Fletcher Cox's Pro Bowl-worthy talent emerges

There isn't a better defensive lineman in the NFL than J.J. Watt. But there may not be a better system defensive lineman than Fletcher Cox.

The use of the word system isn't meant to suggest that Cox's success is a product of the Eagles' scheme. It's actually to the contrary. Cox plays in a defense in which individual glory, particularly for defensive linemen, is secondary to team objectives.

The system may have snakebitten him in the past in terms of putting up high sack numbers or garnering individual recognition from those outside Philadelphia, but Cox is far too talented to not occasionally have performances like the one he delivered on Sunday.

He sacked quarterback Drew Brees three times, forced two fumbles, and even recovered one of those fumbles on his own in the Eagles' 39-17 pasting of the New Orleans Saints.

Cox was denied a Pro Bowl bid last year. He said after the game Sunday that he wasn't concerned about possibly receiving more attention after what he said was the first three-sack game of his life. But it's difficult to imagine that Cox, who has already matched last season's total with four sacks, can drift under the radar anymore.

"Fletch can have games like that every time he's on the field," Eagles nose tackle Bennie Logan said. "The guy trains hard, he works hard. It doesn't surprise me at all. . . . He's a dominant player. I don't think he gets the recognition he should, but the guy is a force to be reckoned with."

Cox was the first to say that he wouldn't have gotten to Brees had it not been for the Eagles' coverage on the back end. Sacks are typically a two-way deal. You need the quarterback to hitch at least once if you're going to have any shot of tackling him.

Every Sunday there are countless examples of plays being made that are the result of an unmentioned player's effort. Football is a team sport, after all. But the Eagles play a scheme - particularly as it pertains to run defense - that requires the lineman to initially hold up blocks so that others can make stops.

The Texans have similarly run a two-gap, 3-4 front since Watt arrived in the NFL five years ago. But as his singular skills became apparent, Houston devised ways to free him up, or they simply allowed him to freelance. Nothing should be taken away from Watt, but Cox doesn't have those luxuries.

"You can look at J.J. Watt getting sacks, but I look at Fletch as being the total package," defensive end Cedric Thornton said. "He gets tackles. He gets sacks. He's getting pressure on quarterback. I just feel like he deserves the recognition as being one of those top-caliber players."

Brees isn't as quick with his release, and he doesn't quite have the downfield weapons he once had, but he's still one of the more difficult quarterbacks to sack. From 2006 to 2010, he was sacked on average only once a game.

But with the Saints down two starting offensive linemen, Brees was handicapped. Logan got to him first, thanks to tight downfield coverage by cornerback Byron Maxwell. Cox picked up his first sack in the second quarter, and then a series later he rushed from a defensive tackle spot. He looped around the guard and drove at Brees as the QB paused.

The ball popped out - a review upheld the initial fumble ruling - and linebacker Jordan Hicks recovered. In the third quarter, Cox was in his traditional four-technique base defense position, but the Saints ran play-action. Cox discarded rookie tackle Andrus Peat and once again exploded at Brees and knocked the ball out.

"I don't think any quarterbacks like players around their throwing arm," Cox said. "Instead of going for the big hit, go for the football, and that's what we're coached to do."

The Eagles recorded five sacks. They had six in the first four games and were ranked 28th in the league in sacks per pass play. They faced quarterbacks the last two weeks who were quick getting rid of the ball, and Brees typically doesn't waste time, either. But the Eagles, aside from a few lapses, often forced him to work through his progressions.

Bill Davis' defense is far from perfect. And five games aren't enough to say anything for certain about the unit. But there have been incremental advances in Year 3 with Davis as the coordinator. The defensive line sets the tone, and Cox and, increasingly, Logan have become the pillars.

But when Cedric Thornton and Taylor Hart missed two games, or when Brandon Bair left early last week against the Redskins, the line hardly missed a beat. Bair stepped in initially and then Beau Allen. Defensive line coach Jerry Azzinaro has helmed arguably the best group on the Eagles the last two seasons.

"It's not just Bennie that pushes me," Cox said. "We push each other - Coach Azz and everybody around us. We see one guy down and one guy comes in and picks us up, 'Hey, man, what's wrong?' And I think that this team is sticking together and getting this thing turned around."

That remains to be seen. Cox did his best on Sunday to make sure the Eagles, at the very least, turned the corner for one game.

"Shoot," Saints coach Sean Payton said, "he's a good player."

He's better than that. He's great. Hopefully, the rest of the country starts noticing.

jmclane@phillynews.com

@Jeff_McLane