The Eagles haven’t been good at forcing turnovers, and haven’t gotten one from their rookie first-round pick, though he has been stout in other parts of his game.
PHILADELPHIA – For now, Quinyon Mitchell will have to be happy with other numbers that come with playing cornerback, the key ones being that he hasn’t allowed a touchdown pass this season and has given up just 17 receptions on 31 targets for a 54.8 percent success rate, per Pro Football Focus.
Opposing receivers in the league are taking notice, including one Mitchell will see on Sunday in Cincinnati Bengals wideout Ja’Marr Chase.
“He’s an outstanding cornerback,” Chase said. “He’s got great ball skills when the ball’s in the air and he’s got a little make up speed, too.”
The one thing missing are the interceptions. If Mitchell wants to win the league’s defensive player of the year award and become the Eagles’ first player to ever do that, he will need those to make his case stronger.
“I do know he wants to get off the schneid and get an NFL interception,” said Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
Mitchell has had at least three slip through his hands, and nobody inside the Eagles’ facility is letting him forget that, or the fact that he hasn’t had a pick, yet.
“Everybody does (let him hear it),” he said. “Like everybody in the building gives me a hard time about it. So, after I get that first one they better be celebrating with me.
“I’m trying not to force it. Just when the opportunity comes, making that play. After practice today I got a lot of catching reps so trying to work more and more at it.”
Mithell doesn’t need a first pick just for his trophy case, but to help the Eagles win. Their defense has just two forced turnovers. In six games.
Fangio believes his defense can do it, but he knows he can only mention it so much.
“Talk is cheap,” he said. “We haven’t done it. So we’ve got to get off the schneid there and get some takeaways. We really do.”
Now they play a quarterback in Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow who has thrown just two interceptions in 226 pass attempts. As a team, the Bengals have turned the ball over six times and are at plus-two in the turnover margin, which puts them in a tie for 10th-best in the league.
The Eagles are at minus-six and in 28th in the NFL despite not turning the ball over the last two games. They haven’t whittled that number down because their defense doesn’t take the ball away.
If Mitchell wants this week to be the time he gets his first turnover, he will have to earn it.
