Eagles’ Darius Slay channels World Cup with header deflection, Josiah Scott interception

Darius Slay has never intercepted Aaron Rodgers. But his World Cup-style header led to Josiah Scott’s unusual interception.

The Philadelphia Eagles don’t appear be satisfied to be the only one-win team playing American football these days; at least two of their defenders have perfected the kind header-to-teammate work you’d expect to see in the ongoing World Cup.

With 10:32 left in the first quarter of Philly’s Sunday night game against the Green Bay Packers, Aaron Rodgers tried to hit Allen Lazard. Which didn’t happen, as cornerback Darius Slay saw the ball bounce right off his helmet, and into the hands of fellow cornerback Josiah Scott. This is how Scott, the 2020 fourth-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars out of Michigan State logged his first NFL interception.

Interestingly enough, Slay has played 16 games against the Packers in his estimable career — the most he has against any opponent (primarily from his time with the Detroit Lions from 2013 through 2019), and he has never intercepted an Aaron Rodgers pass of his own.

For the time being, Slay will have to console himself with his status as the Cristiano Ronaldo of the American game, and his new contribution to the Eagles’ defense.