Why couldn’t the vaunted Eagles defense stop the Cowboys offense?

[FVSTONE]

Without a doubt I do however think this defense when healthy was smoke and mirrors

the entire season the run game has been suspect and when we quit playing teams with suspect lines we stopped getting to qb and started being exposed

want to see a good defense San Fran has one

Great post! Sacks are a thing of the past on this team.

 

[john van brocklin]

The Eagles defense came into the game as the #1-#3 rated defense depending on what stat you chose. They had been playing lights out all year long. Even after Saturday the Eagles are #2 in yards allowed. They’re #1 in passing yards allowed. They came into this game at full strength defensively. Why couldn’t they stop the Cowboys offense? Please one of you doubters tell me why the best defense in the NFL couldn’t stop the Cowboys offense?

Because we were cookin baby!

 

[zeroburrito]

The Eagles are not the best defense in the NFL the 49ers are. Eagles stats are skewed because of their cupcake schedule. You can see flaws in this defense and they aren’t going anywhere in the playoffs. I still believe the 49ers will shred both of these teams in the playoffs.

talking about cupcake schedule. look at the 49ers. best team they have played in the last 8 weeks was the chargers. by far. they could be much weaker than they look.

 

[Hoofbite]

For the same reason the Cowboys couldn't Stop the Jaguars. Sometimes it just doesn't work out.

 

[leeblair]

What does the turnovers have to do either the offense torching the Eagirls vaunted defense With 419 yards?

Because the Eagles turnovers heped the Cowboys score from a short field, keeping the momentum going for the Cowboys.
We didn't learn anything from this game. Dak played well against a loose defense.
That's what he does.

 

[817Gill]

I'll say it again: Both teams knew the game was meaningless and that a round 3 was likely. Siriano outright said it to McCarthy in front of the camera. Both sides were just playing base, vanilla schemes on offense and defense. That favors offense.

The next game isn't going to look like that. You will see far more blitz packages, disguised coverages, etc. This goes for both teams.

When the score of the next game isn't 40-34, don't ask "what happened to the offense?!?!?"

Eh this take doesn’t make sense to me due to plenty of evidence of the contrary.

First of all, in the sporadic criticism of the eagles defense all year, the one thing people have pointed to is their lack of exotic coverages. They kinda play what they play and don’t do to much razzle dazzle naturally. This has been true all season, not just the Dallas game. Chris Simms talks about this a lot. Unless they decide to try something completely new or they’ve been saving their real scheme for the divisional round of the playoffs, what we saw is generally how they play.

Secondly, you can tell by the wide open Devonte Smith touchdown on 4th down that they weren’t dialing it back offensively other than the QB run. Collinsworth discussed this in real time. All year the eagles have been running a pick play to the tight end coming across the formation on that play. This game they decided to throw a wrinkle in and have Smith fake the rub and pop up field. Diggs reacted to what he’s seen on film all year and charged the TE. This allowed Minshew to find a wide open Smith all alone in the endzone. Again, Collinsworth noted that this was a new wrinkle that they added.

Based on those two pieces of evidence specifically, I don’t see how you could say they threw in the towel schematically. Not even going to touch the strangeness of claiming two NFL coaches in week 15 both decided to play vanilla football in the expectation to see eachother 4 weeks later. Not super logical but you got it.

 

[Rockport]

Because the Eagles turnovers heped the Cowboys score from a short field, keeping the momentum going for the Cowboys.
We didn't learn anything from this game. Dak played well against a loose defense.
That's what he does.

419 YARDS pendejo.

 

[ConstantReboot]

They knew they were going to lose before they got there.
With Hurts out they knew the offense would struggle- and it did- giving up four turnovers.
The defense of the Eagles knew they couldn't play as aggressive because they would have to be on the field longer with their offense not being up to par.
It was a good victory, but one that anyone who knows football expected.
Dak got to play against a weaker version of the team Cooper Rush faced, and still nearly gave the game away early. The Cowboys won by six points after getting four turnovers from the Eagles, but Dak gave the Eagles seven points himself.
And the Cowboys were at home. Dak didn't have to play against a hostile crowd, one that would gave eaten him alive after the early pick six.
The Cowboys were able to maintain the momentum going against a weaker Eagles offense, so Dak played well.
You asked.

Yeah Eagles wanted to lose...so they didn't play defense. Good logic there bud. Keep up the good work.

 

[Sevenup3000]

They knew they were going to lose before they got there.
With Hurts out they knew the offense would struggle- and it did- giving up four turnovers.
The defense of the Eagles knew they couldn't play as aggressive because they would have to be on the field longer with their offense not being up to par.
It was a good victory, but one that anyone who knows football expected.
Dak got to play against a weaker version of the team Cooper Rush faced, and still nearly gave the game away early. The Cowboys won by six points after getting four turnovers from the Eagles, but Dak gave the Eagles seven points himself.
And the Cowboys were at home. Dak didn't have to play against a hostile crowd, one that would gave eaten him alive after the early pick six.
The Cowboys were able to maintain the momentum going against a weaker Eagles offense, so Dak played well.
You asked.

