'The Game Changes:' Inside The Eagles' Defensive Success in The Red Zone

PHILADELPHIA - Much of the red-zone talk in Philadelphia during a 3-0 Eagles start is tied to the offense's success, where Jalen Hurts and Co. are 8 of 8 when things get condensed, a testament to the tush push and Hurts’ impact as the plus-one in the running game and as a playmaker.

Defensively, the Eagles have also been dominant with a touchdown percentage allowed of just 44.4 percent, tied for seventh-best in the league.

In the season-opener, Dallas was 2 of 3 in the red zone, but the lone miss was a game-changing one.

After All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun chased down Miles Sanders from behind to prevent a long touchdown run, rookie ‘backer Jihaad Campbell and defensive tackle Byron Young stoned Sanders a few plays later and forced the ex-Eagles to cough up the football before Quinyon Mitchell recovered it in what was a big momentum-changer.

Big Plays

In Kansas City, Mukuba was again part of the splash, taking a deflected football off Travis Kelce at the goal line and returning the interception 41 yards in what was arguably the biggest play in a 20-17 win.

Last Sunday, during a thrilling 19-point comeback against the Los Angeles Rams, it was the red-zone defense that kept the Eagles in the game during an ugly first half for the offense.

The Rams were held to a pair of field goals, a touchdown, and a blocked field goal in four trips inside the red zone, a perseverance that enabled the offense to figure things out in the final 30 minutes.

"Every trip down there is an adventure in and of itself. We practice it a lot," Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio told Eagles On SI earlier this week. "The game changes when you're in the red zone.

“It's not a good thing to be in the red zone on defense, but it is a defensive advantage with that end-line being right there. The game changes, you know, the way the game is played, particularly in the passing game. So, we try and get our players used to doing that."

In the red zone, Fangio’s team has held teams to a 12.5% completion percentage and a 39.6 passer rating, both first in the NFL.

“I think we have some really, really smart guys on this team and on this defense that understand situational football, and that’s a situation – in the red zone,” Baun told Eagles on SI.

The Eagles’ defensive star was also able to explain Fangio’s sentiment that the game changes with limited space.

“Your body slows down because it’s such a condensed area but your mind has to speed up because things happen so fast,” Baun said.

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