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Reuben Frank: Bunkley: From bust to force
Walker had occasional bursts of pass pressure but didn't give the Eagles the bulk and the power to move offensive guards out of the way that Bunkley is showing.
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If you're looking for one easy answer why the Eagles ranked 26th in rush defense last year and allowed an insane 142 yards per game and 4.6 per carry and are now third in the NFL and giving up just 72 yards per game and 3.5 yards per carry, look right at No. 97.
The new No. 97.
Eagles' defensive line flying high
After three weeks, the team leads the NFL with 14 sacks and is ranked fourth against the run, allowing just 71.7 yards per game.
Thanks to big plays by Cole, fellow defensive end Juqua Thomas, and second-year defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley, the Eagles prevented the Lions' talented, big-play receivers from doing too much damage against a depleted secondary.
Geoff Mosher: Bunkley out of doghouse, in QB's face
Three weeks into the new season, the Eagles have the NFL's third-best rushing defense, allowing 71.7 yards per game.
"It's amazing, the difference between last year and this year," middle linebacker Omar Gaither said of Bunkley. "He came in focused from day one this season and it has shown. If he can do this every year, he's going to be a great D-tackle for a long time."
Parillo: Bunkley starting to look like a No. 1 pick
Smallwood: Bunkley a brute force on defense
It's not all about statistics with defensive tackles.
By keeping offensive linemen engaged and forcing teams to account for him, Bunkley is helping free up other Eagle defenders allowing them to do their thing.
The guy who couldn't get on the field as a rookie is now playing like the impact tackle the Eagles thought they were getting when they drafted him.
McCann: Eagles' Bunkley looks like real deal
Three games into the 2007 campaign, that question mark has straightened into an exclamation point, as Bunkley has been a consistent, occasionally dominant force in the middle of the Eagles' defensive line.