Porter: Fletcher Cox Is Not Struggling
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Time to debunk, or at least try to debunk, another false narrative.
The latest false narrative? "Fletcher Cox is struggling."
Cox, 25, signed a $103 million contract extension this offseason, so naturally, elite production is expected. Cox has 29 combined tackles, four sacks, four stuffs, and one forced fumble this season. However, Cox hasn't recorded a sack in his past seven games and has just five combined tackles over the last three weeks.
Three third-down personal foul penalties, all of which extended drives for the opposition and resulted in touchdowns, hasn't helped Cox's reputation with the fan base either.
In actuality, Cox is among the best interior defensive lineman in the NFL with 41 pressures, as Pro Football Focus grades him as the third best interior defender.
For comparison sake, other top interior defensive lineman Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh have similar numbers to Cox. Donald, 25, has 35 combined tackles, six sacks, 11 stuffs, and two forced fumbles. Suh, 29, has 51 combined tackles, five sacks, four stuffs, and no forced fumbles.
As a team, the Eagles have 26.0 sacks on the season, tied for 11th most in the NFL. However, over the past four games the Eagles have recorded just four sacks. Brandon Graham, who was PFF's highest graded edge defender in the NFL after Week 9 and is largely considered to be having a breakout season, has just two sacks in his last eight games and is sack-less in his last three...as a defensive end.
This is not to criticize Graham, as he is continuously getting pressures as well, but to illustrated how the perception around these two players -- Cox and Graham--- is polar opposite. In reality, both are playing at a high level.
Related: Graham, Cox Named To PFF's Midseason All-Pro Teams
We tend to focus on numbers and stats, but when it comes to interior defensive lineman in the NFL, that's not really fair.
"If you've never played that position or played this level of football, I think it's easy to speculate and see, you know, what's going on," Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said on Tuesday.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was 30-39 for 313 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions on Monday night vs. the Eagles. Philly did not record a sack and knocked down Rodgers just twice the entire game.
"The thing is, how fast did Aaron Rodgers get the ball out of his hands?" Pederson asked. "How are you going to get to the quarterback when he gets it out of his hands so fast? It's tough. It's extremely hard."
