Eagles Blitzed and it didn’t work in Loss to 49ers

For years Philadelphia Eagles fans have complained about the lack of blitzing.

According to Eagles fans, Jim Schwartz, Jonathan Gannon, and now Sean Desai  can't hold a candle to the Buddy Ryan and Jim Johnson style of aggressive defense.

However, the style of today's game has changed, and those style of defenses don't work today.

Look at Sunday's loss to the 49ers.

Get our free mobile app

San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy finished the game with 314 Pass yards, four touchdowns, averaging 11.6 yards per attempt.

However, a lot of that damage was done against the blitz. Purdy went 10-of-11 for 213 yards and three scores when the Eagles blitzed Sunday, tied for his most TD (Week 10 at JAX) and his second most yards (236 vs NYG) against the blitz in his career.

Purdy has an NFL-best 14 Pass touchdowns against the blitz this season, the Eagles wanted him to prove that he could get it done, and he did and he wasn't alone.

The Eagles asked their corners and linebackers to cover without much help and it didn't go very well.

The 49ers found Nick Morrow, and when he was targeted, Brock Purdy went 5-of-7 for 129 yards and a touchdown for a 113.7 QB rating. Partner Christian Elliss wasn't much better, he allowed 2-of-3 completions for 33 yards.

The Eagles blitz led to big plays and big yards after the catch, the 49ers gained 213 yards after the catch Sunday, their most in a game this season and the most allowed by the Eagles since 2020 (225 at DAL).second most in a game this season (156 vs NYG) and the most allowed by the Eagles since their 2022 opener (150 at DET).

As for wide receiver Deebo Samuel, he had 116 yards after catch, second most in his career. He had 40 or more yards after the catch on both of his touchdowns on Sunday.

Much of those missed tackles come from players being stuff one-on-one on an island with corners who have bad angles.

"You ask any coordinator worth their salt, if they can get pressure with four, they would rather that than have to blitz," former Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins told me last year on the Sports Bash on 97.3 ESPN. Whenever you blitz, you take a guy out of coverage, you put more exposure on the back end, its a greater chance for big plays."

"I see a front that can get pressure with just four guys. So if I can get to your quarterback with four players, then I can have more players in the pass, its simple mathematics," Jenkins laughed.

If the Eagles want to beat the 49ers if they meet again, it will probably not be with the blitz.