Eagles Monday Motivation: Fletcher Cox comes up big in week one victory
Eagles defensive lineman Fletcher Cox comes up big against the Washington Redskins to seal an opening day victory.
You had waited for months and months to see exactly how good your Philadelphia Eagles could be in 2017. On Sunday, they answered some questions and created a few more. Well, at least you got an opening day victory and a 1-0 start to the season.
Sure, sophomore quarterback Carson Wentz was exciting to watch. He was a bit erratic on a few occasions, but the future for this young signal caller continues to look bright. He’ll continue to get better and better.
For Eagles defensive lineman Fletcher Cox, the future is right now, and a 30-17 win over the Washington Redskins had his signature all over it.
Making plays when it counts:
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It’s often said that football games in the NFL come down to a few plays that determine the outcome. There’s just not a big enough difference, in terms of talent, to make any one team better than the other. On week one of the 2017 regular season, Cox was one of the guys that made the plays that tilted this game in favor of the Eagles.
The first huge play came in first quarter, with the Eagles already holding a 7-0 lead. The Redskins faced a 3rd and 6 from the Eagles’ 37 yard line. Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins faced immediate pressure from all directions after the snap. Cox got there first, beating Washington’s right tackle, Morgan Moses. The former Mississippi State Bulldogs star crashed into Cousins from his right side just before other Eagles defenders arrived to pick up the ensuing fumble.
That ended a potential scoring drive.
Then, in the fourth quarter, the Eagles were nursing a paper-thin lead of 22-17. The Redskins were trying to drive for a winning score. Cox was in the right place at the right time again to pick up another Cousins fumble created by Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham. Cox scooped up the loose ball and rumbled into the end zone for the final score of the game.
Next: 5 Things learned in Eagles’ week one win over the Redskins
Game balls for everybody:
Of course, there were other big plays made by the Eagles in week one. Cox had his moments. So did Carson Wentz. There was a muffed Redskins punt and a goal-line interception by cornerback Jalen Mills.
What’s clear is the fact that the Eagles’ defensive front will play a major role in the fortunes of this team in 2017, and Fletcher Cox will be at the very center of their efforts.