Fletcher Cox accepts blame for ‘dumbass' penalties

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LANDOVER, Md. — Fletcher Cox wasn’t about to blame anybody but himself.

For the Lions. For the Redskins. For a two-game Eagles losing streak and for costly third-down penalties that extended drives and turned field goals into touchdowns. Two weeks in a row.

What’s wrong with the Eagles? Cox is more concerned with what’s wrong with Fletcher Cox.

“At this point, I need to evaluate myself first,” Cox said in a quiet visiting locker room Sunday at FedEx Field. “I need to look in the mirror and take my thumb and point it at me and see what I can get better at and see what position I’m in to help this team get better.”

Cox, a Pro Bowler last year and recipient of a contract that at the time made him the highest-paid defensive lineman in NFL history, didn’t pull any punches Sunday after the Eagles lost 27-20 to the Redskins (see Instant Replay).

It was their second straight loss and the second straight Sunday that Cox was not at his best.

“They made more plays than we did,” Cox said. “We have to be better. I have to be better. I’m going to look at myself because I know I can be better and I know we as a group and as a team can be better.”

Cox wasn’t credited with a single solo or assisted tackle Sunday and didn’t have any sacks, although he was credited with two quarterback hurries.

The 'Skins piled up 493 yards of offense and 230 rushing yards. It was only the 10th time in the last 18 years the Eagles allowed 493 or more yards in a game and only the eighth time since 1994 they’ve allowed 230 rushing yards.

Also for the second straight week, Cox was called for a crucial late penalty that wound up being costly.

In Detroit, with the Lions leading 14-7 late in the second quarter, Cox was called for unnecessary roughness on a 3rd-and-9, negating a nine-yard Connor Barwin sack. Instead of 4th-and-18 on the 27, the Lions had 1st-and-goal on the 9 and scored two plays later.

Sunday, the game was tied at 14-all, again just before halftime, when Cox was called for roughing the passer when Kirk Cousins threw incomplete to DeSean Jackson on 3rd-and-4 on the Eagles' 4-yard line. Instead of fourth down, the Skins got a 1st-and-goal on the 2 and scored two plays later.

“It’s the second week for me to do really dumb s---,” Cox said. “I can’t do that. That’s dumb on my part.

“Both those penalties cost us seven points, so I need to correct that and shy away from dumbass s---.”

The Eagles have been called for at least 10 penalties in three straight games for the first time since 44 years, and they’ve allowed 13 penalties in consecutive games for the first time in franchise history.

After a 3-0 start, they're now 3-2 with the teeth of the schedule facing them (see 10 Observations).

“Two weeks in a row we’ve had a lot of penalties, and it starts with me,” Cox said. "Two weeks in a row I messed up."

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