Eagles defensive coordinator Todd Bowles discusses poor tackling, struggling defense
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Eagles defensive coordinator Todd Bowles discusses poor tackling, struggling defense
Zach Berman
The Eagles have clearly struggled tackling. But defensive coordinator Todd Bowles believe it can be fixed, and don't think the Eagles are a bad tackling game -- just a team that needs to refocus on the fundamentals in practice.
"I don't think it's bad tackling," Bowles said. "There are players who are going to miss tackles that are good tacklers, but there are some good players who just aren't good tacklers. You can fix that with fundamentals, you can fix that with attitude. Attitude is the main thing."
The Eagles have worked on tackling in practice this week, and not just the tackling circuit. They've also worked on open-field tackling. Whether it can be fixed at this point in the season remains to be seen.
"Attitude should be the same all the time," Bowles said. "You can have the right drive and mindset and miss a tackle. But you have to have body control, you have to have fundamentals, you have to be able to tackle."
The Eagles defense has not improved the way coach Andy Reid would have hoped since he fired Juan Castillo during the bye week and promoted Bowles. Bowles did not entertain the perception that the defense has become worse, but he he sounds like he understand that they'e not playing well.
"There are plays each game that we're not finishing, either in the first quarter or not finishing in the fourth quarter," Bowles said. "And we can't have the same mistakes creep up every week. We've got to rectify that."
Relatively speaking the eagles suck. But i do think the point on the new rules is accurate as well. I really think this concussion stuff will be the end of football. It will take sometime but the comercials, poor play, lack of hitting, slowly starts to ruin the game. When i was a kid i went to the games with my dad. No one brings kids to the eagles games, wonder how many of them watch at home and what it will look like in 20 years. I just dont find it as interesting as it used to be. But maybe a few first downs and a defensive stop would change my mind. Or if someone would slap babin upside the head that would be fun to watch. Maybe a halftime relay race contest with our wide receivers vs their wide recievers and the winner gets a field goal. How about vick at half time throwing fresbies to dogs, remember when they used to have that guy with his dog at half time. That was fun..— JL68- Nice club you built there, Andy. Coaches, players. Offense, defense, special teams. All bases are covered.— COskier
