Spread Credit For Steelers Game To Vic Fangio, Eagles Defense
When the clock hit zero on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, the scoreboard showed that the NFL’s top-ranked defense allowed only 13 points.
It’s an excellent accomplishment for the red hot Philadelphia Eagles in an era when defense has faded as a team-building focus. Even the lowly New York Giants with the 32nd-ranked scoring offense average 14.9 points per game. A formidable Pittsburgh Steelers team who entered with a 10-3 record could only muster 13.
However, it doesn’t even scratch the surface of the credit Vic Fangio and company deserve.
Eagles Defense Dominates Steelers
Tom Brady commented on a potential weakness of the Philadelphia defense on the Fox broadcast during Pittsburgh’s only touchdown drive in the second quarter.
The Vic Fangio scheme frequently uses high safeties to prevent opposing offenses from executing drives quickly with explosive plays. However, the strategy can leave defenses vulnerable to “death by a thousand cuts.”
Why weren’t the Steelers able to expose Fangio’s unit? The Eagles took advantage of an injury to George Pickens and effectively stopped Russell Wilson from throwing downfield. Opposing offenses also can’t inflict a thousand little paper cuts with consistent short gains if they’re not on the field.
The Steelers didn’t convert a first down on their first five possessions. They finished a frustrating afternoon with only 10 first downs and 163 total yards.
The Eagles defense stifled any hope that two lost fumbles during the first quarter could rip the energy out of the home crowd at the Linc.
Pittsburgh’s first field goal drive began at the Philadelphia 11-yard line. It went four plays and netted a loss. Their second field goal drive also began in opposing territory and racked up a grand total of 14 yards.
The Eagles defense finished with 10.72 expected points added (EPA) in the Week 15 win, according to Pro Football Reference.
Dominant victories over the New York Giants in Week 6 and the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10 are their only games of the 2024 season with a better defensive EPA rating, fewer total yards, or fewer first downs.
The accomplishment hits a little differently against a team that many Philadelphia fans and analysts (and 97.5 The Fanatic staff members) feared could keep the Eagles from setting the franchise record with a 10-game winning streak.
Not A Surprise, An Expectation
How did Vic Fangio get it done? He did what he does best and limited his opponent’s opportunities for explosive plays downfield.
Many NFL circles define explosive plays as passes of 20+ yards or rushes of 10+ yards.
The only time the Steelers qualified on Sunday was their flea flicker pass from Wilson to Calvin Austin in the third quarter.
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The Eagles didn’t create as many disruptive plays as they have at other points in their impressive win streak.
Josh Sweat and Nolan Smith recorded Philadelphia’s only two sacks. The unit’s only turnover came on an unforced error by Najee Harris to cough up a pitch that rolled into the hands of Darius Slay.
Slay also set the tone for an evening of sticky coverage from the secondary on Pittsburgh’s first drive by defending a third down pass. How did Quinyon Mitchell play on the opposite side?
Philadelphia fans have never been so happy not to mention someone’s name.
The lack of splashy performances won’t steal many headlines after the performance from Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith.
However, the defense has reached a point where they don’t need it. Vic Fangio has the top unit in the NFL conducting business as usual.