Entire comment is pathetic. Go follow the Giants please.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

How on earth did you get that from my post?

Must be you misinterpreted my reference to how, in the past, division rivals with nothing to gain have absolutely "rested" guy's in meaningless end of season games. How do you not know/remember that?

I'm also guessing you're taking my post at face value and not interpreting it against the context of the back and forth it was referencing.

Because you are talking about the Eagles having healthy scratches it seems.

 

[doomsday9084]

Eh this take doesn’t make sense to me due to plenty of evidence of the contrary.

First of all, in the sporadic criticism of the eagles defense all year, the one thing people have pointed to is their lack of exotic coverages. They kinda play what they play and don’t do to much razzle dazzle naturally. This has been true all season, not just the Dallas game. Chris Simms talks about this a lot. Unless they decide to try something completely new or they’ve been saving their real scheme for the divisional round of the playoffs, what we saw is generally how they play.

Secondly, you can tell by the wide open Devonte Smith touchdown on 4th down that they weren’t dialing it back offensively other than the QB run. Collinsworth discussed this in real time. All year the eagles have been running a pick play to the tight end coming across the formation on that play. This game they decided to throw a wrinkle in and have Smith fake the rub and pop up field. Diggs reacted to what he’s seen on film all year and charged the TE. This allowed Minshew to find a wide open Smith all alone in the endzone. Again, Collinsworth noted that this was a new wrinkle that they added.

Based on those two pieces of evidence specifically, I don’t see how you could say they threw in the towel schematically. Not even going to touch the strangeness of claiming two NFL coaches in week 15 both decided to play vanilla football in the expectation to see eachother 4 weeks later. Not super logical but you got it.

I think I saw the Cowboys do one blitz read and drop into coverage. I don't recall any zone blitzes. You can't see it well on live TV but I didn't see any replay evidence of the safeties moving around much. If you go back to the first Phil-Dall game and look at the Eagles defense, you will see that they did a lot more disguising of coverage and switching between man and zone.

On both sides (at least defensively) you saw a reduced playbook versus earlier in the season.

Its not some weird idea that teams will start preparing for the postseason late in the season. Virtually every team does it. We just usually focus on the "resting players" aspect of that over the "not use the full playbook" part.

 

[CowboyFrog]

I have respect for the Eagles fans wearing thier colors here, the "Cowboys Fans" discrediting a win over the Philthy Iggles, not so much.

 

[Captain43Crash]

What does the turnovers have to do either the offense torching the Eagirls vaunted defense With 419 yards?

Exactly!!!

 

[Captain43Crash]

The players on the field played to win, no doubt, but if you think the coaching and game planning was all in as if this was a battle for something important... then maybe you don't quite get it.

It was an opportunity for Philly to win the division, beat their hated rival, AND to stay on top as the #1 seed.
They had numerous reasons to win the game, but some people don’t quite get it!!!!

 

[USArmyVet]

You bet 100% better than you. lol I'm infertile, you come here win or lose to slam this team, you are joke and a troll.

I do not care about your ability to reproduce but the world is happier as a result.

 

[Doomsday101]

because every critic here loves to downplay any wins by the Cowboys. One poster claims we played vs a " loose defense" Philly has 2nd best defense in the league. I'm sorry so many come here looking to blast the Cowboys. Really this is what some of you bring to the table constant whining. Some here refuse to credit the Cowboys for anything, amazing they call themselves Cowboy fans.

 

[USArmyVet]

How do you know they wouldn't have driven the length of the field if necessary? You can't go any farther than the field position you're given.

Point being 4 turnovers were the difference in the game.

 

[Doomsday101]

I do not care about your ability to reproduce but the world is happier as a result.

What? lol whatever you say. lol

 

[USArmyVet]

What does the turnovers have to do either the offense torching the Eagirls vaunted defense With 419 yards?

Perhaps the fact that the 4 turnovers happened within Philly territory and resulted in 20 Dallas points is the point.

 

[Batman1980]

The Eagles defense came into the game as the #1-#3 rated defense depending on what stat you chose. They had been playing lights out all year long. Even after Saturday the Eagles are #2 in yards allowed. They’re #1 in passing yards allowed. They came into this game at full strength defensively. Why couldn’t they stop the Cowboys offense? Please one of you doubters tell me why the best defense in the NFL couldn’t stop the Cowboys offense?

They overloaded against the run and trusted their secondary to hold up as they racked up the sacks. Problem was, Dak was surgical against their zone coverage.