Vinny Curry has found ways to contribute, but Eagles want more
Leave it to the Cleveland Browns to ruin something.
Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins has missed just one defensive snap this season. Any guesses when that snap came?
Yup, it was against the Browns. The disastrous fake punt in the second quarter of the opener technically counted as a defensive snap and Jenkins wasn't on the field.
That's the only defensive play — 963 of 964 — Jenkins has missed all year, at least through 15 games. Since he arrived in Philly three years ago, Jenkins has played 3,351 of 3,359 possible defensive snaps.
He's missed just eight.
"It's remarkable," fellow safety Rodney McLeod said. "It's a credit to him, what he does to prepare himself and his body and all that, and being durable, which you have to be in this league.
"Obviously, he makes a lot of plays, so him being out there, he's very effective. It's just hard to do in this league. Credit him how he treats it; he treats it as a true professional, takes care of his body. Does the right things, the little things right and obviously he's there for his team and able to make plays."
On Wednesday, Jenkins couldn't remember why he missed five snaps in 2014, his first season with the Eagles. Last year, the only two he missed came when he jammed his finger against the Falcons in the opener. He popped it back into place and returned. Later in the 2015 season, Jenkins even played a half of football with a concussion he suffered against the Cowboys.
What makes Jenkins' workload even more impressive is that he's a special teams contributor as well. So far this season, he's played 136 special teams snaps; he played 148 in 2015 and 197 in 2014.
That means, with one game to go this season, Jenkins played a total of 3,832 downs of football in the last three years.
"I think it's just a blessing really," Jenkins said. "Just being able to have good health; that's the No. 1 thing. In this game, it's your availability. And I've been able to play in every game since I've been here. Hadn't been the case before I got here. I don't know what it is, but I'm definitely blessed."
While Jenkins, 29, has missed just one defensive snap this season, he won't lead the league in defensive snaps like he did in each of the last two years. Credit an ousted Chip Kelly and Billy Davis for that one.
Barring an unforeseen circumstance or injury, Jenkins will become one of just three defensive players to start all 16 games in the last three years on Sunday, along with Fletcher Cox and Connor Barwin.
Jenkins will play in all 16 games in each of his first three seasons with the Eagles — something he wasn't able to accomplish in any of his five years with the Saints.
When asked if he's done anything different since his arrival in Philly, Jenkins said he has started to take better care of his body, but wouldn't cite that as the reason for not missing games. After all, big injuries can often be unpredictable and unavoidable — so "there has been a little bit of luck."
It would be one thing if Jenkins just played all those snaps and wasn't any good. But that's not the case. He's been a top-notch safety and at times a nickel corner after Ron Brooks' injury. Jenkins was a Pro Bowler last season and as a third alternate, has a good chance to go back this season. After a big two-interception game against the Giants — for which he was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week – Jenkins leads the Eagles with three interceptions.
"He sacrifices not only himself, but his position sometimes, that safety position, to do whatever it takes for the football team," head coach Doug Pederson said. "[Thursday] was no different. The pick-six was huge. He had another one on the sideline. I mean, just time after time he keeps making play after play and gets those guys lined up and has really put together a good season."
In his three seasons with the Eagles, Jenkins has eight interceptions and four of those he's returned for touchdowns. He's second in INT TDs (6) among active NFL players behind just Aqib Talib (9).
He's the only player to have at least one pick-six in three consecutive seasons as an Eagle — he has four in three years, good for second on the franchise's all-time list.
"I like to think I'm a decent ball carrier. The hard part is getting them," said Jenkins, who played some receiver in high school, but coaches would let him run just two routes: bubble screens and go routes.
While Jenkins is a third alternate for this year's Pro Bowl, McLeod is a second alternate. That leaves the possibility that the Eagles' two starting safeties could be Pro Bowlers this year.
And McLeod sees a bright future with the two of them both under contract through the 2020 season.
"I'm excited to be here with him," McLeod said. "The reason I came here was to partner up with him and take my game further. Hopefully both of us can take this team further as well."
Team success obviously hasn't followed Jenkins to Philly. Since he arrived in 2014, he missed Kelly's only playoff year in 2013 and the team has been held out of the playoffs in each of the past three years.
No matter how the season ends on Sunday, the Eagles will have the lowest number of wins during Jenkins' time with the team. After making the playoffs in four of his first five NFL seasons in New Orleans, he hasn't been there yet with the Eagles.
"It's a hard thing to do. Winning in this league is not easy," Jenkins said. "I recognize that. I understand that there's a process to building teams, there's a process to winning. Right now, we're going through that. I'm hopeful because I see the pieces we have and which direction this team is trending in and I like where we're at. So, with that in mind, it's just a game of patience."
Source: www.bing.com