PHILADELPHIA — By the time Javon Hargrave got his second sack in the opener, marking the first time an Eagles defensive tackle got two in the first game in 35 years, Fletcher Cox barely could extend his leg to celebrate with him in the kick line.
When all was said and done in hot and humid Atlanta, Cox recorded just his second tackle-less game in the last five seasons, excluding his three-snap cameo before resting in the regular season finale ahead of the playoffs in 2017. It was just the seventh time in 141 career games he’d come up empty on the stat sheet.
Moreover the 41-snaps Cox played were his least since 2013 when he logged 37 in a blowout of the Chicago Bears. Is it age? Cox turns 31 in December. Opportunity? Nine defensive linemen got snaps. Role? Get used to it.
“I like the defensive line rotation,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said Wednesday. “We definitely need that and we need to be able to keep those guys fresh to keep that pressure on the quarterback and on the run game. Fletch affected the game a lot of different ways that sometimes it doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. They will come, though. When you affect the game the way he was affecting the game, those stats will come.”
Cox got close in the second half, herding the 36-year-old Matt Ryan to Hargrave, who got the finish. But not one sack of Ryan, who moves around like one of those Costco shoppers who can’t get out anybody’s way?
Cox had reason to be tired as he attracted double-teams, some of which freed Hargrave and tackle Hassan Ridgeway, who had an excellent game with two tackles, one for loss, one sack and three hurries in 26 snaps. Still, you expect more out of the highest-paid DL on the team. Cox will make $16 million this season, Hargrave $12.75 million and Barnett $10.5 million.
“That whole unit, there’s a lot of guys he was out there, he was playing with,” defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon said referencing Brandon Graham, rookie Milton Williams, and edges Josh Sweat and Derek Barnett. “Those guys are helping him be the best version of himself, as well. Those guys are winning at a high level. Certain guys get a single block, and they win. Javon had a couple singles because of Fletch really. They want to double Fletch. Well, you can’t double everybody.”
Cox addressed the lack of playing time as well as the production. He felt attracting attention helped the guys around him made plays.
“I think as the game went on the coaches just were being smart about it, knowing it’s the first game and that hey, we were up and you just can’t really put a load on guys,” Cox said. “Especially when you need them in the fourth quarter. But I think as the season goes I think the number will go up as things start to fall and you really get to that actual game shape from just playing four quarters. But as far as that, nothing to be frustrated about. It was a great team win and I’m happy about it.”
It’s not going to get any easier for Cox and the Eagles to put the quarterback on his back this week.
San Francisco 49ers starter Jimmy Garoppolo, and first-round pick Trey Lance, who came off the bench to throw a scoring pass in a goal line package, are much more difficult to sack than Ryan.
The 49er offensive line is anchored by and 35-year-old center Alex Mack, new to the team but still an elite pivot with 13 seasons in the league. Guards Daniel Brunskill (6-5, 260) and Laken Tomlinson (6-5, 312) have been around for a while. Left tackle Trent Williams, 33, can block two guys on a stunt and Mike McGlinchey (6-8, 309) is a lot to get around at right tackle. Of course, George Kittle is an inline butt-kicking force and the best tight end in the NFL. Kittle can pick up a blitzer and still get into a pass route.
Cox just may have to content himself with occupying blockers and trying to stuff the run for a second straight week. It’s a team game, and he took one for the team in restructuring his contract last week to help the Eagles sign left tackle Jordan Mailata to a major contract extension.
Though the 49ers will be without running back Rahim Mostert, out for the season with a knee injury, anybody with giddy up can gain yardage in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s zone schemes.
Sixth round draft pick Elijah Mitchell, who rushed for 104 yards last week, including a 38-yard TD and third-round pick Trey Sermon (6-1, 215) likely will be the running backs when the 49ers oppose the Eagles Sunday at the Linc.
Until then the answer to the trivia question, who was the last Eagles DT to get two sacks in an opener before Hargrave is Ken Clarke. Did it in 1986 of a 41-14 loss to Jay Schroeder in Washington.
For now, the nine-man rotation is in. Or as Cox phrased it, “A fresh Milton Williams is better than a tired Fletcher.”
