PFF: Missed tackle lists littered with Eagles

The tremendous analysts at Pro Football Focus have spent the week unveiling their Tackling Efficiency rankings, and unfortunately, the lists of the least efficient tacklers over the last three seasons are littered with current and former Eagles.

The formula for Tackling Efficiency is simple – tackles attempted divided by missed tackles. So, for example, Patrick Willis has made 343 tackles the past three seasons while missing 14. His Tackling Efficiency grade is 25.5 (343 + 14 divided by 14). Willis is second among linebackers in efficiency the last three years to former Eagles’ LB Takeo Spikes.

The current Eagles that make appearances at the bottom of the charts are Nnamdi Asomugha, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Cullen Jenkins. The former Eagles with poor Tackling Efficiency marks over the last three seasons are Ernie Sims, Will Witherspoon, Chris Gocong, Asante Samuel, Juqua Parker and Chris Clemons.

The most alarming rates come from the cornerbacks. From 2009-11, Samuel had the worst Tackling Efficiency rate in the NFL, missing a tackle for every 3.7 successful ones. Asomugha was third-worst. Rodgers-Cromartie was 12th-worst.

Perhaps playing in their more natural positions will help Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie. Last season, Pro Football Focus had the pair missing 19 tackles in 84 tackling attempts, a rate of one missed hit for every 4.42 tackles.

Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie must improve their tackling on the outside if the Eagles want to make a serious push for a Super Bowl in 2012.

E-mail Corey Seidman at cseidman@comcastsportsnet.com