00:00Z, you think this game was close tonight?
00:02You think the Eagles can make a game of it?
00:04I think they got to in terms of the offense is going to have to execute.
00:08This is not a good Cowboys defense coming in.
00:10They haven't been good in previous years.
00:13They're not good once again this year.
00:14And in the same breath, the Cowboys offense was expected to be high caliber.
00:20They've been up and down very streaky this year.
00:22The last couple of games, not so good.
00:24So I think the Eagles are going to have to rely on their defense.
00:27I'd like to see Fangio do some things with blitzing.
00:30I know that is foreign to Vic.
00:32He typically stays put with what he's going to do.
00:35But Dak Prescott has struggled against the blitz the last couple of weeks.
00:39I think I would like to see him bring a little bit more pressure.
00:42The defense is going to have to keep him in this game.
00:44Give him short fields with Tanner McKee as the backup.
00:47No Devontae Smith out there and try and control the game that way.
00:51Hopefully they can get the running game going.
00:53And I think that's going to be the recipe to stay in the football game.
00:56Xander, how much do you think the three and outs by the Eagle offense has really started to take a
01:02little bit of its toll so far on this defense?
01:04You're starting to see them slide down where they are in total defense and in some of the numbers now.
01:09Are you starting to see a little bit of that attrition on that other side of the ball, a little
01:13bit more banged up, guys?
01:15Absolutely.
01:16I think it's 100%.
01:18This defense, this offense, remember, this is not a this year problem.
01:22This goes back now before Sean Mannion.
01:25This goes back to last year and really even in some areas with the passing game, back to the Super
01:30Bowl year in 2024.
01:33When you're on the field, 75, 80 plays, you were a high-level defensive tackle.
01:38You know how it gets, man.
01:39You just can't perform at the same level as consistently when you're on the field that much.
01:45And this offense is doing them no favors.
01:47They lead the league in three and outs.
01:50They're one of the top punting teams in the league.
01:52That's one category, Sills, you don't want to be at the top of.
01:55And I think it has taken its toll on the Eagles defense, especially, Sills, when you have a Vic Fangio
02:02defense that relies on the defensive front.
02:05Every NFL defense relies on their line.
02:07But Vic Fangio prides himself and relies on that defensive line to get home with a four-man front.
02:13And they haven't been able to do it consistently in many ways because I believe how many snaps they're playing.
02:18And the offense has done them no favors.
02:20You know, we mentioned Howie Roseman, the general manager of the Eagles, earlier.
02:25Think about what they did in the offseason here.
02:27They extended Jalen Carter.
02:29They ended up, you know, a year ago giving Jordan Davis that money.
02:33Then they went out and got Jonathan Grenard.
02:35How much of a factor has that played this year on that defensive front seven?
02:39You know, we talk about, you know, the last couple of years, the Eagles have been sensational when it came
02:43to their front seven.
02:45But, you know, the two guys have not really lived up to the $60 million commitment that the Eagles have
02:51made.
02:51And Grenard has been Halloween coming up.
02:54He's been more like Casper the ghost.
02:56I mean, he's not been there.
02:57That's played a factor, hasn't it, on that defense?
03:00It is 100%.
03:02And there's optimism that Jonathan Grenard could play tonight.
03:05But based on the way it was phrased over the weekend, he'll be a game-time decision.
03:09You know, that makes me think another snap count is coming.
03:12That makes me think he's not going to be fully unleashed.
03:16And with no Nolan Smith tonight, Dan, Jalex Hunt returns potentially with an injury.
03:23How much edge rush help are they going to need?
03:25They're going to need a lot of it.
03:27And those guys are not living up to the billing.
03:29And maybe part of it is what you just asked me about with the offense not doing their job, not
03:34carrying their weight.
03:35But when you pay $60 million to do two defensive tackles on the interior of the defensive line,
03:42the expectation is those guys will carry the water for that D-line.
03:47And they haven't done that to the level that they need to.
03:50Really, I would say, at the consistency they need to, right?
03:53You see it in spurts.
03:54You see Jalen Carter show up in spurts.
03:57Jordan Davis, I think, has been kind of a letdown.
03:59But that's the esoteric nature of the player being a nose tackle.
04:03And they haven't lived up to it.
04:05And that's just the bottom line.
