Philadelphia Eagles, Fletcher Cox Going to ‘Find Out Who The Dudes Are’ After Loss to Dallas Cowboys

Philadelphia Eagles veteran defensive tackle Fletcher Cox speaks his mind, says the team will remain tight despite being punched in the mouth and bloodied the last two weeks.

Fletcher Cox told it like it was to reporters inside the visitor’s locker room at AT&T Stadium in the aftermath of another drubbing, this one to the Dallas Cowboys.

“I think the biggest thing for this team now is really find out who the dudes are,” said the Philadelphia Eagles veteran defensive tackle.

“That’s always the case. I’ve been part of teams where the dudes in the locker room do something about it and I’ve been part of teams where it kind of crumbles, but now it’s time to see the real leadership and the real players, the guys that are elite on this team, myself included, step up and do something about it and get this team another win.”

Cox showed up against the Cowboys. The 32-year-old is having a season that should warrant another contract in the offseason. His strip-sack of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott led to the Eagles’ only touchdown in a 33-13 loss to Dallas when rookie Jalen Carter scooped up the ball and zipped 42 yards for the score.

Cox has 3.5 sacks now, but his leadership is an even bigger reason why the Eagles should bring him back for his 13th season.

He did what true leaders do when times are tough – stood tall and answered every question  lobbed his way.

And make no mistake, times are tough with back-to-back losses and a cross-country trip to Seattle to play the Seahawks staring at them in the face on Monday night.

Fletcher Cox sacked Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, forcing a fumble that rookie Jalen Carter scooped up and scored from 42 yards out for the Philadelphia Eagles' lone touchdown in a 33-13 loss in Week 14 / USA Today

“We got punched in the mouth two weeks in a row,” said Cox. “We got a little blood dripping from our lip, but the thing about this team is we’ll get it stitched up, get all the corrections, and now we have a little bit more time to think about it.

“We don’t play til Monday, so now we have to really dive into what’s going on, what teams are doing to us scheme-wise and correct it, hold each other accountable, which we will do, and move on.”

Cox didn’t mention any names, as to who those dudes might be who now need to step up, but he didn’t have to.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts is among them. He lost another fumble on Sunday, his fifth this season. He has fumbled in seven straight games. Receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are, too.

Smith dropped a touchdown pass and midway through the fourth quarter lost a fumble inside the red zone after a 30-yard catch-and-run. Brown coughed up a fumble, too, to start the third quarter.

“We know who we are,” said Cox. “The guys know who they are. The elite players on this team know who they are. Not saying that every player on this team is not elite, but the guys who get paid the big bucks, the guys that are the leaders on this team, we’re anxious. I know we’re ready to get back to it next week, dive into the game plan, and see what we gotta do.”

That said, Cox believes the team is still all in, and that it won’t splinter.

“There’s no doubt in my mind this team is still together as one,” he said. “That’s what I respect about every professional athlete on this team. We know we’re all together, we know we all make mistakes, we know we all hold each other accountable…

“Nobody will be out of character. I haven’t seen it on this team in 12 years. I haven’t seen it on these last few teams that I’ve been on that’s been a really good team being out of character, doing uncharacteristic things. No, that’s not what we do. We’ll keep this locker room tight.”

Eagles Outclassed by Cowboys, Blown Out Again