Eagles defenders join the accountability conversation

Think back to the beginning of the new league year, legal tampering, and free agency. Remember the state of mind that we were all in? Many were convinced that the Philadelphia Eagles' wins and losses would hinge on the offense's ability to carry a defense that was gutted by a mass exodus.

Then, there was us. Our opinion was as follows. Yes, the losses suffered by Vic Fangio's unit were significant, but they weren't franchise-altering. We thought it might take some time to gel, but we figured, with so much elite young talent, that the defense would be okay.

Fast forward to where we stand currently. It has been the defense that has carried this team more often than not. Their offensive teammates have been supporting actors in their story, but Coach Fangio's unit is also human. Six bad quarters of football in succession have been humbling, and even though it seems unfair to blame losses on them, considering their efforts. Young defenders who have shown leadership have stepped up to take some personal accountability.

“You should never hear a defensive player whose defense just gave up over 200 rushing yards say it’s not frustrating. It’s definitely frustrating to give up that many yards, definitely knowing it’s not us, it’s not what we usually do, so we’ll get better from it, and, yeah, we damn sure got a bad taste in our mouth right now.”

That comes from Nakobe Dean. He was among several defenders who spoke after the Eagles' loss to the Chicago Bears on Black Friday. Perhaps you have heard by now. Ben Johnson's team embarrassed Philadelphia en route to a 24-15 upset win on the road.

Jordan Davis was taken in the same NFL Draft that Philadelphia found Dean in. He's in the best shape and showing some of the talent and potential that the Eagles hoped they'd see when they selected him.

“A lot of players can shy away from (accountability and what coaches are saying) or they can embrace it and get better. That really just falls on the individual. Me personally, I hear them and they expect better of us, and we have to do that. No excuses. I’m not going to sit here and mope around, be like ‘woe is me.’ We have to get the issues fixed. Next week we have a chance to get it fixed and we’ll do that.”

Are you noticing a trend? There hasn't been any fingerpointing. Fangio's guys see the issue and have committed to solving it in tandem. Jalen Carter is becoming one of the game's top interior defenders, and he is equally committed to helping fuel a turnaround.

“I blame myself on that (Philadelphia's inefficiency in stopping the Bears' rushing attack). There were some runs out there I got drove back and wasn’t able to have an effect on the play. It’s my problem to deal with. I won’t tell you what I’m going through.”

That last statement seems one we shouldn't ignore. Is Carter dealing with an injury? Might he be enduring something he's battling internally? He made it a point to mention 'a problem he's dealing with'. We hope that it isn't anything too serious.

Coach Fangio has earned his respect and the benefit of our doubts, but the rules of good coaching haven't changed. Put players in the best position for their success. Put the best 11 players on the field possible.

In Philadelphia's case, that means finding a way to get Johaad Campbell more involved. His snaps have decreased as guys have gotten healthy. In Week 13, he wasn't given a single snap. That seems a head scratcher. Keep an eye on his involvement as we saunter forward.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles defenders join the accountability conversation