What’s The Biggest Surprise Of Eagles 7-1 Start To Season?
A major part of the Eagles starting the 2017 season 7-1 has been the defense which has allowed only 19.5 Points Per Game, the tenth best in the NFL. Also the defense is 14th in the NFL in Yards Allowed Per Game (327.1) and tied for Fifth most team Interceptions (9) along with being tied for Ninth most team Sacks in the league (22). They have done all of this despite injuries to Ronald Darby, Jordan Hicks, and Fletcher Cox for different stretches of games this season.
Philadelphia Daily News Sports Columnist Marcus Hayes joined The Locker Room with Billy Schweim on Saturday and discussed the biggest surprise of the Eagles season so far:
"The fact that Patrick Robinson and Jalen Mills have been good enough to be front line Cornerbacks, (along with) Rasul Douglas when pressed into play as well, it's really been remarkable. The reason they traded for Ronald Darby during Training Camp, trading Jordan Matthews for Ronald Darby, is because the Cornerbacks had just played so incredibly poorly, especially Patrick Robinson the veteran free agent who they signed....(Jalen) Mills played pretty well but still he's a second year, Seventh Round (Draft Pick) and Rasul Douglas was abysmal, he's played well but he was awful in Training Camp and Preseason. So Ronald Darby came in and made it a legitimate defensive backfield but he got hurt in the first half of the first game. And the way the other three defensive backs have played has really been the biggest surprise. You expected good Safety play from Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod, but to get that level of play from Jalen Mills, Patrick Robinson, and the Rookie Rasul Douglas that's the biggest surprise."
Hear what Hayes had to say about Carson Wentz, Howie Roseman, Mychal Kendricks, and more Eagles talk