PHILADELPHIA — Vic Fangio didn’t mince words: “I didn’t coach them up well enough. My calls weren’t good enough,” the Eagles’ defensive coordinator said about the loss to the Giants. “We had trouble with them. We had a hard time with the quarterback, obviously. We had a hard time covering, and my calls weren’t good enough to cover up those.”
Six games into the season, the Eagles’ defense has been tested more than it has dominated. And as they head to Minneapolis for Sunday’s matchup against the Vikings, the Birds know they must set the tone.
“They’re both athletic,” Fangio said of Minnesota’s quarterback tandem of Carson Wentz and J.J. McCarthy. “They both do a good job running this offense. This is a good offense we’re going against. It’s a good scheme. It’s packaged well together. They do a good job of calling plays. It’s a tough offense.”
Pressure moments, pressure problems
Through six games, Philadelphia has just nine sacks — well below last year’s pace when the defense finished in the top half of the league in pressure rate. Fangio’s scheme leans on disguise, movement and calculated rushes instead of blitzing in waves, but that only works when the execution is sharp.
Run defense hasn’t fared much better. “We’ve had a hard time with the quarterback scrambling and running,” Fangio said. “That’s made the stats worse than they are. We just have to play better. I got to call better defenses.”
The Vikings offer little margin for error. Their balanced offense has averaged 4.5 yards per carry on the ground and 7.7 yards per pass attempt, and they’ve kept defenses off balance with layered route concepts and zone efficiency. But they’ve also allowed 13 sacks and converted just 30.2% of third downs. If the Eagles’ front can finally generate consistent pressure, they can tilt the field.
Secondary shuffle
The most visible issues came in the secondary last week, when the Giants repeatedly found mismatches outside. Fangio confirmed that Adoree’ Jackson is likely to be leaned on more at corner after Kelee Ringo “just got beat down the field.”
The potential return of Quinyon Mitchell, who practiced in full Thursday, could steady the rotation. Fangio has also referenced Mac McWilliams as a possible depth option, as the team works to stabilize coverage packages that have shifted week to week.
Young defensive backs are being asked to grow fast. Nickel Cooper DeJean said Thursday that the focus has to be sharper than it’s been: “Every rep matters. When you’re out there, there’s no room for hesitation. Communication’s got to be clean, and we’ve got to trust each other.”
Rookie safety Andrew Mukuba echoed that mindset, acknowledging both the pressure and the opportunity. “It’s on us to tighten everything up,” he said. “We know what’s at stake, and we’ve got to prove we can be trusted in big spots.”
Front-line fight
Up front, the trench battle may decide this game. Jalen Carter (heel) was limited in Thursday’s practice after being a full participant a day before, but a return to the rotation would boost an interior that has relied heavily on Jordan Davis and rotational depth in recent weeks. Fangio continues to lean on young rushers like Jalyx Hunt and Patrick Johnson to help absorb snaps.
Fangio has also emphasized flexibility in how personnel is deployed. “It’s about your best combination, not just your best 11,” he said. “Your best combination.”
With edge production lagging, disguising pressure and winning interior matchups will be essential to preventing Minnesota from dictating tempo.
Minnesota’s offense has thrived on balance and rhythm. Fangio acknowledged the Vikings’ execution in the red zone and their ability to package plays effectively. That means the Eagles need to generate negative plays early in drives — something they’ve lacked lately.
Injury report
TE Grant Calcaterra (oblique) did not practice. DT Carter (heel) and G Landon Dickerson (ankle) were limited. LB Zack Baun (thumb), DT Jordan Davis (shoulder) and CB Mitchell (hamstring) were full participants.
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Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X at @the_defranc.
Source: Berkshire mont