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The Philadelphia Eagles have fired defensive coordinator Juan Castillo and promoted secondary coach Todd Bowles into the position, the team announced Tuesday.
Castillo's firing comes after the Eagles blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter of Sunday's overtime loss to the Detroit Lions to fall to 3-3.
On Monday, coach Andy Reid had said Castillo would continue to make the defensive play calls but that everything about the team would be evaluated during the bye week.
After a night of reflection, Reid decided to make a change. He will hold a news conference to explain at noon ET.
"I want to make it clear that I have nothing but the ultimate respect for Juan Castillo as a coach and as a person. He's one of the finest football coaches that I have ever worked with. He has served this organization extremely well for 18 years and letting him go was a difficult decision. I know he will continue to be a successful coach in this league and wish he and his family nothing but the best," Reid said in a statement.
"We're six games into the season and average isn't good enough. I know the potential of our team and insist on maximizing it."
Castillo was named the Eagles' defensive coordinator last season, prompting criticism for Reid because Castillo had been the team's offensive line coach. The defense struggled early last season and didn't begin to jell until late in Philadelphia's disappointing 8-8 season.
Bowles was hired by the Eagles in the offseason. He had been on the Dolphins' staff and was named the interim coach last year when Tony Sparano was fired.
On defense, the Eagles are a confusing group. They suddenly can't seem to get to the quarterback. After leading the NFL with 50 sacks last year, they have only seven and none in the past three games. But they were able to limit yards and keep teams off the scoreboard en route to a 3-1 start.
In the last two games, however, they've allowed long drives at crucial times late in the fourth quarter. They can't get stops at important points and nobody on defense seems capable of making a big play. The Eagles have forced just eight turnovers.
Eagles cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha wasn't happy with Castillo's play-calling in the fourth quarter Sunday when the defense went to a zone and blitzed more after three quarters of success covering Calvin Johnson and the Lions' receivers.
Reid on Monday, however, denied the Eagles changed their defensive strategy against the Lions in the fourth quarter.
The defense alone can't be blamed for the Eagles' .500 start, however.
Quarterback Michael Vick has been a turnover machine, throwing eight interceptions and losing five fumbles. Overall, the Eagles have an NFL-worst 17 turnovers. But it's not all Vick's fault. The injury-depleted offensive line has struggled mightily, letting Vick get hit at an astounding rate.
Castillo's firing comes after the Eagles blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter of Sunday's overtime loss to the Detroit Lions to fall to 3-3.
On Monday, coach Andy Reid had said Castillo would continue to make the defensive play calls but that everything about the team would be evaluated during the bye week.
After a night of reflection, Reid decided to make a change. He will hold a news conference to explain at noon ET.
"I want to make it clear that I have nothing but the ultimate respect for Juan Castillo as a coach and as a person. He's one of the finest football coaches that I have ever worked with. He has served this organization extremely well for 18 years and letting him go was a difficult decision. I know he will continue to be a successful coach in this league and wish he and his family nothing but the best," Reid said in a statement.
"We're six games into the season and average isn't good enough. I know the potential of our team and insist on maximizing it."
Castillo was named the Eagles' defensive coordinator last season, prompting criticism for Reid because Castillo had been the team's offensive line coach. The defense struggled early last season and didn't begin to jell until late in Philadelphia's disappointing 8-8 season.
Bowles was hired by the Eagles in the offseason. He had been on the Dolphins' staff and was named the interim coach last year when Tony Sparano was fired.
On defense, the Eagles are a confusing group. They suddenly can't seem to get to the quarterback. After leading the NFL with 50 sacks last year, they have only seven and none in the past three games. But they were able to limit yards and keep teams off the scoreboard en route to a 3-1 start.
In the last two games, however, they've allowed long drives at crucial times late in the fourth quarter. They can't get stops at important points and nobody on defense seems capable of making a big play. The Eagles have forced just eight turnovers.
Eagles cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha wasn't happy with Castillo's play-calling in the fourth quarter Sunday when the defense went to a zone and blitzed more after three quarters of success covering Calvin Johnson and the Lions' receivers.
Reid on Monday, however, denied the Eagles changed their defensive strategy against the Lions in the fourth quarter.
The defense alone can't be blamed for the Eagles' .500 start, however.
Quarterback Michael Vick has been a turnover machine, throwing eight interceptions and losing five fumbles. Overall, the Eagles have an NFL-worst 17 turnovers. But it's not all Vick's fault. The injury-depleted offensive line has struggled mightily, letting Vick get hit at an astounding rate.
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