MINNEAPOLIS - Trent Cole didn't know how many yards Minnesota Vikings rookie running back Adrian Peterson had gained.
He knew how many yards the Eagles wanted to limit the NFL's leading rusher to, but at this
particular
moment, that number was way back in his mind.
What Cole knew was that a week ago, the Eagles were in
a similar situation against the Chicago Bears, and nobody on the defense stepped up to make a play.
As a result, the Bears drove
97 yards in less than 2 minutes and delivered a crushing, last-second loss to the Birds.
So yesterday, the Eagles led the Vikings by a touchdown
with 5 minutes left.
Minnesota reserve quarterback Brooks Bollinger had
completed a 19-yard pass to Bobby Wade, and the Vikings were near midfield with momentum.
Then they handed the ball to Peterson. Cole blazed by Minnesota's massive left tackle, Bryant McKinnie, and hit Peterson just as he started to make a cut.
The play resulted in a 6-yard loss. On the next play, Eagles
defensive end Jevon Kearse sacked Bollinger.
A play later, Minnesota punted and didn't get the ball back until there were only 15 seconds left in their 23-16 loss.
"Big plays and get off the field," Cole said of his tackle of Peterson. "Last week, we didn't do that. You're looking for somebody to step up and make plays - me, anybody. Somebody has to make a big play and get [the defense] off the field."
In a game where a lot of Eagles defenders played well, Cole had the type of game that stood out.
It wasn't just that he had a team-high eight tackles and
two of the Eagles' four sacks,
he made the type of impact plays that help win ballgames.
It started early, when the
Vikings recovered an onside kick after taking a 7-0 lead on their first drive.
With the sold-out crowd at the Metrodome rocking, Cole got by McKinnie and dropped Vikings starting quarterback Kelly Holcomb for a momentum-killing, 9-yard sack.
Two plays later, Minnesota, which started the drive near
midfield, punted.
"I don't know what to tell you," said Cole, who now has nine sacks on the season. "You have to be a natural pass-rusher and get it done.
"It's also practice and preparation that starts from the offseason and through camps and into games."
Preparation was also what led to Cole's huge tackle-for-loss of the dynamic Peterson.
The Eagles knew the key to
victory was containing Peterson.
