Finding the source of the Philadelphia Eagles' fourth-quarter frustration is a little like pinning every problem to a dartboard and throwing darts. So many issues make it feel impossible to isolate one cause. That's part of what has made the team's recent collapses so frustrating for both the fan base and those trying to explain them. The list has grown long enough that identifying a single culprit feels almost impossible
.For the second consecutive week, Philadelphia watched a winnable game slip away late. Sunday's 24-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams followed a familiar script. The Eagles carried a 20-10 lead into the second half before surrendering two touchdown drives during the game's closing moments.
The collapse renewed questions about a defense
that played well for much of the afternoon but couldn't deliver the final stop when it mattered most. Sure, they had to have been exhausted. It isn't like the offense allowed them to rest, but don't tell defensive coordinator Vic Fangio that. It wouldn't be acceptable.
Coach met with reporters on Tuesday,and as you might expect, he was asked what he saw on theRams' final two touchdown drives. His answer was refreshingly direct.
"Yeah, we struggled to make a play. Struggled for me to make the perfect call against a quarterback and an offense like that. That's not a good combination, and we didn't get it done. We played great for 10 drives, but the last two we didn't."
The Eagles allowed 83 snaps, a number inflated by penalties but significant nonetheless. When asked if the workload impacted his defense late in the game, Fangio acknowledged the obvious while refusing to use it as an excuse.
"You just look at the play-by-plays, the penalties are plays... I'm not going to insult your or anybody's intelligence that yeah, it has an effect, but we got to find a way to finish... We've got to make a play in coverage, make a play in the pass rush, make a perfect call and find a way to get it done."
That theme surfaced repeatedly throughout the session. When another reporter pointed out that second-half and fourth-quarter struggles have been an issue for much of the season, Fangio again returned to the same conclusion.
In many ways, Fangio's comments mirrored what everyone watching saw unfold. For most of Sunday's game, the Eagles defense limited a dangerous Rams offense and consistently got off the field.
The problem wasn't the first ten drives. The problem was the final two. Now, Philadelphia heads into a Week 5 matchup against the red-hot Jacksonville Jaguars,a team now without its all-world right tackle. Philadelphia is a team searching for answers. The Eagles have been outscored 31-0 in the second half of their past two games, and while much of the attention has focused on offensive struggles, Fangio made it clear that the defense shares responsibility for the recent skid.
Whether the issue is pass rush, coverage, penalties, fatigue, or something else entirely remains open for debate. What isn't debatable is the result. The Eagles have let consecutive games slip away during the second half, and another missed opportunity in Week 5 would deepen concerns about a team that entered the season with playoff aspirations.
Coach Fangio didn't offer excuses on Tuesday, and he didn't point fingers. No one who has watched him for these past few seasons would expect him to. He did offer a challenge. If Philadelphia wants to stop these conversations, it has to find a way to close games when the outcome is still hanging in the balance.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Vic Fangio challenges the Eagles defense after another late collapse
