The Eagles defensive line must set the tone early vs. Falcons
13 January 2018 Eagles News
Whether it is stopping the run or pressuring quarterback Matt Ryan, the Philadelphia Eagles defensive line needs to set the tone early in today’s playoff game.
With the Eagles’ offense struggling as of late, their defense has been stepping up and carry more of the weight. Today, in a game where you either win or your season is over, the Eagles need their defense to step up and more importantly, their defensive line.
All season, the Eagles’ defensive line has been a force to be reckoned with. They are not one, not two, not three, not four, not four, but seven or eight players deep on the defensive line.Much to their opponents chagrin, the Eagles rarely need to blitz or rush anything more than their four defensive linemen. This is a big luxury in the passing game because the rest of the linebackers are able to drop in coverage and against an Atlanta Falcons team who likes to use their tight ends and running backs in the passing game, this will be a crucial part of the game.
The Eagles run defense has been stout all season, especially when they are controlling what the opposing team is doing. Getting pressure on Ryan and neutralizing his effectiveness will be a big step for the Eagles. If the front four is able to heavily pressure Ryan, the Falcons will play right into the Eagles hand. Fail to do so, the Falcons will be able to open up their playbook and start grinding down the Eagles defense with the run game. This game will not come down to the Eagles front four’s ability to get pressure on Ryan, but a big part of it will consist here.
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