Pass rush is Eagles' strength, but getting to Tom Brady will be a challenge

No NFL defense pressured quarterbacks more than the Eagles, edging the Jaguars by 19 hurries with a total of 287 pressures during the regular season. Not coincidentally, opposing quarterbacks averaged only a 79.5 rating against Philadelphia, with weekly pressure rates often above the 2017 league average of 35.4 percent.

48% pressured -- Case Keenum

vs. Vikings in NFC Title

41% pressured – Matt Ryan

vs. Falcons in NFC Divisional

39.4% pressured – Dak Prescott

vs. Cowboys in Week 17

vs. Raiders in Week 16

22.4% pressured – Eli Manning

at Giants in Week 15

55.2% pressured – Jared Goff

at Rams in Week 14

at Seahawks in Week 13

24.3% pressured – Mitchell Trubisky

vs. Bears in Week 12

45.7% pressured – Dak Prescott

at Cowboys in Week 11

vs. Broncos in Week 9

57.8% pressured – C.J. Beathard

vs. 49ers in Week 8

45.6% pressured – Kirk Cousins

vs. Redskins in Week 7

at Panthers in Week 6

45.6% pressured – Carson Palmer

vs. Cardinals in Week 5

37.5% pressured – Philip Rivers

at Chargers in Week 4

vs. Giants in Week 3

38.2% pressured – Alex Smith

at Chiefs in Week 2

42.5% pressured – Kirk Cousins

at Redskins in Week 1

2nd

Cox has been one of the NFL's most disruptive interior pass rushers since he entered the league. He's the one pushing the pocket for this Eagles pass rush, ranking second among defensive tackles in pass-rush productivity with 50 total pressures on 391 snaps attacking the quarterback.

7th

Defensive end Chris Long is continuing his career as the next great pass-rush specialist, thriving this season in a part-time role. Long's productivity (51 total pressures on 349 pass-rush snaps) ranked seventh among 4-3 defensive ends. He played fewer than half (496) of the Eagles' snaps this season.

9th

12th

The Eagles' other starting defensive end, Vinny Curry, shouldn't be forgotten. His eight tackles for losses ranked second on the team. He was also one of the league's top 4-3 edge rushers, ranking 12th in productivity with 47 pressures on 333 snaps, tying Saints star Cameron Jordan.

Sacks come in bunches? Not for this consistent Eagles defense. Only one offense completely shut out Philadelphia from taking down the quarterback this season: Eli Manning and the Giants back in Week 3. The Eagles netted at least two sacks in 14 of 18 games this season.

Wk1: 4 sacks, Wk2: 4 sacks, Wk3: 0 sacks, Wk4: 2 sacks, Wk5: 2 sacks, Wk6: 2 sacks, Wk7: 4 sacks, Wk8: 4 sacks, Wk9: 3 sacks, Wk10: BYE, Wk11: 4 sacks, Wk12: 2 sacks, Wk13: 2 sacks, Wk14: 2 sacks, Wk15: 1 sack, Wk16: 1 sack, Wk17: 1 sack, NFCD: 3 sacks, NFCC: 1 sack

Can they really force Brady into mistakes?

top 5 QB rating vs. pressure

96.6

Tom Brady

83.9

Jameis Winston

Marcus Mariota

81.7

Carson Wentz

80.7