To get a sense for just how skilled Jordan Hicks is in pass coverage, consider this:
The Eagles have drafted 47 defensive backs since 1989.
And Hicks has more interceptions in his first 16 games than any of them.
Pretty amazing, considering he’s a linebacker.
Hicks picked up his second interception in two weeks and fourth in 16 career games Sunday in the Eagles’ loss to the Giants.
His four interceptions are the most in franchise history by a linebacker and the most by any player in his first 16 career games since Eric Allen had five as a rookie in 1988.
To put all that in perspective, the last NFL linebacker with more interceptions in his first 16 games was Odell Thurman, who had five as a rookie with the Bengals in 2005, then was suspended for two years for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy and never played again.
Since 1981, only five linebackers have had as many as four interceptions in their first 16 games, including Hicks’ former teammate, Kiko Alonso.
“I’ve always considered myself a playmaker,” Hicks said. “It really stemmed from high school all the way up. I’ve always kind of been in position to make plays and take a lot of pride in making the plays when they do come.
“Obviously, a lot of that is attributed to film study. If you don’t put the work in, you’re not going to be in those positions. A lot of it is that and when the plays come it’s just I make plays.”
In the equivalent of just one full season, Hicks already has more interceptions than any Eagles linebacker in the last 20 years other than Jeremiah Trotter and DeMeco Ryans. Curiously, all three were inside 'backers.
With INTs in each of the last two games, he’s the first Eagles linebacker with interceptions in consecutive games since Akeem Jordan in 2009.
“Jordan has incredible instincts,” Eagles outside linebacker Nigel Bradham said. “His instincts are pretty much unbelievable. His knack for just being able to read his key and know where the quarterback is going with the ball so quickly, that’s a huge key for a linebacker and he’s unreal at it.
“He’s like a hybrid mix of a linebacker and a defensive back because he has coverage skills of a defensive back but he’s also physical, like a linebacker.”
In those first 16 games, Hicks also has 11 pass breakups, four fumble recoveries, two sacks and one forced fumble to go with 106 tackles.
If that were one season instead of two halves of two seasons, he would be on his way to the Pro Bowl.
“I’m trying to just put our team in the best position possible,” Hicks said. “Studying game plan, trying to key in on certain plays I can make, but at the end of the day I don’t change the way I prepare for any game. I try to be consistent in my focus and the way I approach the game.”
Hicks played the first eight games last year before his season ended in Dallas with a torn pec.
He’ll play career game No. 17 on Sunday, when the Eagles host the Falcons, who are 6-3 with the NFL’s top-ranked offense.
“They’ve got a lot of playmakers but it’s their ability to run the ball and their action off their run (that makes them so dangerous),” Hicks said.
“If they can get their run going, it opens up their entire offense. So it’s going to be a huge key for us this week stopping the run. Their pass game is based off of being able to run the ball and getting linebackers biting on the run fakes and getting guys out of position that way, so as long as we are stopping the run and forcing their hand, we should be all right."
The Eagles, 4-4, have lost four of their last five but they're 3-0 this year at home. The Falcons are 6-3 and averaging just under 34 points per game.
“They run the ball well, Matt Ryan is playing at a high level, Julio (Jones) is Julio, one of the best receivers in the game," Hicks said. "So big, big challenge.
“But you know what, I think when we’ve had those challenges ahead of us we’ve risen up to them so excited to see the way we’re going to play. We’re back in the Linc, it brings energy and we’re excited about it. We’re all ready.”
