Despite 'SNF' Loss, Opportunistic Defense Will Keep Eagles in NFC East Hunt

Considering how poorly the Philadelphia Eagles have looked at times this year, it is almost a miracle they are still in contention in the NFC East. Despite Chip Kelly's background as an offensive guru, it's the defense that is keeping the team afloat.

Philadelphia surprisingly entered the week ranked seventh in the NFL in points allowed per game not because of perfect play from everyone on the field, but instead due to the ability to force turnovers. This was the reason the Eagles were able to stay competitive against the Carolina Panthers before ending up with a 27-16 loss on Sunday Night Football.

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton threw three interceptions in the win, none of them truly bad throws by the MVP candidate. Nolan Carroll literally stole the ball from Ted Ginn for his pick. Byron Maxwell made a diving catch off a tipped ball. Malcolm Jenkins had the most impressive play from the defense with a grab right before going out of bounds:

ESPN's Louis Riddick has liked what he has seen from the safety this year:

There were still major issues on the defensive side of the ball (Jonathan Stewart rushed for 125 yards on 24 carries), but these types of plays can change games and give any team a chance to win. 

This was the formula for the Eagles over the previous two weeks. They earned wins over the New Orleans Saints and New York Giants thanks to seven combined takeaways, many of them directly leading to scores on the other side of the field. After three more Sunday night, the defense now leads the NFL with 19 turnovers forced this season.

Even with questionable offensive play, these numbers over the past three games have helped Philadelphia earn two wins with an opportunity at a third on the road against an elite opponent. 

Of course, the offense has remained a major question mark so far this year. The unit that ranked third in the NFL with 29.6 points per game last season had a major overhaul in personnel, but most believed the system would prevail. That has not been the case.

After the latest loss, the Eagles are averaging 22.9 points per game, with the passing game becoming almost a non-factor. The rushing attack looked good against the Panthers (177 yards on 5.9 per carry), but Sam Bradford had no ability to throw the ball down the field with 4.5 average yards per attempt. 

ESPN's Kevin Negandhi noted the problems at receiver:

Of the 26 completions Sunday, 10 of those went to running backs, with seven more going to tight ends. Miles Austin led all wideouts with four catches for 52 yards.

This is usually not a formula for success.

There will certainly be efforts to correct these problems over the upcoming bye week. Based on what we have seen, though, it might not matter if Bradford improves his throws or anyone steps up at receiver. The Eagles could potentially survive with their run game and opportunistic defense.

The Seattle Seahawks have had a lot of wins over the past few years with this formula, and the 2015 Denver Broncos are 6-0 the same way.

It could be even easier to compete in the struggling NFC East.

The New York Giants are in first place at 4-3 but were shut down by the Eagles just last week. Their inconsistency and defensive struggles will cause problems throughout the year with a difficult schedule.

The Dallas Cowboys are winless without Tony Romo and won't have him back until at least Week 11, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. This likely ruins any chance to turn around their season.

The Washington Redskins do have a win over the Eagles this year, but they have exactly two road wins since the start of 2013 and none this season. It's also hard to trust Kirk Cousins to consistently produce at a high level each week.

This leaves the Eagles trying to piece together enough wins to bring home another division title and reach the playoffs. There is certainly confidence throughout the roster, beginning with the starting quarterback:

There is no question the team is capable of much more than what we have seen so far this year. Still, what we have seen is some fantastic defensive plays that have been major parts of the team's success.

As long as these continue, the Eagles will always have a chance to come away with a win.

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