Sam Donnellon: Bottom line for Eagles: Defense must improve

FOR MUCH OF this season, the Super Bowl conversation has centered around the Eagles' offense. There were early red-zone woes, the usual angst over timeouts and time management, questions about the built and rebuilt offensive line, concerns about head injuries to Brian Westbrook and DeSean Jackson, worries over Brent Celek's busted thumb and Shady McCoy's peculiar way of holding the ball while running.

But that offense has scored more than 30 points six times this season and in all but two of their 13 games, the Eagles have eclipsed 22. In their last two victories, the Eagles have scored 79 points. In short, Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid have slipped well down on the list of reasons why this team might not reach its Super Bowl goal.

The concern now is the defense, especially after it surrendered 512 yards in last Sunday's hairy, 45-38 victory over the Giants.

"That game turned into a track meet," defensive coordinator Sean McDermott was saying yesterday. "I don't think anybody in that defensive room, including myself, is satisfied with the way we played the other night."

How could they be? Poor tackling, players trying to do too much and doing too little instead. McDermott's high-risk, aggressive defense - which had looked so good in nearly shutting out the Falcons the week before - looked overmatched against a New York team that has struggled to score points since starting the season 5-0.

The Eagles were saved by their prolific offensive last Sunday, and by a Giants defense that continued its tendency to surrender big plays. Bill Sheridan, their first-year defensive coordinator, has been under great scrutiny in New York, to the point that head coach Tom Coughlin was asked this week if there was any thought of replacing him.

"None," he said.

Later Coughlin was asked if he "let [Sheridan] know your support for him."

"For sure," said the Giants coach. "I let him know my support for him and I also let him know that it has to be better.

We've got to do a better job. We are here for one reason. The inconsistency part of it is disturbing, let's face it. Six big-play passes and three big-play runs, you are not going to beat anybody like that."

No such speculation exists here, and for good reason. McDermott is in his 11th season with the Eagles, all under the tutelage of the late Jim Johnson.