October 03, 2022

Who won the week in Philly sports: Haason Reddick dominates at the Linc once again

By Shamus Clancy
PhillyVoice Staff

Camden and Temple made, Haason Reddick was the Eagles' big free agent signing this offseason. After the first two games of his Birds tenure that saw him record zero sacks and zero QB hits, head coach Nick Sirianni assured fans and reporters that Reddick's time was coming.

It sure was. Reddick balled out in Week 3 against the Commanders down in Maryland and then had his best performance at Lincoln Financial Field since his cherry and white days on Sunday: two sacks, one tackle for loss, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Reddick will be haunting Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence's dreams for the foreseeable future. Reddick was the key cog in a day that saw Lawrence fumble four times and toss a pick. This Eagles defense has allowed just 27 points over the last three games and is currently tops in the league with 16 sacks. This is following a frustrating 2021 campaign for a big-name and big-contract pass rush that produced just 29 sacks (second fewest in the NFL).

Reddick said after Sunday's game that there shouldn't be any excuses for Lawrence's sloppy play with the windy and wet elements. He's right. Reddick and the defense went full throttle and showcased that even when the Eagles' pass-happy offensive attacks sputters, this team can rely on defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon's unit and ride them on the road to victory.

Multiple Eagles stepped up in that huge comeback 29-21 win that has the Eagles as the league's lone unbeaten team, but I'm going with Reddick for the honor of "who won the week" in Philly sports.

Walk-Off Winner 👋

With the Eagles holding onto an eight-point lead with fewer than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Jags had a chance to tie the game. Reddick wasn't having any of that. A bull rush from the left side of the line had Jacksonville right tackle Jawaan Taylor on skates. Reddick kept chugging along and got his hand on the ball, stripping Lawrence, who seemed allergic to pigskin all afternoon:

HAASON REDDICK YOU BEAST! pic.twitter.com/64IrsU2B3G
— Brodes Media (@BrodesMedia) October 2, 2022

"That was my first one," Reddick said about this "walk off" type of play that sealed the W for the Birds. "It felt amazing," Reddick continued. Eagles fans are hoping that it's the first of many for a defense that's playing its best football since that magical 2017 season.

Temple Tough 🦉

Reddick, a Camden native who played high school ball at Haddon Heights, was a walk-on at Temple. Reddick steadily improved in his collegiate career, culminating in a senior season that saw him have 9.5 sacks and end up as a first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Reddick is playing at this high of a level in a stadium where he had so much success for the Owls in his college days. He loves that he's able to do this while being close to his family and friends.

"They get to root for the hometown team," Reddick said. Gone are the days when Reddick's close ones were Cardinals and Panthers fans. "They get to root for me as well while they're doing it," Reddick followed up.

Everyone can proudly bleed green now.

"Their true team is the Eagles."

From Here 🔔

For a fan base that adores players who engrain themselves in the local culture, who truly "get" Philly and love their own, Reddick stands as the most "From Here" player in the current sports scene. To not only grow up here, but to dominate opponents, Reddick is everything both the organization and the city could hope for in 2022.

"To be able to be home where I grew up at is a lovely thing."