The group has its glitzy players, Pro Bowl types everyone knows like Asante Samuel and Brian Dawkins and Trent Cole.

And then there are the linebackers, that young group of no-names, average age 24.3, whose jerseys you'll rarely see in the stands (except on the bodies of their loved ones) and who, before Sunday, had no postseason experience. Gocong, Stewart Bradley and Akeem Jordan, who are they?

"We're the glue," Gocong said.

The glitz and the glue. Go figure.

And so it was appropriate yesterday that on the players' one day off before gearing up to face the New York Giants in an NFC divisional playoff game at the Meadowlands, the linebackers were out working.

Jordan handed out free doughnuts at a Center City Dunkin' Donuts, and Gocong and Bradley pumped free gas at a Lukoil station on Spring Garden Street. Everyday guys doing everyday work.

"They're kind of like no-names, but they get the job done," said Anthony Stover, 44, of Mount Airy, who was at the Dunkin' Donuts. "They make it happen. They are the spiritual leaders of our team, and because of our linebacking corps and Mr. Brian Dawkins playing upright now, our defense is one of the best defenses in Football.

"This time when they come back from Florida, they're coming back with rings."

That was overly optimistic, perhaps, but Stover was not alone in his excitement about the Eagles' defense. Even before the Birds held Adrian Peterson to 83 yards on 20 carries and limited Minnesota to 103 second-half yards on Sunday, coordinator Jim Johnson was pleased with the development of his defense.

A unit that earlier in the season could not cover a tight end, get a key third-down stop, or contain a talented running back is now multidimensional. The Eagles finished third in the regular season in total defense (fourth against the run, third against the pass), created 29 turnovers, and generally made life impossible for opposing quarterbacks.

Against the Vikings, the defense scored a touchdown (by Samuel, on an interception of Tarvaris Jackson) and contained Minnesota's running game. It also frustrated Jackson, who in his first postseason start misfired on 20 of 35 passes, threw an interception, and failed to handle a bouncing shotgun snap from Matt Birk that resulted in a fourth-quarter fumble.

Up next: the top-seeded Giants, whose big running back, Brandon Jacobs, will be a major focus of the defense. In the Eagles' 36-31 loss to New York on Nov. 9, Jacobs had 22 carries for 126 yards and two touchdowns. In the Eagles' 20-14 win over the Giants on Dec. 7, Jacobs had 10 carries for 52 yards and had to leave the game with an injury.

"Our main priority is stopping the run," Gocong said. "We're really going to have to be gap-disciplined, but it's going to be who wins the one-on-one battles. We have to get them in third and long and try to rattle [quarterback] Eli [Manning] a little bit."

The Eagles' linebackers have tried not to get rattled this season, even though Bradley was in his first season as a starter calling the defensive signals at middle linebacker and Jordan did not become a starter until he replaced Omar Gaither in Week 12, against Baltimore.

Johnson has praised Jordan for his speed and coverage in the passing game, and Bradley for his toughness. (Bradley played against Dallas with a broken rib.) And Gocong has become more used to playing linebacker in his second season as a starter on the strong side.

"I think that I've progressed as the year went on," Bradley said. "My level of play from the beginning to the end definitely improved. I'm a lot more comfortable now than I was earlier in the season, and even though I was comfortable playing and being out there making the calls and stuff, my comfort level has definitely increased."

Said Jordan: "I just try to not make so many mental mistakes and just play as hard as I can."

As is often the case with younger players, this rule holds for the linebackers: The most important thing is to not cost the team the game. On a defense loaded with talent, the linebackers do not have to be spectacular, but they can't be sloppy.

"We're just young, and we're trying to do our part," Jordan said.

No glue, no glory.

Contact staff writer Ashley Fox

at 215-854-5064 or afox@phillynews.com.