Eagles film review: Linebackers snuff out Texans' run attack

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Grading the defense in the Eagles’ 31-21 win over the Texans on Sunday at NRG Stadium:

For grades on the Eagles' offense, click here.

Defensive Line (B+)
Backside containment by DEs Fletcher Cox and Cedric Thornton and NT Bennie Logan on Houston’s stretch runs took away Arian Foster’s cutback lanes. Foster is the NFL’s best zone runner. He flourishes against impatient defenses that sell out and lose gap control. Cox, Thornton and Logan maintained their discipline and consistently funneled Foster to the outside, where the Eagles converged and used the sideline as an extra defender. Foster, who had strung together five straight 100-yard games, managed just 56 yards on 15 carries (3.7 per carry). His longest run, an 18-yarder, came against a dime formation with pass-rushing personnel up front. He had 38 yards on his 14 other carries, an average of 2.71 yards per carry.

On the opening drive, Thornton rode LT Duane Brown back two yards on an outside zone to the right side, taking away the cutback and forcing Foster to get smothered behind scrimmage for a one-yard loss. Later, he beat RT Derek Newton to slow up RB Alfred Blue, who lost five. On another Blue run, Thornton crashed down on RG Brandon Books, who fell back into the fullback and caused a collision in the backfield that forced Blue to hurdle the pile before picking up just one yard.

Logan penetrated against C Chris Myers on a third-quarter run and smothered Foster for a one-yard loss that caused the Pro Bowl RB to limp over to the sideline. Cox’s pass rush still lacks a finishing move. He frequently outmuscles opposing linemen and drives them back into the pocket but can’t seem to generate the second-effort sack. Still, his pressures get the job done. On DeMeco Ryans’ interception, Cox took on a double team of LG Ben Jones and LT Brown, walking them back into QB Ryan Fitzpatrick’s face as he hurried a dangerous pass across the middle.

Linebackers (A-)
OLBs Trent Cole and Connor Barwin consistently set the edge against Texans OTs and TEs, giving Foster very few options in the running game. Houston’s inability to generate outside push forced the Texans into frequent 2nd- and 3rd-and-long situations, which is not this team’s recipe for success. Cole couldn’t be blocked by tight ends and gave LT Brown fits all game. Once again, defensive coordinator Bill Davis moved Cole around and rushed the veteran from a variety of positions – as a standup rusher around the edge, hand in the dirt and through the ‘A’ gap as a MIKE linebacker. On a third down, he lined up across Brown and sped past the left tackle to pressure Fitzpatrick while drawing a holding penalty. In the fourth, Cole blitzed up the middle from a stand-up position, slapped past C Chester and came within inches of a sack as he forced Fitzpatrick to unload an incomplete pass down the right sideline. Cole dropped into coverage more than Barwin did. He jammed TE Ryan Griffin on a wheel route to take away Fitzpatrick’s first read, clearing the way for blitzing ILB Mychal Kendricks to pick up a coverage sack.

Reserve OLB Brandon Graham played just 20 snaps but, as usual, was among the team’s best pass rushers. He picked up a couple of hurries and an impressive second-effort sack after beating Brown. Fitzpatrick stepped up in the pocket but Graham navigated around traffic and continued his pursuit before pouncing on Fitzpatrick. Playing in Barwin’s “Jack” spot, Graham sniffed out a screen in the flat that was easily contained.

Kendricks started for the first time since injuring his calf Sept. 15 and racked up a game-high 12 tackles, including a sack. With Ryans out for the rest of the season, Kendricks not only must continue his emergence into a complete, playmaking linebacker but also be the command center for the front seven. Every time Texans RBs stayed in to block Kendricks took the opportunity to rush the passer. Foster and Blue each got steamrolled on blitzes by Kendricks, who hurried Fitzpatrick into several off-balance throws, including a minus-3 toss to Blue, who had gotten back to his feet after getting bulldozed by Kendricks to become Fitzpatrick’s only option.

Secondary (B-)
The referees allowed leeway for CBs Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher to use their bodies in coverage and get physical against WRs Andre Johnson and DeAndre Hopkins. Only eight of the 18 passes to Johnson and Hopkins were caught.

Williams and Fletcher defended the sideline 9 routes fairly well, especially against Johnson, but typical breakdowns allowed for some big plays for the Texans. The Eagles played a Cover 3 on the 56-yard touchdown catch by Foster on a wheel route along the right side. Fletcher had dropped deep but drifted too far inside against Johnson’s post and wound up double-teaming the receiver with Malcolm Jenkins, leaving his back to the sideline. By the time Fletcher realized Foster had caught the ball he was too far away to make a play.

Hopkins lost Fletcher over the middle on a crossing route that went for 45 yards when Fletcher tried to avoid getting picked by Johnson, who was crossing from the opposite side. Fletcher gave way too much cushion while trying to run around Johnson and Hopkins turned on the jets to scamper down the left side.

On the next snap, Williams had his hands on Hopkins’ shoulder pad as he defended a fly pattern down the left side. A few plays later, Williams had his arm wrapped around Johnson’s waist in coverage but let go quickly enough to avoid the flag and watched Fitzpatrick’s third-down pass sail beyond Johnson’s reach.

Second-year S Earl Wolff started in place of Nate Allen (hamstring) and played OK. With the Texans inside the Philadelphia 10-yard line in the fourth, Davis called for an all-out blitz with man coverage on the outside and Wolff matched up against Hopkins in the slot. The Texans had Andre Johnson and Damaris Johnson lined up to the right and cross in, taking S Malcolm Jenkins and slot CB Brandon Boykin toward the middle of the field and leaving the right side of the end zone undefended for Hopkins, who had no problem beating Wolff on a corner route for the touchdown.

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