Where the Pass Rush Go?

In the wake of yesterday’s gut-wrenching loss and slow-torture 97 yard game losing drive, my friend PK tries to make sense of the turn of events by looking at the historical trends of the Eagles defense and the prospects for the rest of the season.

 

Ok, so Jim Johnson has somehow coached this D into a tough, stop-the-run unit. But I just really feel like today's game -- and that final drive obviously -- was emblematic of something that's been a problem for a few years now: the pass rush.

I swear they simply just don't get anywhere near the QB, even when they blitz. Most of their blitz packages end up being slow developing corner blitzes/safety blitzes, which QBs totally see coming. They have 20 sacks through 6 games, which isn't bad, but it's all Cole: he has 7 all by himself.

Here's what I found in recent years, an unmistakable drop in pressure on the QB.

Total sacks by Eagles defense in seasons:

'00: 50
'01: 45
'02: 56
'03: 38
'04: 47
'05: 29
'06: 40

From '00-'04, in 4 of the 5 seasons, the D wracks up 45 or more sacks. We'll see how this season goes, but today's last drive was a bad sign of what could come all season.