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Brian Dawkins rips 'stagnant' Eagles defense over lack of effort

Eagles head coach reiterated his support of embattled defensive coordinator Bill Davis on Monday (or “Billy,” as Kelly referred to him), but if the Eagles do make a change, the team may want to consider Brian Dawkins for the job.

Eagles coach Chip Kelly reiterated his support of embattled defensive coordinator Bill Davis on Monday (or "Billy," as Kelly referred to him), but if the Eagles do make a change, the team might want to consider Brian Dawkins for the job.

In an appearance on ESPN 97.5 The Fanatic's "Mike Missanelli Show," the frustrated former Eagles star ripped the lack of effort the Eagles defense appeared to show in Sunday's loss to the Buccaneers, telling Missanelli the lack of heart "hurt me."

"I'm not seeing it on a consistent basis," Dawkins said of the defense's effort. "I'm in seeing it from guys I expect to see it from. When you go out and go crazy and completely give everything that you have, that bleeds off onto other guys. And I'm not seeing that."

Dawkins said when he came to Philadelphia, he researched Eagles defenses of the past and discovered they played with both effort and nastiness, attributes he feels are lacking in Davis' squad.

"Stop helping people off the ground. When you knock a dude down, let him stay down," Dawkins said emphatically. "It sends a message that 'I'm going to be there all day. I'm not going to help you up, so don't even offer me your hand.' That's what I'm talking about."

Dawkins took particular offense to the success Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston had against the defense, noting the way he picked it apart drove him crazy.

"Don't let a rookie sit there and look at exactly what [defense] you're going to be in so he can pick you apart for five touchdowns. Are you serious?" an emotional Dawkins asked rhetorically. "When I see a defense lining up exactly in the end result … you make the job too easy for a quarterback with the height they have outside at receiver."

Dawkins noted Davis could have learned by watching tape of former Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, who Dawkins said would have blitzed the rookie quarterback from multiple angles, forcing him to make bad decisions and get rid of the ball faster.

"We're going to make you think faster than you already are thinking as a rookie because we're going to pressure you, we're going to come after you," Dawkins said of Johnson's defense. "We're going to make you make mistakes. We're not going to allow you to be comfortable."

Dawkins also suggested how he'd turn around the team's lackluster play if he were in charge:

"If I'm the coach, I'm going back to show them the good things [in the Dallas game], not the bad things. I want you to see the good things we've seen from this team. … Video department, I want you to go back though the season and pull up the positives, the great plays, the speed, the tenacity, the angry play from every one of these individuals and let's put it on a tape we can show these dudes. Because that's what we're missing."

Listen to the full interview here.