Eagles-Giants Film Review: The defense has some real problems

This was one of the Philadelphia Eagles’ most frustrating defensive performances of the season, on both sides of the ball. The New York Giants didn’t beat the Eagles with creativity or elite quarterback

play; they just attacked the weak spots relentlessly. Three players in particular had really poor games. Add in the absence of Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith, and it’s no surprise the defense looked lifeless. Last week, I gave them a bit of a pass as I think fatigue really impacted them. I think it did this week as well, but I’m less forgiving. This was disappointing. The lack of violence and intensity that once defined this unit is becoming hard to ignore.

Defense

Jalyx Hunt remains a fascinating player, but one who still hasn’t developed enough as a pure pass rusher. This was another week where he flashed versatility. Look at the ability he has to drop into coverage? That’s impressive. However, he offered minimal impact off the edge. He’s not a natural 1-on-1 rusher, and at this point, it’s clear the staff is asking him to do something that doesn’t match his strengths. I think we all (myself included) may have got carried away by his Super Bowl performance. He’s a former safety who can do a lot of things well, but expecting him to carry the edge group in Nolan Smith’s absence just isn’t realistic. The lack of edge production remains a huge concern. And Za’Darius Smith just retired… yikes.

Keely Ringo had a rough afternoon. I defended him last week, but obviously, I can’t this week. The confidence just isn’t there right now. Early on, he played tight, gave up a contested ball, and it visibly affected him for the rest of the game. He stopped trusting his speed, opened his hips too early, and gave up far too much space on intermediate routes. It was bad and he deserved to get benched. He’s an incredibly talented athlete, but corners at this level have to recover mentally after giving up plays. Right now, Ringo looks like a young player struggling to shake mistakes off. I think he’s a confidence player, and it’s hard to succeed that way at cornerback. We all laughed at Jalen Mills’ arrogance, but it is necessary at times.

This was one of the more frustrating sequences to watch. The coverage initially holds up, but the rush lanes completely collapse. Baun loses contain, Ojomo loops too wide, and Dart makes a great play. The Eagles can cover for three seconds, but if they can’t close the pocket, it’s all wasted effort. They could not rush the QB in this game at all.

The pass rush has been an issue all season, but it felt especially toothless in this one without Jalen Carter. There were no true 1-on-1 wins from the defensive line in this game. The four-man rush isn’t getting home, and that forces the Eagles to bring linebackers from depth. This leaves the secondary exposed. Until the front can win naturally, the entire structure of this defense is compromised. It’s a real issue.

Andrew Mukuba had a nightmare. There’s no other way to say it. He blew multiple coverages, missed tackles, and just looked completely lost. This is a tough defense to learn, so I’m not saying he won’t ever be good, but he’s struggling right now. On this one play, he tripped Cooper DeJean, abandoned his zone, and missed the tackle. All in a single snap. His athleticism isn’t in question, but his instincts, size, and discipline absolutely are. He’s biting on fakes, taking poor angles, and losing his man too easily. For safety in this scheme, those are fatal flaws. I wonder if it’s worth sitting him down for a bit and letting him see the field from a different perspective. I hope this mini-bye does him well.

Not to sound too basic, but… someone tackle the quarterback. Dart can move, but he’s not prime Michael Vick! Someone, please, hit the guy!

As the game went on, the defense’s physicality completely disappeared. The Giants ran the ball straight at them, and the Eagles just couldn’t hold up. The edges lost contain; Mukuba was blocked easily by tight ends, and Byron Young was repeatedly washed out of his gap. It wasn’t schematic. It was physical. The Giants were more violent at the line of scrimmage, more committed to finishing blocks, and more disciplined in their assignments. That’s a big worry. You can’t coach around a lack of physicality.

Mukuba continued to struggle mentally in coverage. Here, I assumed he got beaten in man coverage. But he jumped the wrong route entirely, leaving his man wide open behind him. He’s trying to make a play instead of just doing his job, and it’s not the first time this year. The coverage structure relies on everyone trusting the system. When one guy freelances, the whole thing breaks. Mukuba’s a rookie, and mistakes happen, but these are the types of lapses that can’t continue if he’s going to be trusted long term.

Byron Young’s day might have been worse than any of them. He played 24 run-defense snaps (not a good sign for defensive tackle depth and what Fangio thinks of Ty Robinson right now…) and was overpowered frequently. He’s not strong enough at the point of attack and doesn’t anchor at all. With Carter injured and Davis overworked, Young’s snaps were unavoidable if you don’t trust Robinson in run defense, but they were painful. He was moved off the ball constantly. I don’t think he’s playable at this point. The Eagles need Jalen Carter to save this defensive line.

The final drives were hard to watch. Fangio went heavy frequently, with four defensive tackles and six-man fronts, and the Giants still ran through them. Mukuba had a chance to hit Skattebo here and he just bounced off him. There was no tone-setting presence or violence to this defense. The entire defense looked tired and beaten down. The absences of Carter and Nolan Smith matter because those two set the physical edge for this group. Without them, the defense just doesn’t have the same bite. I’m not making excuses, but those players are badly missed. When you take away Quinyon Mitchell, this defense just isn’t that talented anymore. They can’t carry the offense anymore.

Overall

The defense right now feels like it’s drifting into mediocrity. The pass rush is unreliable, the secondary is inconsistent, and the physical edge that defined the 2023 and early 2024 versions of this group has vanished. Fangio’s scheme is still sound, but the players missing and the lack of physicality are major issues.

The pass rush remains the biggest structural problem. Without Carter, they can’t create consistent pressure with four, and Fangio’s blitzes leave the secondary exposed. The secondary isn’t good enough to hold up when the pressure doesn’t arrive. They’re living on disguises and timely plays rather than sustained dominance.

The lack of consistent pass rush and secondary reliability is a deeper problem. I think the Eagles may need to make a move (or two) if they want this unit to be great again. This was a game that exposed all the cracks at once. Unlike the offense, the scheme isn’t the problem. The execution, the personnel, and the mentality are.

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