Eagles DT Fletcher Cox's return wasn't a minute too soon

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Every great defense needs a leader. The Eagles got theirs back on Thursday and Fletcher Cox made a difference.

On a night when the Eagles further established their legitimacy as playoff contenders and quite possibly as one of the NFC's elite teams, Cox, who had missed the previous 2-1/2 games with a calf strain, showed once again why he's a $100 million man. And he wasn't even credited with a solo tackle.

The only numbers that ultimately mattered: Eagles 28, Panthers 23. But Cox, who had a half sack and forced an interception, and the Jim Schwartz-helmed defense confounded Carolina quarterback Cam Newton for 60 minutes.

"We just played simple defense," Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins said. "Don't make many mistakes and we felt we could come out with a win."

Newton completed just 54 percent of his passes and averaged just 4.6 yards per attempt and, most important, the Eagles forced him to throw three interceptions. But it wasn't just the Panthers' air game that the Eagles thwarted. Carolina running backs gained just 1 yard on the ground. One. Yard. On 13 carries.

But the Eagles defense had to hold off a late charge. Not once. But twice.

The first hold came with 5:49 left. Cox kept getting doubled as Newton dropped to throw – once, twice, three times. One of the other defensive linemen had to step up. And, finally, on second down, rookie Derek Barnett grabbed onto the quarterback's leg and wouldn't let go.

Justin Hamilton piled on and split the sack, but Barnett had his first in the NFL. The Panthers were pushed back to their own 40. They would eventually convert a first down, but on third down, Schwartz blitzed and Newton threw the ball up for grabs.

Jalen Mills caught the freebie for his second pick on the season.

The Eagles offense couldn't put the game away, however, and the Panthers had one last chance with just over two minutes remaining. But they could only get as far as the Eagles 48. And on fourth down and one a Newton pass to Christian McCaffrey hit the grass and the Eagles moved to 5-1.

Football is hardly a one-man game. But Cox was directly responsible for seven points that the Eagles scored and three points that the Panthers didn't in the first half.

"He's just that type of game-changing player that he can absolutely alter every play on the field," Eagles defensive end Chris Long said.

With the Panthers ahead, 10-3, and facing a third and five with 6:34 left before the break, Cox bull-rushed right guard Trai Turner directly into Newton. The quarterback was hit by his own lineman just as he released his pass, and the ball floated up into the air and into the waiting arms of Rasul Douglas.

"I just bulled the guard into the quarterback's lap and went after the throwing arm," Cox said. "I actually thought it was a strip."

The Eagles offense had possession on the Carolina 12, and even though it took them seven plays and a fourth down conversion to get into the end zone, they finally did when Carson Wentz found tight end Zach Ertz for a 1-yard touchdown.

With the score knotted, 10-10, the Panthers marched all the way to the Eagles 38 with 41 seconds before the half. But on first down, Cox thundered into the backfield and sacked Newton along with defensive end Brandon Graham.

Newton lost seven yards, driving the Panthers further out of field goal range, and after three plays that netted only five yards, the Eagles remained tied after thirty minutes.

"We knew we had to get off the field because they were getting the ball back" to start the second half, Cox said.

Cox wasn't needed as much in the third quarter. Wentz and the offense had taken control of the game as the Eagles built a 28-16 lead. But the Panthers earlier had an opportunity to trim a 21-13 margin. Newton had Carolina to the Eagles' 29-yard line.

But on first down, Cox barreled into the backfield and batted a pass incomplete and two plays later the Panthers had to settle for yet another field goal. The Eagles suffered multiple casualties on defense with linebacker Jordan Hicks sidelined with an ankle injury, and linebacker Nigel Bradham and Graham having to leave the field for extended periods.

Schwartz's defense played tough football, though. There were breakdowns. And Newton was at times otherworldly, rushing for 71 yards and a score. But the Eagles brought the hammer time after time. If the Panthers were going to get yards, they had to earn them because multiple defenders were always swarming toward the ball.

"We play hard with guys flying to the ball on every play because if somebody does miss a tackle you got two, three other guys right there," Jenkins said.

The Panthers didn't go quietly. They covered 75 yards on 13-workmanlike plays to cut the Eagles' lead to 28-23 with 8:04 left in the game. Newton converted three third downs over eight yards and on the last one, the Panthers benefitted from another questionable penalty when Derek Barnett was flagged for unnecessary roughness when he dropped Newton after the whistle.

Carolina scored two plays later when Newton hit Christian McCaffrey in the flat for a 1-yard touchdown.

But the Eagles defense put the final nails in the coffin when they held twice down the stretch.

Who knows how those plays would have turned out had Cox been unable to play for a third straight game? The Eagles had weathered the loss of the Pro Bowler last week against the Cardinals. Tim Jernigan has done masterful work all season. But he ably filled Cox's three-technique spot as the Eagles held Arizona to seven points and only 31 rushing yards.

But the previous game and a half hadn't gone as well without Cox. The Eagles allowed 7.5 yards per play after Cox left late in the second half of the Giants game with a calf injury. They had previously held opponents to an average of 5.9 yards with him healthy.

Cox was deemed questionable heading into Thursday night's game. He had practiced on Monday and Tuesday, but the short week limited the length of the sessions. But after warming up about 2-1/2 hours before the game, Cox was listed as active, along with fellow defensive tackle Beau Allen, who was also questionable with a foot injury.

"The healing process with a calf it's just one of those things you can't play around with," Cox said.

jmclane@phillynews.com
@Jeff_McLane

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