Football
Associated Press 16y

Eagles shift attention to struggling defense

PHILADELPHIA -- The troubleshooting never stops for the
Philadelphia Eagles.

After figuring out a way to correct their inept performance in
the red zone, the Eagles have turned their attention to their
struggling defense.

The key to defensive success in the second half of the season
might be the same thing that helped their offense: getting healthy.

Two months removed from being the least-troublesome of the
team's units, the defense has had a tough time lately.

Last week, the Washington Redskins posted 361 yards of total
offense, but lost. Two weeks ago, Dallas passed for 324 yards and
rushed for another 110 in an easy win.

The Eagles are hoping for a better effort this week. It helps
that they're facing the winless Miami Dolphins (0-9) and rookie
quarterback John Beck.

Back are two All-Pro players who missed chunks of the season
because of injury, safety Brian Dawkins and cornerback Lito
Sheppard

"I think Dawkins was back to his old self last week,"
defensive coordinator Jim Johnson said. "Lito is still in a
situation where he hasn't played a lot. That will come.

"It will be a challenge for those guys to start shutting people
down."

The Eagles defense is tied for 14th in the league -- 12th-best
against the run and 23rd against the pass.

Johnson called the Eagles "careless" in their coverage against
the Redskins, and he was equally as blunt in explaining why
three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Jevon Kearse and 2006 free-agent
signee Darren Howard saw their playing time cut in favor of Trent
Cole and Juqua Thomas.

"Trent is playing at a high caliber. J.T. is playing very
well," Johnson said. "Those two, right now, are two of our better
ends at pass rushing. It's as simple as that.

"They're getting more time than Howard and Jevon -- no secret.
J.T. is getting good pressure and so is Trent."

Cole is tied for second in the league with a career-high nine
sacks. Thomas has four sacks and 21 tackles.

Kearse, still recovering from a knee injury that sidelined him
for most of the 2006 season, has 3½ sacks.

Kearse acknowledged that he is disappointed with the way things
have transpired this season.

"Yeah, but I mean, it's football," he said. "That's how it
was when I came in and that's how it'll be when I'm gone. It's a
part of the game."

Johnson conceded Kearse's production might be down because he is
still recovering from his injury and that the player might be
frustrated.

"I want him to produce; I want him to be there, but right now,
the guys that are producing are playing," Johnson said.

Howard, who refused to answer questions Thursday, did make two
key stops in a goal-line stand against the Redskins, yet still saw
his time limited.

The Eagles struggled in the red zone early in the season,
settling for field goals instead of TDs.

As Donovan McNabb's surgically repaired knee improved, so too
did the red zone TD production. As a result, the Eagles (4-5) are
within a game of .500 and have rekindled fans' postseason hopes.

Their breakthrough inside the 20-yard line has come over the
last two weeks, as Philadelphia converted six of seven chances into
touchdowns.

"We certainly have gotten better as far as scoring points,"
offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said.

The offense has moved the ball plenty and is ranked fourth in
the NFC and seventh in the league. But for most of the first half
of the season, drives concluded with field goals instead of TDs.
Before last week's win over Washington, the Eagles were 10-for-28
in the red zone.

That's changed. McNabb's been sharp, throwing for four scores
against the Redskins in a game in which workhorse Brian Westbrook
finished with four TDs. This season, McNabb has seven TD passes in
the red zone without an interception.

"We have our guys back healthy," McNabb said. "We're showing
different things in the red zone -- the run, pass, which opens up
the play-action, and getting a lot of guys involved with it."

^ Back to Top ^