Expect A Sharper Eagles Defensive Front Against The Chargers

The word in the Eagles locker room had Vic Fangio stressing better technique when it comes to stopping the run.

Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio at practice. | John McMullen/Eagles On SI

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles’ defensive front isn’t shying away from a poor defensive performance on Black Friday against Chicago, one in which the first line of defense was dominated by a Bears rushing attack that compiled 281 yards.

The word from inside the Eagles locker room this week was that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was emphasizing one message in the wake of too many examples of being out of position against Chicago’s stretch and outside zone running plays.

“Technique,” defensive tackle Jordan Davis.

"Just getting back to the basics,” added DT Byron Young. “We had a lot of leaky yards in that game and stuff that was small that we could have easily fixed and that we just got to continue to get better as we go through the week."

Both Davis and Young, along with Moro Ojomo, will be asked to take on bigger roles with Jalen Carter unable to play on Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers due to shoulder pain.

More Expected Out Of DT Trio

And each understands what’s likely coming after a poor performance was put on tape, one that had the Eagles defense falling to No. 24 in the NFL in run defense which is now allowing 128.9 yards per game.

“I think the Bears was an eye opener,” Davis admitted, “and it was kind of like Atlanta last year. Just the things they’re attacking us with, and how they’re going to attack our defense.

“It was very few and far between that we’re going to get a lot of pressure straight up. It’s going to be a lot of side-to-side, to take us [the defensive tackles] out the equation, so we have to be prepared for that.”

Not everyone is capable of doing what a talented Chicago offensive line did against the Eagles but that doesn’t mean others won’t try to play copycat.

“Not every team is going to play like that, but when we do see those schemes, we have to make sure we’re alert for that,” said Davis. “And it’s a copycat league, so what we see this week, we might see the next week from another team.

“It’s being mindful and aware of that.”

MORE NFL: No Landon Dickerson at Eagles Practice