On-The-Jobe Training

Soft-spoken and reserved – the opposite of his on-field persona – Eagles cornerback Josh Jobe is generally one to let his play speak for itself.

The outlier occurred Sunday against the Patriots at Gillette Stadium, on the other end of a 54-yard Arryn Siposs punt, off all things.

Waiting at the other end to retrieve was Marcus Jones, who had already banked a 21-yard runback.

Bolting down the right sideline with a full head of steam, Jobe evaded safety Jabrill Peppers, the final roadblock in transit to the ball-carrier.

Following a bone-jarring collision with Jones – who was held to no gain and fumbled out of bounds – Jobe promptly sprung up to his feet.

And as Jones collected himself, Jobe was there, adrenaline radiating as he gave the 2022 All-Pro returner an earful.

Almost on cue, veteran Fletcher Cox stepped in to mediate, corralling Jobe and ushering him away from the action to avoid what surely would’ve been a taunting penalty.

For Jobe, who played just 12 defensive snaps as a rookie, special teams had previously acted as his vehicle to let loose and impact the game in a different way.

Although his defensive contributions were seldom, Jobe – distinguished for his tenacity and physicality – fancied himself as a tone-setter.

“Always gotta set the tone for your teammates,” Jobe said last month in an interview with Inside The Birds. “Bring that adrenaline up for the whole team so we get started and rolling.”

GETTY IMAGES: Eagles second-year CB Josh Jobe will step into a starting role with James Bradberry in concussion protocol.

Jobe will likely have another chance to set the tone Thursday night when the Eagles open the Linc against the Vikings on prime time, as the top backup corner should be thrust into his first starting role.

On Sunday, when starting cornerback James Bradberry suffered a friendly-fire helmet shot from teammate Terrell Edmunds with 1:57 left in regulation, Jobe was pressed into service, logging eight snaps during the game’s most critical sequence.

Bradberry has been in concussion protocol this week, clearing the way for Jobe to make his starting debut.

“I’m extremely confident and comfortable, really [with] all the guys that we’ve prepared out there, and Josh being one of them,” defensive coordinator Sean Desai said in his Tuesday press confernece.

“He’s had a really good camp. We’re looking forward to him doing well. He did a great job in the situation he was put in in the game. Really, he showed kind of his mentality and his approach, which is a thing we really like about him.”

Jobe was targeted twice in his seven coverage snaps against the Patriots, with the final one – as Desai noted – deciding the outcome.

Nursing a five-point lead – and with their defense reeling – the Eagles faced a potentially game-defining 4th-and-11 from their own 20.

With 29 seconds remaining, Patriots quarterback Mac Jones looked Jobe’s way, threading a pinpoint sideline toss from the shotgun to wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, whose catch was originally ruled a 12-yard completion to give the home team a fresh set of downs.

Upon further review, however, the pass was ruled incomplete, as Jobe nudged Boutte just enough to expedite momentum and ensure only one of Boutte’s feet remained in bounds.

That Jobe prevailed at such a crucial juncture shouldn’t surprise even the most casual observer, as Jobe made the exponential second-year leap this summer to primary backup at outside corner thanks to a productive summer.

The Alabama product approached his first offseason with a purpose, honing in on technical modifications and tangible goals, returning to Philadelphia intent on standing apart from a crowded field of contenders.

“How to stay consistent, work on my technique, communicate more and be confident in myself,” Jobe said of his offseason focus. “That’s the most important thing.”

While Jobe deserves a hefty portion of credit for his ascent, so also does the veteran mentorship of fellow cornerbacks Bradberry, Darius Slay and Avonte Maddox, along with newly minted position coach D.K McDonald, the latter of whom Jobe credited for shaping his repertoire.

“Coach has given me great tips and ideas, what I need to work on,” Jobe said. “He’s a great coach in general. Helping the whole defense, cornerbacks, and bringing us together as a brotherhood. He’s a great coach for us.”

Jobe will need to be coached up quickly.

Vikings pass catchers Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson comprise a lethal trio, but the ultra-competitive Jobe in his limited sample size has proven to be unfazed by the magnitude of the moment.

Four years of high-leverage Saturday showdowns at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa presumably best prepared him for that.

To that end, the 25-year-old’s progress, determination and imposing play style drew glowing praise from his head coach.

“We’ve got a lot of confidence in Josh,” Nick Sirianni said. “That’s why he’s made our roster the last two years. I think he’s a really physical corner who is long, strong, is able to just – when he gets his hands on you, he’s able to control you.

“We’ve got a lot of faith in Josh, and regardless of who’s in there, we know we can play the schemes that we want to play, because Josh is our third corner, and your third corner has to play. There are times when he’s going to have to play some.

“You get really excited about that when an undrafted free agent comes in and performs like Josh has, both on special teams, and gives you the confidence that you have in him on defense.”

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