Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports
Since Week 11, the Eagles’ defense has been one of the worst in the NFL, allowing 0.122 EPA per play and a 46.4% success rate. Much of their struggles stem from the spine of the defense: the linebackers, safeties and nickel cornerback Bradley Roby.
Safeties Reed Blankenship and Kevin Byard have struggled with tackles, collectively missing nine since Week 11. Roby has missed half of all his run tackle attempts and another four against the pass while allowing 73.7% of targets to be completed and forcing no incompletions per PFF.
Philadelphia’s linebackers have long been a weakness of the defense, and little has changed this year. Since Week 11, Nicholas Morrow and Zach Cunningham have allowed passer ratings of 128.1 and 119.3 when targeted and together missed seven tackles while in pass coverage.
The Eagles’ weakness over the middle poses the perfect matchup for Baker Mayfield and the Bucs. Per PFF, Mayfield has completed 68.8% of his passes for 1967 yards, 14 touchdowns and five interceptions when throwing inside the numbers, easily his most productive area of the field. It is potentially a nightmare matchup for an Eagles defense that has shown no signs that it can slow down any offense since Week 11.
