PHILADELPHIA – The NFL is a passing-oriented league. That doesn’t change the fact that playing defense starts with stopping the run.
The Philadelphia Eagles' No. 1-ranked offense begins with LeSean McCoy and the ground game. And the Eagles' defense is similarly oriented, putting run defense first on its list of priorities.
“If you can’t stop the run, you can’t stop the pass,” Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho said. “So first and foremost, I want the run stopped. That’s one thing I pride myself in.”
The Eagles allowed 169 rushing yards to the Indianapolis Colts Monday night. That was more than the Eagles defense allowed on the ground in all but two regular-season games last season. They won both of those games, against Oakland and Washington, the Eagles’ opponent this week.
“They showed us some looks we didn’t see,” Eagles inside linebacker DeMeco Ryans said of the Colts. “It helps us. It makes our defense a lot better, because now we understand how we have to play against that scheme if we ever see it.”
The Eagles also allowed 185 rushing yards in their playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Washington likes to utilize running back Alfred Morris in stretch plays, which, as the name implies, “stretches” defenders out in order to create gaps for Morris to cut back. Once he is running in the opposite direction from most of the defenders, he’s very difficult to catch.
“Everybody has to be really sound,” Ryans said. “[If] defenses try to do too much, he gashes them on the cutback. They don’t do enough, he can just press it front side and keep going. You have to be very sound. Guys just have to come off blocks and make a play. We know they’re running the stretch; they know they’re running the stretch. It’s not a secret.”
The Eagles will likely be without inside linebacker Mychal Kendricks, who injured his calf against the Colts. Acho and Casey Matthews are expected to fill in. That will present a challenge, as Washington will likely going to test the backup by trying to run right at him.
“The guy has to step in and pick up where Mychal left off,” Ryans said. “Whoever goes in, Acho or Casey, they have to step in and hold it down for Mychal.”