3 bold predictions for Eagles 2022 season

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 14: Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles warms up as head coach Nick Sirianni looks on prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lincoln Financial Field on October 14, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – DECEMBER 26: Fletcher Cox #91 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates against the New York Giants at Lincoln Financial Field on December 26, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /

2. Defense finishes first in NFL in run defense

It wasn’t as if this team struggled to stop the run throughout this past season. Under new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, the Eagles would finish 10th in the league in fewest total yards allowed. And only eight clubs gave up fewer yards per game on the ground.

To be fair, most of those issues versus the run came early in the season. In 2021, Philadelphia allowed 107.9 rushing yards per game. During the team’s 2-5 start, Gannon’s defensive unit was gouged for 133.0 yards per contest on the ground. Philadelphia allowed at least 100 rushing yards in each of those outings.

But in the team’s final ten games, opponents were held under the century mark when it came to running the ball eight times. The Eagles did allow 106 yards rushing in the playoff loss to the Buccaneers, but much of that had to do with the Philadelphia offense failing to sustain drives.

Still, the team needed to be a little more consistent in this latter area, hence the first-round addition of defensive tackle Jordan Davis and third-round linebacker Nakobe Dean — both from the Georgia Bulldogs. The former will team inside with veterans such as Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave to make the Birds’ defense a little stouter when it comes to stop opposing runners.

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