The Philadelphia Eagles are facing a hard time with their subpar defense. After yet another last-minute blunder, leading to a narrowing loss against the Cardinals, the Iggles have now lost their chances of clinching the NFC top seed, and both fans and pundits aren’t having it. Former Eagles player and seasoned offensive lineman Brian Baldinger also shared his two cents on the struggling defense and didn’t hold back when he assessed DT Jordan Davis.
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Scrutinizing his former team, which is no longer at the top of the NFC East, Baldinger added that Jordan Davis is barely putting in any effort. The 2020 round 1 pick was also ripped for his extra weight, as Baldinger remarked, “Jordan Davis is out of shape,” followed by, “He’s overweight.”
The Week 16 loss at home was extremely devastating for the Eagles, as they failed to contain Kyler Murray, who tallied his season-best 3 touchdowns and a 116.7 passer rating. They struggled as much against the Seahawks in Week 15 when their opponent managed to reach and overcome a 7-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Keeping these in mind, Brian Baldinger believes one of the main culprits is actually Davis. He also noted that the team might be fining him every week for the extra weight that he gained.
“It is clear that [he] is out of shape. I gotta believe they fine him every week,” Baldinger said.“He’s overweight, and it shows. He’s not pursuing the ball, he’s nothing in the pass rush.. I’m not sure why he keeps dressing.. When plays are going on, he’s basically walking on the field.”
Article 42 (b)(i) of the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement can expose players to a maximum fine of $730 per lb if they cannot maintain progressive discipline. It can be assessed twice a week, according to OverTheCap.com. This is exactly what Baldinger believes is happening with Jordan Davis.
During his time on the ‘PHLY Eagles Podcast‘, the ex-Eagles player expressed that it was heart-wrenching to watch the defense struggle. He added that they struggled across the board, from tacking to linebacking play. He said,
“The ineptitude on defense is at every level. It’s tackling, it’s linebacking play, it’s assignment football…I mean, it’s on every level. It looks broken.”
Baldinger further stated that the Eagles were playing so poorly that the Cardinals didn’t punt throughout the entire game, something that has happened only twice in the last 60 years. In his view, the defense isn’t up to the standards of an NFL team, and drastic changes like changing the defensive coordinator are needed to regain momentum.
Eagles Nation is Livid After Loss Against the Cardinals
The Philadelphia Eagles’ last game was a mega-disappointment for all. The beginning raised hopes with Milton Williams’s strip-sack of Kyler Murray, which limited the Cardinals to only a field goal. This was followed by D’Andre Swift’s career-first 1,000 rushing yards and Julio Jones catching a 12-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Hurts. Syndey Brown also had a magnificent 99-yard interception return, pushing the lead to 14-3.
However, the Cardinals weren’t down for the count. Murray had a rejuvenation, leading his team to a third-quarter comeback with two touchdowns and evening the scoreboard to 21-21. Despite a great effort by Jalen Hurts, the Cardinals proved to be resilient, thanks to James Conner. He concluded the game with a beautiful 2-yard rushing touchdown, sealing the Eagles’ loss with a 35-31 score.
In the post-game interview, Jason Kelce, who is known to keep his cool, was seen agitated and at a loss for words. With Matt Patricia at the defensive helm, the fans were quick to throw shade at him. A fan on X wrote, “Doesn’t this coincide with Matt Patricia as DC? How he manages to keep getting jobs is beyond me.”
Another chimed in under the same post and wrote, “They deserved to lose yesterday after playing for a field goal on the drive before Arizona scored.”
Another voice of criticism said, “They don’t belong in the playoffs!”
There were a few feeble voices who also tried to defend them, calling it a series of bad days. But with the NFC East title slipping out of hands, the Eagles’ postseason dynamics have become more uncertain. They face the Giants next week.
