Frank Gore Injury: Eagles Run-D Will Find Itself Against Hobbled RB

The Eagles run defense is hurting about as much as Frank Gore's ankle. The San Francisco running back is currently listed as questionable for Sundays matchup with the Eagles.

The Eagles know they need a big game from their respective lines, offensive and defensive. The O-line needs to protect Michael Vick and the D-line has to improve upon the 131 yards per game they are allowing on the ground. That futility is good for 30th in the NFL.

The pressure is coming as they sit at 1-2 through three games and the run defense is the biggest culprit. Gore is banged up and frustrated with Jim Harbaugh's offense. It appears that something has to give in this scenario.

I'm expecting the Eagles run defense will show up this week. This is gut check time, if the Eagles allow another 100 yard plus performance on Sunday, they could be looking at a 1-3 start. Since the current playoff format was instituted in 1990, only one team has reached the Super Bowl after starting 1-3, the 2002 New England Patriots. This is obviously the only goal this team can have.

It would be easy to point to the Eagles highest price interior line acquisition, Cullen Jenkins, as the problem. However the numbers show that may not be accurate. Through three games, Jenkins has nine tackles, seven of the solo variety with two assists. He also has two stuffs, all of these numbers are equal or greater than the production from Ndamukong Suh, the premier young DT for the 3-0 Detroit Lions.

It is clear, this is a team defense issue that even goes into the coordinator's box. The Eagles defense has long been predicated on exotic blitz schemes which consistently caught them out of position this year, especially on the second level.

It is time to man up on the line and win the battle in the trenches on both sides of the ball. The Gore injury will spur the Eagles on to a better performance against the run. Now, they must prevent the wheels from coming off elsewhere.