Connor Barwin wasn’t quite sure.
The veteran defensive end definitely hoped the Eagles’ defense would be dominant, that the aggressiveness would pay off, that the talent would take over.
But he wasn’t sure.
“To be honest with you, I really didn’t know,” Barwin said. “I thought we were talented. I really felt that we had a good team, a good group of guys that all liked playing with each other. But all through summer and OTAs, you don’t really know until you go out there and play. So far we’ve been playing together as a team. We’ve been pretty disciplined, played smart and played hard.”
After Sunday’s 34-3 clubbing of the Steelers and after the Eagles’ defense has given up just 20 points through three weeks (see Instant Replay), things are coming into focus.
The Eagles’ defense wasn’t just good on Sunday against Pittsburgh … it was downright dominant, holding a team with a future Hall of Fame quarterback, the best receiver in the league and the NFL’s leading rusher coming into the week, to three points.
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Three.
“They just weren’t going to be denied,” head coach Doug Pederson said. “They just weren’t going to bow their necks. They weren’t going to let them in the end zone. It came down to our will vs. theirs and I was just so happy with the way the guys played.”
Just how dominant has the Eagles’ defense been? Well here’s a look:
- Sunday was the first time the Steelers had been held to three or fewer points since Dec. 19, 2011. It was also the worst loss (31 points) for the Steelers since Sept. 17, 1989.
- The Eagles have held their opponents to 14 or fewer points in each of the first three games for the first time since 1992. And the team has given up just 27 points through those three games, also the fewest since ’92.
- They’re one of just two teams in the NFL that hasn’t yet allowed a passing touchdown. The other is Seattle.
- The Eagles lead the league in points scored (92), fewest points allowed (27) and point differential (plus-65).
- The plus-65 point differential is their biggest through three games since 1980. That was a Super Bowl year.
“Well, we got our butt kicked,” Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown said. “We couldn’t put any points up. Couldn’t get any stops. We have to find a way to get back.”
So, yeah, the Eagles have been pretty impressive.
And while Carson Wentz has stolen headlines, the team’s defense has been just as pivotal to its success (see 10 Observations).
“That’s the expectation,” linebacker Jordan Hicks said. “That’s been the expectation since Day 1. We knew we were going to have to be dominant. We’ve got a lot to improve on, but if we keep improving and keep taking it day by day, we’re going to be fine.”
While Ben Roethlisberger had time in the pocket early during Sunday’s game, eventually the Eagles’ vaunted pass rush got to him. Roethlisberger was sacked four times by the Eagles. He had been sacked just twice total in the two previous games.
The Eagles also shut down the Steelers’ rushing attack. DeAngelo Williams, who entered Week 3 as the NFL’s leading rusher, had just 21 yards on eight carries.
From the time defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz arrived to town with Pederson, the defense was expected to change and get better. It clearly has. And it’s taken on the persona of the man in charge.
“It’s the attitude of our coach,” cornerback Nolan Carroll said. “We’re always out there, we’re always competing. We’re always feisty, fiery, we always want to make that pay, compete.”
As the game progressed on Sunday, the Eagles could feel the Steelers’ frustration mounting. By the time the game got deep into the third quarter, the route was on.
“Absolutely. We made them one-dimensional,” Hicks said. “They couldn’t run the ball. They had to throw the ball down field. Our defensive backs were doing a great job; we were doing a great job in underneath coverage. We made them one-dimensional and when that happens, our defensive line eats. Our defensive line just goes and goes and it is tough to stop.”
The hallmark of a Schwartz defense is the front four getting to the quarterback without needing to blitz. After another slow start, the Eagles’ talented defensive line did its job on Sunday.
Fletcher Cox had two sacks, while Brandon Graham and Bennie Logan each chipped in one apiece. Cox and Graham each have three sacks through three games.
“We can still be better,” Cox said. “We can grow. We’re not comfortable. That’s what I think about this team. Nobody is comfortable or patting themselves on the back. We know we can be better. We just have to take this bye week, take a little time off to come back and get ready for Detroit.”
