Post Snap With Malcolm Jenkins: Three Picks In Three Games
Malcolm Jenkins is a Super Bowl champion and veteran NFL safety. He sits down with CBS Philly's Joe Santoliquito every week. All of Jenkins' Post Snap interviews are archived at cbsphilly.com/jenkins.
PHILADELPHIA, PA (CBS) — Malcolm Jenkins likes to push it off by saying he's just been in the right place at the right time. That's a tough one to take, when you consider the talented 26-year-old Eagles' safety has done a number of things in his NFL career, but has never intercepted three passes in one season.
Just four games into his Eagles' career, it's what Jenkins did on Sunday, achieving a new career best and topping it by returning a Colin Kaepernick pass for a 53-yard pick six.
It's a little more than just being in the right place at the right time.
Jenkins has been very instrumental in the Eagles' 3-1 start and played a huge role again in the Birds sticking around on Sunday in a game when the offense was mired by a one-dimensional attack.
Jenkins began playing football around fourth grade. But he can't think of a run of interceptions like this. He's never had three interceptions in three-straight games at any level he's ever played.
Jenkins is proving he can create turnovers.
"I know [interceptions] didn't come at an alarming rate my previous five years in the NFL, but I always felt that I could be that person to create turnovers and make the plays when they come," Jenkins said. "I think the one thing that's benefitted me this year is I've in a position of seeing the plays when they do come, and seeing them develop beforehand. They say they come in bunches.
"The biggest thing this year is my mentality is a lot different. A couple of those years I let the expectations to be a ball hawk made me chase interceptions. They usually don't come that way. This year, I really have let the play develop and make a play when it does come. It helps me play a lot faster and make the plays that come to me."
About the pick on Sunday, Jenkins said, the Eagles were in man coverage and DeMeco Ryans did a great job in taking away the inside slant. That enabled Jenkins to pick up the outside receiver, and pick up the pass.
"It all works hand-in-hand, everyone works to make an interception," said Jenkins, who scored his fourth NFL career TD. "I would say I have decent return skills. My biggest thing is getting my hands on the ball. After I got the ball, I was just trying to get into the end zone."
Defensively, the Eagles had their best game this season against the 49ers. It was actually the defense that came up big in tight situations that's enabled the Eagles to reach 3-1.
"We've been doing a great job of battling," Jenkins said. "There were some plays here and there where the offense made great plays. The biggest thing from this game is we needed one stop earlier in the game. There were a couple of third-and-longs where penalties gave them first downs. We're still looking for those one or two plays that we're leaving out there. This is a defense that is getting better and better. We're making mistakes, but they're correctable mistakes and we'll figure it out.
"We're forcing the quarterback to hold the ball a little longer, and chipping along getting better every week. We're talking about a blown coverage that's correctable, a holding call and an illegal hands to the face, all things we can correct. If we can clean that up, and I think we can, we're going to be better."
The Malcolm Jenkins Foundation is launching an exclusive apparel campaign kicking off with Malcolm's "NoPhlyZone," starting Friday, October 3rd. Purchases will support the Foundation's programs supporting youth and families in under-served communities. Visit www.themalcolmjenkinsfoundation.org.
Follow Malcolm Jenkins on Twitter @MalcolmJenkins and like him on Facebook.
