Eagles Defensive Woes: Blaming Andy Reid

After listening to Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson this week, you have to wonder if the NFL's oldest coach has started to slide into football dementia.

You also have to wonder what game tape—if any—Johnson has been watching...because it's certainly not footage of the beating Dallas laid on Philadelphia last weekend.

Earlier in the week, Johnson was quoted as saying his D-line’s pressure was "pretty good" against the Cowboys, and that the defense is primarily having trouble with "coverage."

But if Sunday night's 38-17 thrashing showed us anything, it was that the Eagles' defense is in trouble across the board.

Then again, as crazy as Old Man Johnson sounded, and as bad as his defense has played, it’s not the coach's fault.

The fact is his players just aren’t that good.

In all fairness, DE Trent Cole has been outstanding, consistently out-hustling and out-toughing his larger opponents.

And that’s about it for the good news.

Jevon Kearse is washed-up. DTs Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley—two former first-round picks—have been underwhelming, to say the least.

When was the last time you heard Bunkley’s name called in a game?

To say the linebackers have been a disappointment would be wrong—because that would imply that Omar Gaither, Takeo Spikes, and Chris Gocong gave fans cause for hope at the beginning of the year.

As it stands, the Eagles have nothing in the middle of the field, and it shows.

Spikes still has passion, but his best days are behind him. The other two just look lost, with the exception of the occasional spark shown by Gaither.

The decision to cut Jeremiah Trotter at the end of training camp has had a definite impact on the Eagles D. Maybe Trotter had lost a step, but there's no denying that the unit has played with noticeably less emotion in his absence.

It's a safe bet his presence is still missed in the locker room—especially given the abruptness of his departure.

Of all the defensive units, the secondary has the most talent. But injuries to Lito Sheppard and Brian Dawkins have hurt the group—as has the fact that the D-backs have to make nearly every tackle, because the linebackers and linemen are busying getting manhandled.

Dawkins' return would help, but you have wonder how much. Last year, he was able to carry the rest of the defense on his back down the stretch. The fact that Dawkins has only played two games this year would seem to preclude him from repeating the performance.

These two—and their draft day shenanigans—are the reason the Eagles are where they are.

After trading down to draft future clipboard-holder Kevin Kolb, Reid explained the move by saying the team had "no immediate needs."

So instead of getting a linebacker who actually played the position—unlike Gocong, who played defensive end in college—Reid picked Kolb.

And instead of picking up a safety who could be groomed to replace the inimitable Dawkins, Reid picked Kolb.

And on the other side of the ball, instead of getting a tight end to replace the soon-to-be-departed L.J. Smith, Reid picked Kolb.

Did I mention that the Eagles already have a former Pro Bowl quarterback in Donovan McNabb, and recently re-signed reliable backup A.J. Feeley to an extension?

I know it happened months ago, but drafting Kolb set this team up for failure. Instead of adding some much-needed defensive help or another offensive playmaker, Reid undermined his rehabilitating quarterback and a struggling defense in one idiotic, inexplicable move.

Thus, the team which had "no immediate needs" is now 3-5...and is staring at the business end of its schedule with no help in sight.