After a monster game against the New Orleans Saints, Eagles defensive lineman Fletcher Cox has been named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week.
Against New Orleans, Cox had three sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. According to the NFL, Cox became the first player to post those stats in a game since 2007 and the first Eagle to ever do it.
After the game on Sunday, Cox, 24, said he had never had a three-sack game, even dating back to high school.
It is Cox's first-career Player of the Week Award and the Eagles' first Defensive Player of the Week Award since Kurt Coleman won in 2011. It's the Eagles' second weekly award this season — Darren Sproles was the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against the Jets in Week 3.
"I hope the outside world recognizes the talent that [Cox] has," Eagles defensive coordinator Bill Davis said Sunday. "He's a Pro Bowl-caliber player. I've been around a long time, and that's what they look like. They play the run and they cause disruptions in the passing game. Sack numbers come and go, but he has the skill set."
Cox made sure to credit the Eagles' secondary for his three sacks, saying that they were "coverage sacks" because wide receivers weren't open.
Cox, a first-round selection in 2012, has four sacks on the season, tying his number from last year. His career-high for sacks is 5½, which he picked up as a rookie.
NFL
Cox's follow-up game will come against the reigning NFC Offensive Player of the Week, Eli Manning. Manning threw for 441 yards and three touchdowns in a win against the 49ers. The Eagles host the Giants on Monday Night Football.