Defense Enters The Conversation For The Eagles

The reputation of the MetLife turf and the presence of Carter’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, may have tilted things in a negative direction. Carter didn’t test the issue pre-game, simply hugging Rosenhaus and having a quick discussion with GM Howie Roseman and head coach Nick Sirianni.

With Carter’s presence removed, the Giants' offense hit the ground running with two consecutive touchdown drives and three TDs in their first four possessions, built on Dart’s mobility.

“We knew what type of player he was [when] scrambling,” All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun said. “Especially as a scrambler to run opposed to a scrambler to throw.”

However, Dart threw it well, too, by exploiting something Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield and Denver’s Bo Nix really didn’t do in the prior weeks, exposing the cornerback opposite Mitchell, third-year player Kelee Ringo.

Practice squad promotion Lil’Jordan Humphrey beat Ringo and a poor-racking Drew Mukuba for a 34-yard explosive play on a third-and-12 conversion that set up the subsequent Dart 20-yard scrambling TD through the guts of the Eagles’ defense.

Later, Dart and Wan’Dale Robinson victimized Ringo on a 26-yard crossing pattern.

Few noticed that Fangio inserted Adoree’ Jackson in place of Ringo because Mitchell left the game shortly thereafter with a hamstring injury, meaning both were manning the outside of the Philadelphia defense for the rest of the game.

Just like that, a strength was turned into a deficiency.

“We all trust each other,” Ringo said. “We all believe in each other to go out there and do our job. We love Quinyon, it’s no secret, he’s a great player. And he’s a game changer for sure. But man, what better feeling than to be able to just say, next man up. No matter who it is, everybody’s a baller here, everybody can compete here, and everybody can work here, and everybody works hard.”

The problem for Fangio moving forward is that sentiment wasn’t reality at MetLife Stadium. The depth isn't there.

Moving forward into the mini-bye, the Eagles will expect Carter back for Week 7 at Minnesota but hamstring injuries, particularly for cornerbacks, tend to be multi-week injuries, meaning it could be Ringo and Jackson again against a Vikings team with two stud receivers in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, albeit a questionable vehicle to get them the football consistently, whether it's old friend Carson Wentz or overmatched rookie J.J. McCarthy.

Fangio, however, never wants to count on the deficiencies of others, meaning everything could be on the table with extra time to think, including moving parts like Cooper DeJean outside or new blood of rookie Mac McWilliams getting involved in some form. 

The Eagles want their offense to figure it out, they need their defense to revert to form.