Eagles Defensive Player of the Game- Bears Edition

One of the high points of the Eagles defensive performance on Sunday night against the Bears were the sacks by Trent Cole. Nice to see Cole really turning it on late in the season. One can hope it has more to do with him settling into the position than it does luck, match-ups, etc. We'll take a look at those sacks a little later in the week. 

However, despite Trent Cole's performance on Sunday Night, he doesn't get Player of the Week honors from the Chip Wagon. That honor goes to Mychal Kendricks who has really emerged in year 2. Kendricks may have put together his best performance of the year on Sunday night with key plays in the run and pass game. Let's start by looking at Kendricks in the run game. He's really benefitted from this system where he generally is kept clean by the DL. But as the season has progressed, Mychal has done much better and avoiding and getting off blocks.

Here #75 is going to come off the line for a clean second-level block on Kendricks. 

Kendricks uses a nice swim move to get by the blocker

and a minimal gain for Forte:

Kendricks in a familiar position, blitzing the A-gap:

Shoots the gap quickly:

and a nice tackle on Forte:

Nice blitz design here from Billy Davis. Kendricks and Logan are going to loop to the outside:

Barwin attacks the RT and uses a spin move. The TE staying in to block will pick off Barwin off the spin move, the RT passes him off to pick up Kendricks:

Cutler wants Marshall underneath, but Ryans is there in coverage. This gives Kendricks time to get around the edge:

Coverage sack and forced fumble for Kendricks:

Here is Kendricks, once again blitzing the A gap. 

Forte is going to pick him up in blitz protection. Don't ask me what the LG #68 is doing:

Kendricks destorys Forte and tackles Cutler for the sack (#68 still looking for someone to block):

Kendricks had coverage to thank for one of his sacks. Here's him contributing to one of Trent Cole's sacks thanks to physical coverage over the middle. 

Kendricks and Ryans are lined up over the A gaps threatening blitz. This time Ryans blitzes and Kendricks drops in coverage:

Bennett is going to pick off Chung opening up the shallow cross for Marshall:

Kendricks shows good situational awareness knowing that Marshall is crossing within 5 yards of the LOS. He cuts off Marshall and Cutler can't get it to him:

Cole finishes the play off with a sack:

The contributions of Howie's 2012 draft class have been nothing short of sensational!