For Eagles, Rejuvenated Pass Rush Could Be a Difference-Maker Down the Stretch

It's nearly impossible to win in the modern-day NFL without a good quarterback, but the same philosophy basically holds true with the guys in charge of stopping those quarterbacks. Without a top-notch pass rush, your odds of winning the Super Bowl are extremely slim. 

Think about it.

The Broncos and Seahawks were both above the league average with 40 or more sacks in 2013. And when Seattle took Denver out in the Super Bowl, pressure from defensive linemen Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett and Chris Clemons was a vital factor.

After recording just 13 sacks during the first eight games of the 2012 season, the Ravens had 33 sacks during the final 12 games (including playoffs) of what wound up being a Super Bowl-winning campaign.

When the Steelers and Packers met in Super Bowl XLV, Pittsburgh led the AFC with 48 sacks, while Green Bay led the NFC with 47. Pittsburgh also had an AFC-high 51 sacks when it won the Super Bowl in 2008.

When the Saints won it all in 2010, they had Will Smith and his 13 sacks. They beat the Colts, who featured Dwight Freeney and his 13.5. Only three other players in football had 13 or more that year.

The Giants won two of a possible five championships between 2007 and 2011. In '07, they led the league with 53 team sacks, and in '11 they finished third with 48. In both cases, superhero pass-rushers carried the team on improbable Super Bowl runs, and it was the pass rush that twice broke the great Tom Brady in order to secure a pair of Lombardi Trophies.

And all five Super Bowl winners between 2007 and 2011 had at least one player with 13 or more sacks, which says a lot considering only 28 players in total were able to hit that mark during that half-decade span.

That's why it was problematic that, entering this season, the supposed Super Bowl-contender Philadelphia Eagles had just 67 sacks since the start of 2012, which ranked ahead of only four other teams in football. 

Team	Sacks	Record
Jaguars	51	6-26
Falcons	61	17-15
Buccaneers	62	11-21
Raiders	63	8-24
Eagles	67	14-18
Giants	67	16-16
Lions	67	11-21

After making few personnel changes in that area during the offseason—the team used a first-round pick on rusher Marcus Smith, but he's considered to be a long-term project—Philadelphia didn't look to be much better off in terms of pass-rushing prowess early this season. 

Entering a Week 4 matchup with San Francisco, the Eagles had just three sacks in three weeks and had been held without a sack in three of their last four games dating back to last year. It was a pass-rushing emergency.

But suddenly, something clicked. A combination of players came to the rescue. And ever since, it's been gravy. 

In their previous 35 games, dating all the way back to the start of 2012, the Eagles had recorded four or more sacks just five times. They've since hit that mark in three of their games, hitting eight in their Week 6 victory over the Giants. 

And they're also getting substantially more pressure.

Time period	Sacks/game	Pressures/game
Previous 35 games	2.0	17.0
Last three games	5.3	26.0

Just like that, they rank third in the NFL with 3.14 sacks per game, and they're tied at seventh with a sack rate of 7.6. 

So what exactly is happening here? We're looking at a small sample size, but it's not as though the schedule suddenly weakened. San Francisco has a reliable and experienced offensive line, the Giants line has been a pleasant surprise for the majority of the season, and St. Louis has two strong offensive tackles in Jake Long and Joe Barksdale. 

It does appear defensive coordinator Bill Davis has let loose a little with his blitzes, but the numbers indicate that's not the case. They blitzed 56 times during the first three weeks of the season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), registering just two sacks on those 56 occasions. And they've blitzed only 35 times during this three-game pass-rushing hot streak, with only four of their 16 sacks from that time period coming on plays in which Davis sent extra rushers. 

It's been a group effort, though, with Andy Reid-era edge-rushers Trent Cole, Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox and Vinny Curry all playing their best football. Plus, veteran outside linebacker Connor Barwin has six sacks in the last three games, which places him in the top 10 in the NFL in that category. 

Player	Position	Sacks	Pressures
Connor Barwin	OLB	6.0	19
Trent Cole	OLB	2.5	15
Brandon Graham	OLB	2.0	11
Vinny Curry	DE	4.0	8
Fletcher Cox	DE	0	8

Graham and Curry aren't even regular starters, and they've been without injured inside linebacker Mychal Kendricks, who had four sacks in four games dating back to last December before going down against the Colts in Week 2. 

It does appear Davis has become more aggressive with his cornerbacks when it comes to bump-and-run coverage, which helps. And the secondary as a whole has played a lot better. Quarterbacks often get into trouble when they don't have an immediate route they like, and that's especially the case when those quarterbacks are named Colin Kaepernick, Austin Davis or Eli Manning. 

All that matters now is that they keep this up, because it has saved the day for a struggling offense. It's a miracle the Eagles are 5-1 despite what they've received from quarterback Nick Foles, running back LeSean McCoy and a beat-up offensive line. And while those guys do have to get better, it makes a world of difference when the defense is bringing it. 

It's no coincidence the D has been better right across the board these last few weeks. It held the Rams to just seven points until the end of the third quarter, it generated touchdowns against both San Francisco and St. Louis, and against the Giants in Week 6, it pitched its first shutout in like 80 years. 

Is this sustainable? The defense doesn't need to keep registering five sacks and 25 pressures a game, but a happy medium must be found. The rush will be of utmost importance going forward against left tackles like Duane Brown (Houston), Tyron Smith (twice for Dallas) and Trent Williams (Washington), as well as skilled quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers, Tony Romo (again, twice), Russell Wilson and Cam Newton. 

Consider, too, that the Eagles' three NFC East opponents all rank in the top 10 at Pro Football Focus in terms of pass-blocking efficiency. 

But we're looking way ahead. In just three days, they'll be facing a talented Cardinals team on the road. Arizona and Philly will likely be competing for playoff positioning in less than two months, so this is a game the Eagles need badly coming off their bye. And while the league's No. 4-ranked scoring defense won't make life easy for Foles and Co., Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer is old, slow and vulnerable under pressure. 

Last season, Palmer threw a league-high 15 interceptions while under duress, according to PFF. 

The Eagles have to accept that they might give up the odd big play, but Davis has to continue to press with his corners and allow his rushers to shine regardless of the down and distance.

They've been gambling these last few weeks, and it has paid off. That won't always be the case, but it's Super Bowl or bust at this point in the City of Brotherly Love. And to win the Super Bowl, you have to consistently hit opposing quarterbacks. 

Brad Gagnon has covered the NFC East for Bleacher Report since 2012.

Follow @Brad_Gagnon