‘He’s straight Philly’: Haason Reddick causes havoc to the Jaguars in a turnover-filled day for the Eagles

With a raucous roar greeting him from Eagles fans seated near the north end zone, Haason Reddick stomped his feet and pointed to the grass at Lincoln Financial Field while he simultaneously screamed, “This is my city!”

Moments earlier, Reddick had positioned himself over the right tackle as a stand-up pass rusher. Upon the snap, Reddick executed a slip move, shed his blocker, and effortlessly tossed Jawaan Taylor to the ground. It was hunting time for the Camden native and Temple alumnus.

Reddick used both of his arms to forcefully swat down at quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who hopelessly stood from the middle of the pocket. Later in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game, Reddick strip-sacked Lawrence again to solidify the Eagles’ 29-21 come-from-behind victory over the Jaguars.

The Eagles are the NFL’s only remaining unbeaten team, and Reddick leads the league with three strip sacks. His two forced fumbles were part of a five-turnover outing from the defense.

“Haason pulled up here, and he’s just straight Philly,” 13-year veteran Brandon Graham said. “It was just a coming home party for him today. I’m so happy because this is just the start for him.”

In March, Reddick signed a three-year deal worth $45 million in free agency. He was considered one of the team’s biggest offseason additions alongside star wide receiver A.J. Brown. While Brown got off to a flying start — Brown tied his career high in receiving yards in the season opener — Reddick needed a couple of games to fully acclimate himself.

» READ MORE: A closer look at new Eagles edge rusher Haason Reddick’s usage in Jonathan Gannon’s scheme

But the 28-year-old linebacker marked his arrival in loud fashion in Week 4. Reddick tallied two sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries with his final turnover being in walk-off fashion. According to the team, he is the first Eagle since at least 1950 to have two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in a single game.

His impressive performance was deemed necessary considering the defense’s early struggles. The Jaguars jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, but the Eagles didn’t buckle. The Jaguars wouldn’t score again until the 7-minute, 26-second mark of the fourth quarter, when the Eagles already boasted a two-possession lead.

“It shows who we are,” Reddick said. “Nobody wavered, nobody flinched. [We knew] we had them. We’ve got to continue to harp on the details, so we can rally back from games like this. We knew we always had a chance to dominate the men in front of us.”

Upon his arrival in Philadelphia, Reddick jumped to the top of the depth chart. The Eagles regularly deploy him as a starting edge rusher on the opposite side of 2021 Pro Bowler Josh Sweat. Reddick has lined up mostly from the left side, but he isn’t cemented into one role by any means. Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon also has occasionally used Reddick in coverage.

“I’ve been comfortable,” Reddick said. “I’ve said it many times. [Gannon] always asks me, what am I comfortable with? Anything you see me doing out there on the field, I’m comfortable with. It’s up to me to go out there and execute it at a high level.”

Sunday showed Reddick is best utilized as a traditional pass rusher. The 6-foot-1, 230-pound weapon (Reddick prefers being called this as opposed to his being attached to a position) possesses a nonstop motor, and he often wins one-on-one matchups with his swift hands that were on display during his two sacks of Lawrence.

“He does everything for us,” linebacker T.J. Edwards said of Reddick. “He can play in space. He can be very dangerous rushing the passer. It was good to see him out there making plays. He does it every day in practice. He’s a real leader for us, too. He’s been that guy since he’s got here.”

» READ MORE: Eagles stay undefeated as Jalen Hurts and the defense best Trevor Lawrence

Throughout the winter and spring months, Reddick mainly trained at Temple’s athletic facilities. But when the Eagles began their offseason program, he wanted to familiarize himself with his new teammates. He became a regular at the NovaCare Complex, and Reddick’s work ethic quickly rubbed off on others across the building. Reddick’s eagerness and determination even caught 11-year defensive tackle and team captain Fletcher Cox by surprise.

“He’s been really good for us,” Cox said. “The first time he got here, I came here for a week in the offseason, and me and him worked out together. It was such a great workout that we actually ended up working out together during the whole week.

“You can see how hungry he is, how much he wants to win, how hard he works in everything he does. It’s showing up now.”

The Eagles’ next opponent happens to be the Arizona Cardinals, the team that drafted Reddick ahead of the Eagles in 2017.

“A lot of people don’t have the opportunity to come home and play,” Reddick said. “I jumped at it. ... I’m just glad that I get to come back home and play in front of some of the people who watched me grow up. Genuinely, to be home, where I grew up at, it’s a lovely thing.”