Five Big-Picture Takeaways From Eagles Week 5 Win Vs. Saints

1.) Fletcher Cox Has Replaced Jason Peters as the Eagles’ Best Player

Oct 11, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Fletcher Cox (91) celebrates after recovering a fumble against the New Orleans Saints at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

It’s fairly remarkable, given what’s taken place within the organization since being drafted, that Fletcher Cox has turned into the dominant force that he is. Cox was taken 12th overall in 2012 to serve as a defensive tackle in Jim Washburn’s ‘Wide-Nine Scheme’. After Washburn’s departure, and the implementation of Billy Davis’s hybrid 3-4 scheme, Cox was pushed to the outside to take on a role as a two-gapping defensive end, a position with far less ‘glory’ potential.

The defensive line has been the strength of the Eagles defense over the last two years. Bennie Logan, Cedric Thornton, and a handful of rotational players have all had their times to shine. One could make an argument that the only positional unit whose future appears to be solidified is the defensive line. All of that being said, there’s little doubt who the headliner of that group is. Not that Cox needed another performance like Sunday’s to validate this argument, but what he did against New Orleans was the type of showing that only a handful of players in the league are capable.

Going back to Andy Reid’s tenure, left tackle Jason Peters had distinguished himself as the most talented and important player on the roster, without much of an argument. The potential Hall of Fame offensive lineman has carved out one of the more impressive careers at one of the game’s most important positions and deserved the notoriety that came his way. With Peters in the twilight of his career and Cox seemingly scratching the surface of his potential, it’s time for people to realize who the most dominant player on the field is when lining up against the Eagles.

With the Saints having been forced to start rookie left tackle Andrus Peat, one figure Cox was in store for a big-time performance. No one, not even Cox himself, could have predicted the impact he would have in a must-win game for the Eagles. Three sacks, two forced fumbles, six solo tackles, and a fumble recovery almost feels like a video game stat line. In reality, those who watched the game likely would not have been surprised if he managed to make an even larger impact. Fletcher Cox has lived up to his billing as a first round pick and will likely reap the benefits of it before too long.