Meet the Eagles’ Psychic Sacker: New DT Linval Joseph Had A Dream Start — Literally!
INDIANAPOLIS – Before Linval Joseph arrived in Philadelphia last week, he spent years with the Los Angeles Chargers. Does that make him a California Psychic? Because Joseph insists he had premonitions about “everything that happened” during his rushed debut in the Eagles’ 17-16 comeback victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Did Joseph, only a few days off his couch, envision making a stop on the game’s first play? Did he imagine that he and fellow defensive tackle newcomer Ndamukong Suh would share a sack of Colts quarterback Matt Ryan? Joseph insists he did. Look, just getting on the field on Sunday was otherworldly, but this is, well, eerie.
“I’ve been dreaming about this moment and getting the opportunity to come on a team, being a spark plug, and helping the team win,” Joseph said. “Everything that happened today, I promise I had a dream about it. To come out, dream about it, envision it, and really go through it, it was all good.”
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Joseph had four tackles, a half-sack and a quarterback hit with an inspired performance that boosted the Eagles to 9-1 and kept them atop the NFC and, of course, the NFC East. With Joseph and Suh, who both signed with the Eagles this week, learning the playbook and the game plan on the fly, the Eagles sacked Ryan four times and held running back Jonathan Taylor to just 35 yards on 15 carries after surrendering 49 yards on seven carries to him in the Colts’ opening drive.
Hey, who needs a lot of practice time?
“On the sidelines, I thought that practicing was one thing, but playing together and going out there and playing all these snaps today and mesh[ing] together … there’s only going to be great things from here on out,” Joseph said.
Still, despite the defense’s efforts, the Eagles trailed, 13-3, as the fourth quarter started. Joseph said he learned a lot about his new team, especially quarterback Jalen Hurts and the offense, which scored on a pair of touchdowns — a 22-yard pass to wide receiver Quez Watkins and Hurts’ 7-yard quarterback draw — to stun the Colts, who led for all but the final 80 seconds.
Joseph, in colorful language, lauded the Eagles’ maturity.
“I knew we would have to drop our nuts,” he said. “Excuse my French, but that’s just what it is. It was that moment that made it do or die. Who wanted it more? Who’s going to step up? [Hurts] did that. Once he did that on fourth down, I knew we would be all right, and we would just have to score and earn the right to rush. He scored, and the rest is history.”
Suh — who finished the game with three tackles, a half-sack, and a quarterback hit — was still processing his whirlwind week: he landed in Philadelphia at 11 p.m. Thursday, practiced on Friday, traveled with the team to Indianapolis on Saturday and played on Sunday. He said he signed with the Eagles because he’s worried about an inheritance: He has two kids but one Super Bowl ring.
“It really hasn’t hit just yet, but overall, it’s good to be back,” he said. “I’m happy we got the win, and most importantly, I just want to continue to add value and be one of the guys to help this team get into the playoffs and hopefully reach a championship.”
The new defensive tackles — needed when rookie DT and run-stuffer Jordan Davis went on the injured reserve — allowed the Eagles to play a deeper rotation, which kept Cox and Hargrave rested. It also created better pass-rushing opportunities for Graham, defensive end Josh Sweat, and others, including Milton Williams, who had a sack. Williams said the impact of his new teammates was felt immediately.
Next up for the Eagles are the Green Bay Packers, who come to Lincoln Financial Field for a Sunday night game, when the reinforced Eagles defense will be hunting Aaron Rodgers.
“We had fresh legs and went out there, throwing our best moves and seeing what happens,” Williams said. “It won us the game, so we have to keep it rolling.”
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