Eagles Film Takeaways: Quinyon Mitchell Shines, Run Defense Toughens Up, Pass Rush Still Lagging

The Philadelphia Eagles returned from their bye week with a convincing win over the New York Giants, but the film shows a more nuanced story than the box score. Defensively, this was one of the Eagles’ most controlled performances of the season — structured, confident, and composed. Yet, despite five sacks on paper, the pass rush still isn’t where it needs to be. The coverage carried this one, and while the win was never in doubt, it revealed both progress and lingering flaws.

Fangio’s Defense: Back to Its Identity

Let’s start with the good news: Vic Fangio’s system looked like Fangio’s system again.

After the chaos of the Week 6 loss, the communication issues that plagued the secondary seem to have been ironed out. On the All-22, you could see a defense moving in sync — safeties spinning post-snap, corners maintaining leverage, and linebackers executing their fits perfectly.

The best example came on one of the game’s early third downs. The Eagles showed their typical two-high shell before rotating into Quarter-Quarter-Half coverage, a classic Fangio look designed to confuse quarterbacks post-snap. Cooper DeJean disguised his responsibilities beautifully, jumping the out route just as Giants QB Dart expected it to come open. The play ended with a forced throwaway — textbook execution.

“When we’re in sync like that, it feels easy,” DeJean said postgame. “It’s all about trust and communication.”

That synchronization has been missing at times this year, and seeing it return was the clearest sign that Fangio’s message is starting to sink in.

Quinyon Mitchell: The Rookie CB1 Emerges

If there was one true breakout star from the Giants game, it was rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell.

Mitchell’s performance was nothing short of spectacular — zero receptions allowed, one or fewer targets, and near-flawless positioning on every rep. While the Giants’ receiver group is far from elite, Mitchell’s consistency was what stood out most.

On film, his fluidity in press coverage was striking. He mirrored routes with precision, maintained patient feet, and forced receivers to fight for every inch of separation. Fangio’s defense relies heavily on corners who can survive without constant safety help, and Mitchell is proving he can thrive in that environment.

“The best part of his game is how calm he looks,” said veteran Darius Slay. “You don’t see panic — just confidence.”

Mitchell’s ability to play both sides of the field also gives Fangio more flexibility in matchups. He can now use Mitchell to shadow WR1s and free up Kelee Ringo or Cooper DeJean for rotational coverage looks.

The Giants avoided Mitchell entirely for most of the game — and that might be the biggest compliment a young corner can get.

Run Defense: From Soft to Stout

Two weeks ago, the Eagles’ front seven was bullied. This time, they fought back — hard.

With Nakobe Dean returning and Andrew Mukuba stepping into a bigger role, the Eagles were far more aggressive downhill. The linebackers filled their gaps decisively, and the defensive line dominated the point of attack.

One of the standout sequences came in the second quarter: Mukuba triggered downhill to take on a pulling guard, freeing Dean to scrape and finish the tackle for a loss. That’s what Fangio’s scheme is supposed to look like — linemen occupying space, linebackers attacking, and safeties cleaning up.

The improvement up front wasn’t just personnel-driven. The Eagles played with better leverage and pad level, particularly Moro Ojomo, who continues to quietly develop into a key rotational player.

“Moro’s been violent,” said defensive tackle Jordan Davis. “He’s getting into gaps, controlling his man, and that energy is contagious.”

Still, context matters. The Giants lost their most physical weapon, running back Cam Skattebo, early in the game due to injury. Without him, New York’s run game lost its bite, which certainly made life easier for Philadelphia’s front seven.

The Pass Rush: Numbers Lie

Five sacks sound impressive — until you turn on the tape.

While the Eagles technically finished with five quarterback takedowns, most came after extended plays, not from quick, decisive wins up front. Time after time, Giants QB Dart stood in clean pockets for three or four seconds before coverage forced him to move or hesitate. That’s not sustainable against better offenses.

The pass rush discipline was improved — edge rushers stayed in their lanes and contained Dart far better than in Week 6, when he repeatedly escaped for chunk gains. But the explosiveness simply wasn’t there.

With Nolan Smith and Brandon Graham sidelined, Fangio leaned on Jihaad Campbell and Patrick Johnson, neither of whom are natural pass rushers. Campbell, in particular, was used more as a stand-up edge who dropped into space than a true rusher. The result? Containment without consistent pressure.

“Our sacks came because our coverage held up,” Fangio admitted. “We need more immediate disruption up front.”

That’s the story of the game in one sentence. The coverage was elite. The front? Not quite.

Personnel Limitations Showed

The Eagles’ pass rush has always thrived on rotation, but right now, depth is a concern. Haason Reddick continues to draw double teams, and while Jalen Carter flashes brilliance, opposing lines are scheming heavily against interior pressure.

Without complementary edge threats, the Eagles’ front four often looks like it’s working uphill. Fangio’s simulated pressures — sending linebackers while dropping edges into coverage — can generate confusion, but they rely on deception more than physical dominance.

The Giants’ lone touchdown came off one of those looks. Fangio sent Nakobe Dean on a delayed blitz and dropped Patrick Johnson into coverage — a mismatch that Dart exploited instantly. That’s the downside of these creative calls when the personnel doesn’t quite fit.

“We’re playing hard, but we’ve got to finish better,” Reddick said postgame. “Five sacks is nice, but we know what that really looked like on tape.”

The Bigger Picture

The Eagles’ defense is trending upward. The communication is sharper, the coverage is disciplined, and the tackling has improved. Fangio’s structure is finally stabilizing after a shaky first half of the season.

But the pass rush remains the missing ingredient. Against the league’s elite — quarterbacks like Dak Prescott or Brock Purdy — three seconds in the pocket is an eternity. The Eagles need their rush to win quicker, and that may require both health and schematic adjustment.

The encouraging part? The foundation is solid. The coverage unit, led by Mitchell, DeJean, and Slay, is performing at a top-five level. If the front can catch up, this defense could resemble the dominant unit that fueled the 2022 Super Bowl run.

For now, the Week 8 win over the Giants showed a clear truth:

The Eagles are learning how to win ugly — and that’s the first step toward winning big.