Copy That!

PHILADELPHIA — The urgency was palpable.

Blanked on the scoreboard and down 10, the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars elected to push the envelope midway through the second quarter of Sunday’s game, facing a fourth-and-1 from their own 39-yard line.

“Alert outside!” barked Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham in the direction of defensive back Cooper DeJean.

“As soon as the tight end motions back down, alert an outside type of play,” linebacker Nakobe Dean echoed to the rookie.

And to further illustrate the evolving communication, linebacker Zack Baun reiterated some variation of what Graham and Dean had instructed.

DeJean had likewise noticed a pre-snap tell, so when Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence attempted a pass in the left flat to tight end Evan Engram, DeJean was already giving chase, diagnosing and breaking on the football to deny the pass.

The result: turnover on downs.

The play perhaps best demonstrated how the Vic Fangio defense was always expected to function, emphasizing communication and relentless pursuit to the football.

Three players relayed what they saw to create awareness and anticipation on that particular play, to which DeJean acknowledged its significance.

GETTY IMAGES: CB Cooper DeJean and LB Zack Baun work together to diagnose a play.

“It was really important,” the rookie second-rounder said. “He told me there’s no way that they’re running this ball. As soon as they kind of made a check – alerted it – the tight end started leaning a little bit.

“It was [No.] 17, so he’s more their receiving tight end, he’s not in there to block most of the time. So, just kind of feeling that, taking all the keys in from B.G., and then just fighting my way through the traffic.”

Almost in unison, before a diving DeJean could even rise to his feet, the sold-out Lincoln Financial Field crowd bellowed out, ‘COOOOOP!’

And when asked if he was aware of how the crowd has grown quickly attached to him, DeJean lit up before crediting teammates for preparing him for those moments.

“It’s great,” he said. “I wouldn’t be in this position if it wasn’t for all these vets and guys that have been there helping me learn how to be a pro. Learn this defense and learn how this organization works. So, I wouldn’t be where I am at without the guys that have been here.”

It was the second fourth down stop in as many weeks in which DeJean played a prominent hand.

Against the Bengals, trailing 24-17 at the time, DeJean traveled with a motioning Ja’Marr Chase, never taking his eyes off the Pro Bowl wide receiver.

When Chase motioned right, promptly snaring a short toss, DeJean closed in a blink, dropping Chase for a two-yard loss.

“He did a good job keeping his eyes on it,” said Fangio on the play. “He’s had that play in practice in the last few weeks with guys trying to mess with you with the motion and get your eyes off him.

“He did a good job keeping his eyes on him the entire time. That’s really what allowed him to make the play.”

While under the radar – as it was away from the action – cornerback Isaiah Rodgers did a commendable job scraping and allowing the play to work as intended.

Rodgers last week admitted that was an area of his game on which he was working.

“It’s something that I had to practice a lot,” he said, “because C.P. – [DBs Coach] Christian Parker – always tells me, ‘Look, situations like those, you gotta go down and stay out of guys’ way.’ So, that was one of my opportunities to show coach that I could do it.

“I kind of knew the return motion that [Chase] was doing. And he’s their go-to guy, they’re going to try and get him the ball. We stopped the run the play before that with B.G., so knowing that they were gonna try to find a way to get him the ball, I was really just yelling to Coop, ‘Just get over the top.’ And I was trying to stay out of his way.”

The play in Cincinnati again underscored the collective effort and buy-in from the defense, which has been critical to its resurgence, but Sunday’s fourth-and-1 stop puts into perspective the instinctiveness and savviness with which DeJean plays.

In his fourth NFL start, the 21-year-old has not only proven that he belongs and is wired for high-leverage moments, he has also exhibited inherent qualities that indicate the Eagles have landed a special talent.

It’s arguable, for sure, but the insertion of DeJean into the nickel role in place of veteran Avonte Maddox has provided the shot in the arm that Fangio’s unit needed to round into form.

DeJean couldn’t put his finger on what contributed to the Jags’ ability to move the ball in the second half, following a first half of Eagles dominance.

But the Iowa standout could pinpoint the reason for the fast start, and what must happen for those to continue.

“I think we just came out ready to play,” he said. “But we gotta continue to do that the whole game. We can’t lose focus like we did at the start of that second half.

“We gotta continue that the whole game, but I think we came out ready to go the whole time, you know, great energy. But we just gotta maintain that throughout the whole game.”

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