Present From The Past

PHILADELPHIA – As Nakobe Dean saw the play develop, he couldn’t help but think back to an early August night, specifically the Eagles’ open practice at Lincoln Financial Field.

Dean’s coverage was put to the test that night, as running back Kenny Gainwell put on a clinic as a pass-catcher.

Dean conversed with Gainwell and quarterback Jalen Hurts about the play – a stutter-and-go – to better prepare to defend it.

And he knew that if Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence liked the matchup Sunday in a Week 9 game at the Linc, he would throw it.

On the heels of a 22-yard reception from Jaguars wide receiver Austin Trammell down to Philadelphia 13-yard-line, the Jaguars were driving and seemingly had the Eagles’ defense on the ropes, primed to punch it in for the go-ahead score with just over a minute remaining in regulation.

When Lawrence fielded the ensuing snap and heaved a pass into the end zone, Dean was ready, matching running back D’Ernst Johnson step-for step.

The pass from Lawrence sailed a bit, and Dean extended to high-point the ball and reel in the game-sealing interception of a 28-23 Eagles win, a game the Eagles had once led 22-0.

It was the first interception of Dean’s career, one that’s experienced a roller-coaster like trajectory in just a handful of seasons.

The celebration that ensued captured the moment as Dean called game, for one, but also, instilled a sense of pride for the third-year linebacker who has emerged into a respected and integral piece of the defense.

That wasn’t lost on Dean, who was quick to point out the collective effort from the unit.

“Oh, man,” he began as he beamed while seated at the podium, “just having everybody just come over there and congratulate me, it was good. It was good to call game – I mean, I wasn’t doing much else that game, I don’t know how many tackles I had that game.

“But other guys on defense had big games. I know Zack [Baun] went crazy, Coop[er DeJean] another big fourth-and-short stop. So, you know, a lot of guys were flying around on defense and we was making a lot of plays.”

GETTY IMAGES: Coverage lapses in the preseason fueled Nakobe Dean to work harder and be prepared for his first interception, which sealed the Eagles’ win over the Jags.

The interception ball will reside in the linebacker room, as the group will begin collecting them throughout the season.

Turnovers are something the group has harped on, and along with Baun’s interception of Lawrence and his forced fumble a week ago in Cincinnati, the group has accumulated three in the past two weeks.

For Dean, a cerebral player who adorns the green dot to relay the plays from the sideline, he has fixated on his coverage shortcomings. He’s made note of past situations in which he’s been beaten, and he’s worked hard to avoid becoming a repeat offender.

Against the Jags, Dean knew it was coming. He expected to be tested in coverage on the game’s most important play, only this time he was better equipped to make the play.

“It’s a play that I knew they had,” Dean said. “They got good backs that can run good routes. I know Saquon [Barkley] scored on it early in the game, a play that was kind of like that from the backfield – a stutter and go. I got beat on it in training camp against Kenny Gainwell.

“I had seen it quite a bit. I remember it from college, got beat on it a couple times in practice, too. So, I kind of was, like, waiting on it. It was an opportune time, it was high red zone. They got the read right, and I just had to make a play.”

Weeks ago, Dean expressed a desire to establish a no-name defense, one in which teams must account for every player rather than scheme to neutralize only the marquee players.

His vision also included a physical, gritty and ferocious defense in the mold of – in his words – a “junkyard” defense.

And while Vic Fangio’s unit has been operating in concert since coming out of the bye week, Dean offered a specific example of the fortified communication across the board.

On the 4th-and-1 stop in which rookie defensive back Cooper DeJean denied Jags tight end Evan Engram on a short pass, there were several voices alerting on the play.

Brandon Graham shouted, “Alert outside!” Dean, who knew he had the running back and was going to shoot the B-gap regardless, told DeJean, “As soon as the tight end motions back down, alert an outside type of play.”

And then Baun reiterated it.

It’s been a process. It took some time to gel. But the group is rounding into form in front of everyone’s eyes. The Jags only managed 215 total yards.

Dean, just from training camp until this point, acknowledged how much he’s grown in months time.

“A lot,” he said. “Emotionally, physically, as a football player. You go in, definitely before the season starts, thinking you’re a smart player, you know a lot of things, and then you start going through things that never happened to you as far as on the field.

“So, you just continue to learn from that and continue to grow from it.”

In many ways, Dean is the defensive leader, setting the tone and communicating to all three levels, and conjuring an identity.

The unit appears to be rounding into form just in time for a pair of critical NFC East clashes, with Dallas on Sunday followed by a short turnaround for a Thursday night game against Washington.

Dean pinpointed reasons for the developing chemistry.

“We took our losses early,” he said. “We learned early how to fight through a game, how to build that toughness to play the whole four quarters. Like, this game, a big learning step.

“Good thing we were able to pull out the win, but it was a big learning step of how we really need to not get lax when we’re up. And we feel like we dominated the game.”

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.