The Eagles’ season has gone off the rails through eight weeks, but Quinyon Mitchell has been one of the rare constants in the wreckage.
Philadelphia’s defense has been in free fall, and the numbers tell the story. The unit sits 27th in total defense at 367.3 yards allowed per game, 25th against the pass at 235.4, 28th against the run at 131.9, and 21st in points allowed at 25.3. For a group that had been a top-10 defense over the last two seasons, it has been one of the NFL’s strangest collapses.
Mitchell, though, keeps showing up.
Through eight games, he has posted 38 tackles, eight pass deflections, two tackles for loss, and the first interception of his career. His coverage work over the last two years has been solid, with a passer rating allowed of 69.2 and a completion percentage of 54, while giving up a career-best 10.6 yards per reception.
Pro Football Focus has him at an overall grade of 67.9, which ranks 28th out of 102 eligible cornerbacks. He also owns a coverage grade of 67.2, good for 29th, and a run defense grade of 65.4, which ranks 44th.
One ugly snap in Week 8 against the Washington Commanders is doing a lot of the damage to how the season looks on paper. Mitchell got beaten on a 53-yard pass to Commanders wide receiver Treylon Burks, and NBC Sports Philly’s Dave Zangaro noted just how much that one play skewed the bigger picture.
"Quinyon Mitchell this season has given up just 27 catches on 50 targets for 293 yards, per @NextGenStats. That means that the 53-yard catch he gave up to Treylon Burks last week accounts for 18% of the yardage he has given up all season."
The frustration for Philadelphia is that Mitchell’s work is happening inside a defense that has let too much slip away around him. Cooper DeJean and Riq Woolen have not been at their usual level, with DeJean struggling in coverage and missing more tackles than fans are used to seeing, while Woolen has drifted toward liability territory in coverage.
The safety play has also been a problem. Andrew Mukuba has shown some growth but is still making too many coverage mistakes. Michael Carter has been the best of the group, while Kenny Moore II is still adjusting to life at safety and Marcus Epps is still being asked to hold down a starting job at this stage of his career.
Up front, the issues have been just as damaging. The Eagles have not gotten consistent pressure off the edge, and the run defense has not held up. Jonathan Greenard has been a major disappointment because of injuries, and Jalen Carter has played through a wrist injury that has left him good, but not great.
It’s a wasted stretch in a season that has already gone sideways, because Mitchell has been one of the few players giving Philadelphia something to hang onto. Even with the team sinking around him, he has put himself in position to at least enter the Pro Bowl conversation and should be in the mix for All-Pro consideration, though the Eagles’ record will likely work against him.
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Eagles Make A QB Change With Offense Desperate For A Spark
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Sirianni also made clear he would have preferred to keep the switch under wraps, hoping to preserve a competitive edge before kickoff, but the news leaked through ESPN. For a Philadelphia offense that has been searching for a spark, the quarterback decision now becomes part of the larger question of how the Eagles plan to steady things against a division opponent that knows them well. [Read more 🡒]