Red-zone defense let Birds down in opening defeat

Jim Schwartz is fond of baseball analogies, having grown up in Baltimore when the Orioles were great.

Any kid who saw Brooks Robinson win gold gloves at third base almost into his 40’s knows defense wins games.

After one week, the Eagles lead the league in fewest yards allowed, having surrendered just 239 to

Washington.

Only eight teams have allowed more points, though, and just six teams played worse red zone defense in Week 1 than the Eagles.

Most of those unfortunates were shelled by proven quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Lamar Jackson, Kirk Cousins and Drew Brees.

The Eagles were schooled by Dwayne Haskins, who got Washington into the end zone on three of four possessions inside the 20yard line to lead them to 27 straight points and a 27-17 victory.

Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz threw two interceptions and lost a fumble to hand Haskins good field position. Wentz was clearly outplayed.

But even Schwartz’s vaunted picket-fence defense that makes the opposition settle for field goals, not touchdowns was gashed after the Eagles grabbed a 17-0 lead in the first half.

Schwartz said the failure to stop Washington on a third-and-three and a fourth-and-one in the red zone were the keys. Wins there and the opponent would have been 1-for-4 in the red zone.

Obviously, that’s not how it works. Last year the Eagles were good, not great in the red zone yet still ranked 14th in the league.

“We have traditionally been a good red zone defense,” Schwartz said Tuesday. “But just because we have over the last four years doesn’t mean that’s where we are right now. We have some work to do. That’s always been a big goal for us, holding teams to field goal attempts in the red zone. If we can do a better job of that, that will take us a long way this year.”

The Eagles open their home schedule Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, who put 422 yards on the Dallas Cowboys but were just 2-for-5 in the red zone on their way to a 20-17 victory. The Rams stopped the Cowboys and new head coach Mike McCarthy on fourth down at the 12-yard line early in the fourth quarter and never got over the 50 the rest of the game.

The Eagles are 2-0 against Rams quarterback Jared Goff and Sean McVay, the head coach/offensive genius. The Rams use play action almost every snap, only with Goff rolling out to move the pocket and a committee of backs running the football.

Malcolm Brown had 18 rushes for 79 yards and two touchdowns in the opener for the Rams, who finished with 40 rushes for 153 yards.