Eagles hoping to replicate pass rush success against Buffalo
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Bill Davis had been waiting for this kind of effort from his pass rush.
Vinny Curry had just been waiting for a chance to be a part of that pass rush.
Maybe the two are connected.
In last Sunday's 35-28 upset over the New England Patriots, the Eagles sacked quarterback Tom Brady four times, hurried him 18 times and intercepted him twice.
And they did it without having to blitz.
''A big part of it was the three-and-four-man rush winning there and the cover guys just holding,'' Davis said. ''We knew we were going to get our share of their passing game. That's what they do and that's what their strength is. In the last couple weeks, we were not having much success in that area.''
When things went bad in the second half of the Miami Dolphins game and continued through blowout losses to the Tampa Bay Bucs and Detroit Lions, the Eagles didn't generate much of a pass rush and Curry was barely on the field.
Curry, who played a combined 49 snaps in the three losses, played 55 snaps against the Patriots. While he wasn't credited with a sack he was responsible for one of Connor Barwin's two sacks and also tackled Brady after he gained 1 yard. He also had six of the team's hurries.
''It was just nice being out there, making plays and us winning,'' Curry said. ''We showed against a good team what we're capable of doing. Now, these last four weeks we just have to go do it.''
Davis lined up his four best rushers - Curry, Fletcher Cox, Barwin and Brandon Graham - and let them go.
''Those guys are together and they are trying to get each other to the quarterback and really move him off the spot,'' Davis said. ''Every plan changes.''
Barwin and Graham split the four sacks. Cox and Curry collapsed the pocket and got the pressures.
''Vinny and Fletch didn't get any sacks and that's why I don't think that much of sacks and I don't evaluate on sacks. Those two guys had more disruption inside and then Connor and BG on the outside got the sacks, but all four of them together are rushing very well,'' Davis said. ''It takes four to rush as one, in order to really get the production you want.''
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NOTES: The Eagles go into Sunday's game against Buffalo as healthy as they have been all season. For the second straight day, Friday, every player on the 53-man roster was a full participant in practice.
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