Schwartz’s mea culpa hits right note with defense
Brandon Graham reported for an Eagles defensive meeting Wednesday, prepared for whatever criticism was about to be firehosed around the room.
It’s what happens when a team allows an average of 32 points over its first two games. Feelings are bruised. Ears ring. Jobs are threatened. Fingers are pointed.
So what was defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz doing, anyway, removing the burden from his players and accepting the blame?
Hitting the right note, apparently.
“Once Schwartz took credit for what he did in that game, that just boosted morale,” Graham said Thursday, before practice from the NovaCare Complex. “A lot of guys know it takes a strong person to say, ‘Hey, I messed up on that.’
“I, and a ll of us, thought we were going to get cussed out because we had a bad game. But for the source to take it like that made me want to fight for him even more, and it made the team want to fight for him even more.”
Why the Eagles evidently were fighting less through their 0-2 start is its own mystery. All they know is that it is early enough to make the corrections. That will begin Sunday at 1 against the visiting Cincinnati Bengals, and a mandate to make Joe Burrow not seem like Jared Goff.
While Goff is a veteran with an NFC championship to his credit and Burrow is a rookie, the No. 1 overall selection in the last draft, there is a connection. Cincinnati is led by second-year head coach Zac Taylor, most recently an assistant to Rams coach Sean McVay, including a year as Goff’s quarterbacks coach.
So Burrow’s act could have a familiar feel to the Eagles.
“We know we have to rush him good, because we know he likes to run around back there,” Graham said. “He’s pretty fast and has a great arm. So we have to pressure him and get to him. We’ve got to make sure we disrupt him the whole game.
“You could see why he was No. 1. You could see why he won a championship in college. You can see him out there getting comfortable with the offense. He looks good back there. We have our hands full. We have to make sure we don’t take him lightly.”
That might have been the reaction had Schwartz carried on in the defensive meetings. Instead, his unexpectedly calm approach seems to have resonated.
“Moving forward, we just have to scratch what happened last week,” said Derek Barnett. “We have a whole new opportunity to play fast and get a ‘W.’ Last week is in the past. We are 0-and-2. But moving forward, we still have everything we want in front of us. And it is on us to go out and attack them this week.”
The between-the-lines interpretation was that while admitting to having authored an inferior game plan for the Rams, Schwartz has recommended a speedier attack of Burrow.
His acceptance of responsibility, then, was something of a starting gun.
“We have to trust ourselves,” Graham said. “I have to get my mistakes corrected. And for the head man to do that, it was a great feeling for us to know that he’s really down for us.
“And just like he is, we are going to make sure we get it right.”
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Alshon Jeffery, who has not played since Week 14 of last season due to a complicated foot injury, was a limited practice participant Thursday.
“It felt good to see him back,” Greg Ward said. “Just knowing how much work he put into it in the offseason, everybody was overjoyed. I was happy to be out there, running and catching balls with him.”
While unlikely to play against the Bengals, Jeffrey’s full recovery should soon be of help.
“He is somebody who has played at a high level, one of the best to ever do it,” Ward said. “So to have him out there to guide us, lead us, talk to us and encourage us is really big for us. We’re all happy to see him out there. And I am ready to get going with him.”
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With Jalen Reagor on the injured reserve list with a thumb injur y, the burden of catching passes increases on Ward, among others.
“I’m just going to be ready whenever my number is called,” Ward said. “It’s football. You just have to keep the main thing the man thing, and that’s winning.”
Ward was targeted just once against the Rams and has been limited to six catches in two games.
“I have the same mindset every single day and every single game,” Ward said. “I’m not going to be taking on an extra load. We’re all pros and we all have to be ready.”
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Fletcher Cox (abdomen), Rudy Ford (groin) and Reagor (thumb) did not practice Thursday.