Fletcher Cox stood at his locker following the Eagles’ 39-17 win over the New Orleans Saints holding a game ball (see Instant Replay).
He certainly deserved it.
Sunday was perhaps the best effort of the 24-year-old’s young career. Against the Saints, Cox had six tackles, one tackle for loss, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and three sacks.
So when was the last time Cox had three sacks in one game?
“Probably never. Not even in college, high school,” said Cox, who was selected in the first round of the 2012 draft. “Never. First time ever having three sacks in one game.”
In fact, when Cox picked up his second sack on Drew Brees in the first half, Sunday’s game became his first-ever two-sack game in the NFL (see 10 observations). And he had just two two-sack games in three years at Mississippi State.
Because starting left tackle Terron Armstead was out Sunday with a knee injury, rookie first-round pick Andrus Peat started in his place.
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And Cox feasted on the rookie.
“You don’t put your weakest link on Fletcher Cox,” fellow defensive lineman Cedric Thornton said. “You don’t do that. That’s disrespect. I know he felt disrespected and I’m glad he came out victorious like he did.”
After coming into Sunday’s game with one sack on the season, Cox has now tied his total from a year ago and is just 1½ sacks away from tying his career-high of 5½ from his rookie season.
Cox is the first Eagle with a three-sack game since Connor Barwin did it last Nov. 10. It was the 10th three-sack game for the Eagles in the last 10 years.
While Cox doesn’t pick up a ton of sacks in Billy Davis’ 3-4 system, he provides plenty of pressure weekly, even if everyone doesn’t see it. Many, teammates included, felt Cox was snubbed by not being named to last year’s NFC Pro Bowl team.
“I hope the outside world recognizes the talent he has because he really does [have talent],” Davis said. “He’s Pro Bowl caliber. I’ve been around a long time and that’s what they look like. They play the run, they can get disruption in the passing game. Sack numbers come and go but he’s got the skill set.”
On Sunday, the Saints definitely noticed.
“Shoot, he’s a good football player,” Saints head coach Sean Payton said. “He made some plays.”
Cox was credited with a team-high six tackles, all solo. On two of his three sacks, he forced fumbles that the defense recovered and the offense turned into points.
On his second sack of the game, Cox stripped Brees, and Jordan Hicks recovered the loose ball. That allowed the Eagles to kick a field goal just before the end of the first half to take a 10-7 lead.
In the third quarter, Cox stripped Brees on his third sack of the game and pounced on the ball himself. On the next play, Sam Bradford threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Brent Celek to put the Eagles up 23-10 (more on that here).
“We preach it all the time,” Cox said. “No quarterback likes people around their elbows, around their arms. That’s the goal. Instead of just going after the big hit, go after the ball.”
While Cox picked up three sacks, he was quick to credit the secondary. He called all three “coverage sacks” because Brees elected to hold onto the ball when no one got open.
“I was kind of surprised on the way [Brees] was holding the ball,” Cox said. “You see tape and the ball’s gone real quick. We just stayed in his face and did what we preached all week.”