Will Castillo return as defensive coordinator?

The Eagles are trying to save a season. In the process, they might also be saving Juan Castillos job.

Yes, it was only the Dolphins and Jets, but Castillos defense has put together two outstanding performances in a row, and if the Eagles continue the strong defensive finish over the next two weeks, what once seemed like a no-brainer will become a very interesting question.

Castillo and his unit both struggled badly early this year, his first as defensive coordinator after 16 years on the Eagles offensive coaching staff. But the Eagles have played significantly better of late, and the last thing the Eagles want is to tear things apart again and bring in a fourth coordinator in five years and start from scratch again.

Assuming Andy Reid returns for a 14th year as head coachwhich isnt a lock but seems more and more likely if the Eagles continue their strong finishCastillo could very well be back in 2012.

Hes had a tough battle, said Jason Babin, who shares the NFL sack lead with Jared Allen at 18. Hes taken a lot of heat, and he just kept fighting the whole time. So you have to take your hat off to that.

But its clear that as Castillo has adjusted his schemes, learned his personnel and grown more comfortable in the job, the players have responded to what hes offering.

You learn more each game with our defense, Nnamdi Asomugha said. There are some calls that weve been doing since the beginning of the year that weve gotten better at, and there are some calls that we werent doing in the beginning of the year that Juan is confident calling.

Hes doing different things, and hes learning. I think with each game, he learns what works, what doesnt work. A few of the things we were doing at the beginning of the year, we dont do as much. Some techniques and some coverages that guys just werent used to and didnt really knowand he just doesnt do them as much. We would give up some big plays on those things. Nowhell blitz every now and then. But he also has some basic coverages that weve known since high school. Since we know them, we can just go out and play them confidently, so its helped.

In the last two games, the Eagles have held the Dolphins and Jets both under 250 yards while recording seven turnovers and 13 sacks.

Keep that up for two weeks, and Castillo is back. But if things revert back to the 49ers or Patriots or Arizona struggles, it could cost him his job.

Its coming together, finally, safety Kurt Coleman said. Were playing as a team, were having fun out therethings are finally starting to click with Juan. Its just a matter of playing together. Thats all it is.

Coleman used his forced fumble Sunday as an example of how the Eagles defense has evolved.

Early in the game, Coleman had a clean shot on Santonio Holmes, and he said earlier in the year, he would have just gone for the tackle. But this time, he saw a teammate (Casey Matthews) nearby and knew he had the luxury of going for a strip without allowing a big play, because he knew Matthews would make the tackle if he didnt get the strip.

Coleman poked the ball out, Juqua Parker recovered and returned it 44 yards, and the Eagles had a 7-0 lead.

That trust is there that we didnt have early in the season, Coleman said. Its a beautiful thing when everything starts to click like that.

Castillo said something as simple as him understanding what his guys like to do and what theyre good at has made a huge difference in calling plays.

The package is growing because everybody is starting to understand the base package, and now we can have fun with the guys a little bit, he said. And I think they enjoy those packages, they have fun with it.

You know, I hear about it all the time when they have a meeting. I always sit in with the d-line on the meeting before the game and they were talking about, We like this one, we like that one. So its easier for me to call those because I know they like them.

The bottom line is the Eagles are still 6-8, theyre still a longshot to win the NFC East, and the season is still likely to end in failure.

But there has been improvement. The young linebackers and safeties have covered better and maintained their gap integrity better. The d-line has delivered tremendous pressure. The corners are finally starting to play perform closer to expectations.

Just more time, cornerback Asante Samuel said. Time, like Ive been saying from the beginning. New coaches, new system, new players, and with more time the better we get. We get to evolve and everybody gets to know each other better and understands what your job in the defense is. So everybodys learning, growing more and getting comfortable.

Castillo has admitted he threw too much too soon at his group. With so much personnel turnover and no offseason, it was just chaos the first month.

By Week 5, the Eagles were 1-4, had blown three fourth-quarter leads in a three-week span, and were allowing 352 yards and 26.4 points per game.

In nine weeks since, the Eagles are 5-4 and allowing 314 yards and 19.9 points per game.

There certainly have been some low points the second half of the seasonnotably, New England and Seattlebut overall, things have gotten better.

The first five weeks, the Eagles ranked 26th in points allowed and 15th in yards allowed. Over the last nine weeks, theyre 14th in points allowed and ninth in yards allowed.

You have to understand that we really didnt have training camp ... and some of those guys, they missed that, Castillo said. And I think initially I started too fast and what I found out is I had to go backwards with some of those guys because they had missed some of that and we were making some mistakes just on fundamental stuff.

You know, now, as we understand all of our packages, were able to add as we keep going.

First five weeks: Eagles allowed 140 rushing yards per game and 5.0 yards per carry.

Last nine weeks: Theyve allowed 98 rushing yards per game and 3.9 yards per carry.

First five weeks: Eagles gave up 11 passing TDs and had three interceptions.

Last nine weeks: Theyve given up 14 passing TDs with 11 interceptions.

Its just a defense that keeps getting better, keeps working hard and just keeps fighting, linebacker Jamar Chaney said. No matter what the situation is just keep on going out there and giving it your all no matter what the situation is. And we just keep going out there and continue to get better and its showing out there on the field now.

Since Week 6, the Eagles defense has been respectable. Even very good at times.

Enough to save Castillos job? Well know soon.

All phases are playing well, Babin said. The secondary, the linebackers, the d-lineeveryone making hits, interceptions, fumbles. You watch tape, swarming to the ball. You miss a tackle, thats all right, because guess what, my partners right behind me making it. Were playing together as a team. Thats the greatest thing to see.

I dont know what took us so long, but I think everyones happy. Everyones jelling with the way the defense is going.
E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com