Who’s to blame for the Philadelphia Eagles’ lack of interceptions?
The Philadelphia Eagles’ defense can’t hardly pick their nose.
Sometimes you don’t need to see a stat to know it’s true. For example, Steph Curry is the best 3 point shooter in the NBA, even if he doesn’t technically lead the league in shooting percentage from beyond the arc in any given season.
Makes sense, right? Well, I have a stat for you that you (probably) already know in your heart but will still surprise you none-the-less: The Philadelphia Eagles rank 32nd in the NFL at interceptions.
I know, crazy, right? I mean, granted, the team hasn’t recorded one since Week 7 and only have three on the season through its first 12 games, but it’s true and a total indictment of… something being wrong.
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Now granted, interceptions aren’t like rushing touchdowns. You can’t call more plays to increase their probability or scheme them a la YAC on a screen pass. A cornerback/safety/linebacker can be in perfect position for an entire game and fail to even sniff an interception, and a really bad player can find themselves in the right position on occasion even by accident and end a game with three touchdowns against and two interceptions.
With that being said, someone has to be to blame at least a little bit, right? The league’s other 31 teams run a score of different schemes, and yet, only one other team, the Houston Texans, has less than five picks on the season.
Objectively speaking, the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive backs have been bad in 2020. The team only has one corner, Darius Slay, that anyone would consider elite and a few players that probably wouldn’t be starting at their current position on pretty much any other team in the NFL (see Maddox, Avonte). Then again, Slay, Rodney McLeod, and even cornerback-turned-strong safety Jalen Mills all have previous seasons with three or more interceptions by themselves, signifying that maybe personnel isn’t the team’s only problem.
Mind you, it is a problem, as Maddox, Nickell Robey-Coleman, and Cre’Von LeBlanc have 10 total interceptions split over 209 regular season games, but it’s not the only problem.
But what about Jim Schwartz? Surely he has to be the problem, right?
Again… sort of.
Yes, Schwartz runs a very specific defensive system that plays cornerbacks at the line in press on some pays, off the ball in Cover 3, and about 15 yards off the line of scrimmage in everyone’s favorite ‘Prevent’ third-down look. While Schwartz’s scheme isn’t as ‘interception-friendly’ as, say, Todd Bowles‘ off-ball read-and-react zone, it’s certainly not ‘anti-interception’ per se. If Schwartz makes a few adjustments and has his corners play a bit more inside maybe he could goose another pick or two over the course of a season on outside vertical routes, but as a general rule, the scheme – outside of the aforementioned Prevent defense – isn’t the Eagles’ primary problem either.
Remember, Schwartz’s 2014 Buffalo Bills and 2017 Philadelphia Eagles each had 19 interceptions, which ranked sixth and fourth in the league respectably.
So what gives? Is it that the Eagles are often playing from behind, and therefore opposing teams don’t need to force the ball down the field? Is it the lack of fans juicing up the defensive backs? Oh gosh, please don’t tell me it’s Carson Wentz once again ruining everything (it’s a joke)?
Honestly, I think the team is just… bad.
Next. Who’s most to blame for this year’s failures?. dark
Since recording that 19 interception season in 2017, the Philadelphia Eagles have allowed many of their best ballhawks like Patrick Robinson, Ronald Darby, and Rasul Douglas to walk in free agency and replaced them with players like Avonte Maddox, Nickel Robey-Coleman, and Cre’Von LeBlanc who simply aren’t as good at reading the quarterback’s eyes and getting in the right position to succeed. That, when mixed with Jim Schwartz’s schematic quirks and the team’s inability to maintain a lead into the fourth quarter, has given the team very few opportunities to get in the right position to make plays on the ball. Again, there isn’t a play called ‘interception,’ and much like Miles Sanders‘ big runs, sometimes, it’s just the luck of a play breaking your way.
UPDATE: With Duke Riley‘s second-quarter interception, the Philadelphia Eagles now have four interceptions in the league and leapfrog the Houston Texans for the 31st overall spot. Maybe things are turning around, but I kind of doubt it.