While the Philadelphia Eagles’ big win in Week 12 featured massive performances from some of the team’s biggest stars, including Saquon Barkley’s 255 rushing yards, with AJ Brown catching six passes for 109 yards in a game without DeVonta Smith, and another efficient performance from Jalen Hurts. Under center, it was the defense that slowed down the Los Angeles Rams on their field.
It’s true, facing a team that is averaging nearly 22 points per gamethe Eagles held the Rams to just 20, including 13 after the game got out of hand. Vic Fangio’s defense limited the running game, limited deep passing opportunities and ultimately forced Sean McVay to play his style of football instead of the other way around.
Discussing how the Eagles defense was successful against the Rams, Nick Sirianni gave a shout out to one of the often unsung players who had a great performance in Milton Williams, who recorded two sacks in his best match of all time as a professional. Often overlooked while playing alongside Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter, Williams made an impact for the Eagles in Week 12 and ultimately helped them secure victory when it mattered most.
“Like I said, we have the opportunity to do different things there. Milton did a very good job. He’s tough. He works hard. Good teammate. All the things you want from one of your players. Plays with good fundamentals. His fundamentals continue to improve. I said a lot of nice things about [Inside Linebackers Coach] Bobby King as linebackers coach. [Senior Defensive Assistant/Defensive Line Coach] Clint Hurtt has done an incredible job as defensive tackles coach, helping our defensive tackles fundamentally improve. And Milton has had that success because of the way he works and the coaching he gets from Clint,” Sirianni told reporters.
“He made some good plays in our game and had a really good game against the Rams. That being said, one cannot be great without the greatness of others. Lots of double teams were heading towards [DT] Jalen Carter in this game, which gave Milton one-on-one opportunities that he was able to win. So it’s just a style of good defense. Again, you need your teammate, you need your brother to play to the best of your ability. And I think we saw that on Sunday.
Regularly pressuring Stafford when it mattered most, Milton played a significant role in the Eagles’ success in Week 12, but he wasn’t the only defensive starter to step up in a meaningful way, as Sirianni sent some kind words to his middle linebacker: also, who doesn’t often get the recognition he deserves.
Nick Sirianni is also proud of Eagles senior ILB Nakobe in Week 12
When asked about Nakobe Dean’s emergence from a part-time player for the Eagles in 2022 and 2023 to a full-time starter at inside linebacker alongside 2024 free agent revelation Zach Baun , Sirianni explained how he became such a force for Philadelphia at Fangio. defense.
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“Nakobe plays very good football. We’re really excited about how he’s continued to develop as a player. I think we need to see Nakobe be able to contribute on special teams, especially when he was healthy in 2022. He had a big hit that I remember against Tennessee and made some really good plays. So you have seen his abilities. You saw his talent,” Sirianni told reporters.
“And he waited patiently that year and was able to get some significant special teams reps that we saw some great talent among. And then, after his injury, he worked hard to recover. I can’t say enough about how he prepares and how that translates on the field. I know he will continue to work hard to continue to improve.
Once considered a major third-round steal after picking up first-round marks out of Georgia, Dean was largely a disappointment until this year, when he earned one of two starting spots on Georgia’s defense. Fangio alongside Baun. Currently ranked 22nd best linebacker in the NFL according to PFF, it’s safe to say that Dean joined the Eagles at the perfect time.
