Two games into the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles season, there are many takeaways to analyze. One is that the offense has had their struggles; Carson Wentz passes too much and the running game hasn’t gotten going yet. But one of the most underrated storylines about the Eagles season so far has been the emergence and success of the secondary, even though they have suffered some significant injuries.
A Pleasant Surprise: The Philadelphia Eagles Secondary
Injuries Have Forced Some Changes
Heading into the season, the secondary looked pretty good on paper. The Eagles traded for top cornerback Ronald Darby and he was immediately slotted in as their number one corner. Jalen Mills came off a strong rookie campaign in 2016 and held down the number two corner spot. The safeties were led by longtime leader Malcolm Jenkins and their 2016 free agent acquisition Rodney McLeod. They had good depth behind them in veterans Patrick Robinson and Corey Graham and rookie Rasul Douglas.
Now, heading into Week three, the secondary looks very different. In Week one against the Washington Redskins, Darby went down with a dislocated ankle and is still out for a couple more weeks. Graham sustained a hamstring injury and made the injury report both weeks but still played. Versatile defender Jaylen Watkins left in the first half of the Eagles Week two game against the Kansas City Chiefs and McLeod also sustained a hamstring injury that sidelined him during the Chiefs game.
The widespread injuries have taken their unfortunate toll, but the rest of the secondary has picked up the slack and led to their success.
Eagles Secondary Has Fared Well Against Top Receivers
Terrelle Pryor
The NFC East is ripe with star wide receivers and the Birds were met in Week one by one of them. Terrelle Pryor is now the Redskins top wide out and his first game in Washington was supposed to be a feast against the Eagles. But Darby did a good job staying on him and when he went down and left, Pryor should have broken out.
But he didn’t. Instead, a combination of Robinson and Watkins did a great job minimizing Pryor’s production and they made him a nonfactor. Pryor was held to six catches on 11 targets for just 66 yards and no touchdowns.
Tyreek Hill
Against the Chiefs, the Eagles had their hands full trying to stop the dangerous and elusive Tyreek Hill, who has proven he is very valuable in the run game, as a returner and as a pass catcher. Watkins was the first to line up with Hill, but he left in the first half with a bad hamstring and, to make matters worse, McLeod pulled up with his bad hammy. Hill now had deep backups all throughout the secondary to take advantage of.
But Hill couldn’t take advantage. Douglas, a rookie, stepped up and blanketed Hill, denying him yards after the catch. Graham gave good help over the top and in the end, Hill was held to four catches on six targets for just 43 yards and no touchdowns.
The Birds secondary has fared well so far against talented wide receivers. The most yards to an opposing wide out they have given up is 66 (Pryor). Only three receivers have gone over 50 yards in a game. They have yet to surrender a touchdown to a wide out.
With all of the injuries, the secondary has stepped up their game. They may be 1-1 but each game has been close and the secondary’s efforts are a big reason for why.
Week Three
In Week 3, the Eagles take on the New York Giants, who arguably boast the best wide receiving corps in the NFC East with Odell Beckham Jr., Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard. It’s important to consider that OBJ is still hobbled by a bad ankle and could be less than 100 percent by Sunday. Marshall has only recorded two catches on the year and is slow out of the gates.
Even if the Birds secondary is still depleted by Sunday, their odds of containment should still be high with a rusty and slow Giants receiving corps. A strong effort against a Giants loaded passing attack would solidify this Eagles secondary as vastly improved from a year ago.
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