scored touchdowns and gave the Cowboys a 14-0 lead.
“If you take the big play away from Dallas, it’s really not that bad,” cornerback Sheldon Brown said. “They got that momentum early and scored early. You give up big plays, and you lose games. You don’t give up big plays, and you win. Kansas City – they drove the ball on us, but we didn’t give up the big play. That’s why we were able to fight our way back in that game.”
Bledsoe finished with three touchdown passes, and three Cowboys receivers had at least six receptions. Glenn finished with 118 receiving yards and became the third player to reach 100 yards receiving against the Eagles this season. Last year, the Eagles allowed only five players to record 100-yard receiving games.
“The last game, we were just bad,” Johnson said. “We coached badly and played badly. We did not cover well, and we went up against a good receiver. They were up and played well. We didn’t cover Glenn for the first three passes.
“You can’t give up three touchdown passes against Dallas. We just don’t do that.”
The Eagles have already allowed seven touchdown passes this season after surrendering 16 last year (or 14 excluding the last two games.)
“Against Dallas, we normally don't give up touchdown passes, and we did,” Johnson said. “We didn't cover well against a good receiver. It was uncharacteristic of the Eagles defense."
Also uncharacteristic of the Eagles’ defense is their trouble pressuring the quarterback. Since 2000, the Eagles have recorded a league-best 247 sacks.
This year, they have only 11 sacks and are ranked 18th in sacks per pass play. Former Eagles defensive end Derrick Burgess has five sacks, more than all of the Eagles’ defensive ends combined.
“The biggest thing that is out of whack right now is our points allowed and sacks,” Johnson said.
The Eagles were unable to sack Bledsoe. Dallas often used a maximum protection scheme and kept a tight end and wide receiver in to block.
“They’re not dummies. They know that we’re going to blitz, and they kept people in,” Johnson said. “When you do that, you have to make sure you cover well.”
Against Dallas, the Eagles’ highly decorated secondary didn’t. When an opposing offense uses max-protection, the secondary has to cover fewer receivers. But Bledsoe had time to find them.
“That’s why it’s a team sport,” Brown said. “If you don’t have coverage, then the pass rush doesn’t work. If you don’t have a pass rush, then the coverage doesn’t work. If it doesn’t all go together, then everyone looks bad. You can’t be the best secondary without a great down four. You can’t be a great down four without a good secondary. That’s just the bottom line.
“There’s only so much you can do. The bottom line is, you’ve got to come out, look yourself in the mirror and say, ‘I’ve got to beat his butt.’ You’re not changing the game.”
E-mail Andy Schwartz
http://philadelphia.comcastsportsnet.com/view_content_1p.asp?ID=17733
Terry Glenn beats Lito Sheppard for a touchdown two Sundays ago. (AP)
by Andy Schwartz
ComcastSportsNet.com
Thursday's poll on this Web site told the story.
The biggest disappointment for Eagles’ fans thus far hasn’t been the scarcity of running plays for Brian Westbrook.
It hasn’t been the coaching or the special teams.
Instead, it’s been the defense.
A stable defense has been an Eagles’ staple under Andy Reid.
As a certain high school baseball coach used to preach, hitting comes and goes, but pitching and defense keeps you in games.
The Eagles always could count on their defense to do so.
Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson’s mantra is “17 points or fewer.” Under Johnson, the Eagles are 54-7 when limiting an opponent to 17 or fewer points.
When an opponent has scored between 18 and 24 points, the Eagles are 10-12.
When an opponent has put up 25 or more, the Eagles are 6-12.
In 101 regular-season games, the Eagles have allowed over 17 points 40 times and allowed at least 25 points 18 times.
This season, the Eagles have allowed over 17 points three times – or the same number as in all of last season (excluding the last two games in which the starters were rested).
The Eagles have allowed 25 or more points twice – again the same total as in all of last season. (excluding the last two games).
“The thing that is a bit out of whack is that we gave up too many points, and we are going to correct that,” defensive coordinator Jim Johnson said.
The Eagles have allowed 20.2 points per game, 19th in the league. Since 2000, they’ve allowed an average of 15.8 per game, first in the league. Last season, they allowed 16.3 per game, tied for second in the league.
They’re also 19th in total defense, 23rd against the run and 18th against the pass. Last year, they finished 10th overall, 16th against the run and 12th against the pass.
The difference this year: big plays.
To wit:
Through five games last year, the Eagles had allowed three runs of 10 or more yards.
This year, they’ve allowed 20.
Through five games last year, the Eagles allowed one pass play of 35 or more yards.
This year, they’ve allowed five.
Through five games last year, they hadn’t allowed a pass play of over 45 yards.
This year, they’ve allowed two.
In the first quarter against Dallas, Drew Bledsoe hit Terry Glenn with completions of 18, 16, 15 and 38 yards. The last two scored touchdowns and gave the Cowboys a 14-0 lead.
“If you take the big play away from Dallas, it’s really not that bad,” cornerback Sheldon Brown said. “They got that momentum early and scored early. You give up big plays, and you lose games. You don’t give up big plays, and you win. Kansas City – they drove the ball on us, but we didn’t give up the big play. That’s why we were able to fight our way back in that game.”
Bledsoe finished with three touchdown passes, and three Cowboys receivers had at least six receptions. Glenn finished with 118 receiving yards and became the third player to reach 100 yards receiving against the Eagles this season. Last year, the Eagles allowed only five players to record 100-yard receiving games.
“The last game, we were just bad,” Johnson said. “We coached badly and played badly. We did not cover well, and we went up against a good receiver. They were up and played well. We didn’t cover Glenn for the first three passes.
“You can’t give up three touchdown passes against Dallas. We just don’t do that.”
The Eagles have already allowed seven touchdown passes this season after surrendering 16 last year (or 14 excluding the last two games.)
“Against Dallas, we normally don't give up touchdown passes, and we did,” Johnson said. “We didn't cover well against a good receiver. It was uncharacteristic of the Eagles defense."
Also uncharacteristic of the Eagles’ defense is their trouble pressuring the quarterback. Since 2000, the Eagles have recorded a league-best 247 sacks.
This year, they have only 11 sacks and are ranked 18th in sacks per pass play. Former Eagles defensive end Derrick Burgess has five sacks, more than all of the Eagles’ defensive ends combined.
“The biggest thing that is out of whack right now is our points allowed and sacks,” Johnson said.
The Eagles were unable to sack Bledsoe. Dallas often used a maximum protection scheme and kept a tight end and wide receiver in to block.
“They’re not dummies. They know that we’re going to blitz, and they kept people in,” Johnson said. “When you do that, you have to make sure you cover well.”
Against Dallas, the Eagles’ highly decorated secondary didn’t. When an opposing offense uses max-protection, the secondary has to cover fewer receivers. But Bledsoe had time to find them.
“That’s why it’s a team sport,” Brown said. “If you don’t have coverage, then the pass rush doesn’t work. If you don’t have a pass rush, then the coverage doesn’t work. If it doesn’t all go together, then everyone looks bad. You can’t be the best secondary without a great down four. You can’t be a great down four without a good secondary. That’s just the bottom line.
“There’s only so much you can do. The bottom line is, you’ve got to come out, look yourself in the mirror and say, ‘I’ve got to beat his butt.’ You’re not changing the game.”
E-mail Andy Schwartz
http://philadelphia.comcastsportsnet.com/view_content_1p.asp?ID=17733
