Jonathan Gannon feels Eagles defense starting to…

Getty Images

After the Eagles fell to 2-5 on October 24, veteran defensive tackle Fletcher Cox aired some grievances with the defensive scheme installed by coordinator Jonathan Gannon.

It wasn’t the first time that Cox had spoken out and his dissatisfaction along with the team’s record suggested that the stage might be set for a long season in Philadelphia. As it turns out, the length of the season turned out to be a positive.

The Eagles are 6-2 since that loss and the defense has helped to drive that turnaround. They’ve allowed more than 300 yards three times in that run after allowing that many in six of the first seven games and rank in the top 12 in both points and yards allowed this season. Gannon shrugged off stats other than the team’s record when asked about those rankings on Tuesday, but he did acknowledge that he feels the team has found its groove.

“As you go along the season you figure out certain ways how you want to play and who you’re defending and what’s working and what’s not,” Gannon said. “I really think it’s a credit to the position coaches and the players that we’ve kept improving just a little bit each week. Sometimes it doesn’t show up and you might get gassed or lose a ballgame or not play as well as you want to play, but I feel like we’re starting to hit our stride a little bit. With saying that, it’s a week-to-week league, guys. You know that. The challenge is ahead of us for this upcoming week, and just because you think you’re playing well for the last couple weeks doesn’t mean that’s going to go onto the field and you just show up and that is what it is. So, we got to put the work forth ahead to give us a chance to win the game.”