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In Week 4, the Philadelphia Eagles gashed the Green Bay Packers run-defense. Jordan Howard, Miles Sanders, Carson Wentz and Darren Sproles combined for 176 yards on the ground and two touchdowns.
Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine had a simple explanation on Thursday to the Eagles' success on the ground. Via Olivia Reiner of the Journal Sentinal:
“There were some plays that I know a lot of guys would want to have back.”
Pettine didn't leave his answer to fixing the run-defense in one sentence on Thursday. He said in the Packers press-conference, via the team's official website:
“It’s always critical. It’s not something we ignore. There are times schematically we’ll lean one way or the other way at times. But our issues were fundamental. When we went back and looked at the tape there were a lot of plays our guys would want to have back, just from a technique standpoint. We weren’t good enough. Stopping the run, there’s no secret about it, it’s the basics. I have to win my one-on-one. I have to knock the guy back across from me. You’re going to get blocked, the key is don’t stay blocked. The internal clock of when to separate needs to get sped up a little bit.”
Pettine saw the Eagles successfully rush through his defense on “Thursday Night Football.” On Sunday, he will need to show something different, as his Packers are facing the Cowboys in Dallas.
Through four weeks, the Cowboys rush attack, led by Ezekiel Elliot, is fifth in the NFL in rushing yards per game (145.5).
