I'm pretty sure every Philadelphia Eagles fan has felt disappointed in cornerback Sidney Jones since he was drafted in 2017. However, the Eagles owe a lot to the 23-year-old by making crucial plays that have kept the playoff hopes alive for the Birds.
The first clutch play was when he came fresh off the bench in the 4th quarter and less than two minutes to go. At this time it was a tied game with the New York Giants, so the Eagles defense needed to step up and make a play. Who would have guessed that the struggling cornerback would make the play. For a better look at his great play, check it out below; I mean he had perfect coverage on rookie sensation Darius Slayton.
The other clutch play he had was the one that I wrote for the Impact Play of the Week against the Dallas Cowboys. In a one-score game with little clock left in the 4th quarter, the Cowboys decided to go for it on 4th-and-8. He would make a crucial cover on Michael Gallup that forced a turnover on downs, which helped the Eagles quickly run down the clock and move to first place in the NFC East. Take a look at this play once again -- just great coverage that the Eagles have not had from cornerbacks in a while.
I know many fans still may not want to keep Jones or think he is a long-term starter, but he has been doing better than cornerback Ronald Darby has of late (which doesn't take that much). Jones has struggled with injuries too, but it is nice to see him making plays that have directly affected how the games have turned out.
The Eagles secondary has been struggling for so long, that even if Jones can keep making some clutch plays, maybe the Eagles could make a run in the playoffs if they ultimately win the NFC East this Sunday. Right now I'm seeing young players on the team step up, and I'm glad Jones is finally finding a rhythm with his limited playing time. With Ronald Darby out for the rest of the season, maybe Jones will see an increase in snaps and get more opportunities to make some plays.
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