Defensive end Trent Cole didn't take much time to savor Sunday's 34-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
In fact, by the time he got to the visiting team's tunnel after the game Cole's mind was already on this week's showdown with the New York Giants.
"At this time every season, this is when our big push starts," Cole said. "I think we've started already and we're going to keep moving forward. We know what we have. We know what we need to clean up. We just have to go down there and execute."
According to the NFL Gamebook, Cole "only" registered a pass defense on the stat sheet Sunday. However, he closed in on Falcons quarterback Chris Redman on a number of occasions and nearly reached the double-digit sack total for the second time in his career.
Cole has 9.5 sacks this season and now he heads to Giants Stadium where he has had some memorable performances. In 2006, Cole sealed a win with his first career interception, which he returned for a touchdown. Last year, Cole blocked a field goal to aid in the regular season win. In the Divisional Round win, Cole kept the pressure on the Giants offense with nine tackles.
In the 40-17 rout of the Giants on Nov. 1 at Lincoln Financial Field, Cole was held without a sack for the first time this season. He was very close with a pair of QB pressures to go along with seven tackles. He's had at least a half-sack in nine of the Eagles' 12 games this season. Only five NFL players have more sacks than Cole this season and just two of them - Minnesota's Jared Allen and New Orleans' Will Smith - play in the NFC.
Needless to say, Pro Bowl honors should be coming for Cole. But to help solidify his standing, a superlative performance in front of a national audience Sunday night certainly wouldn't hurt.
-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 5:37 p.m., December 7
