The clock has not struck midnight on the Washington Commanders, but the glass slipper does not fit nearly as easily as it did before the latest edition of Thursday Night Football. Saquon Barkley exploded in the second half and the defense contained rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels to propel the Philadelphia Eagles to a 26-18 victory. One of the team’s most outspoken players verbalized the message the NFC East leaders sent on the field.
“Washington, respect y’all but y’all know this s**t runs through us,” CJ Gardner-Johnson said while walking back to the locker room after the game, via ESPN’s Tim McManus. Fans outside of Philly may not want to hear it, but the 26-year-old safety appears to be right at this current moment.
Eagles continue to climb the NFC standings
Following last season’s confounding collapse, the Eagles overcame stumbles in the early part of this campaign and are now only a half-game behind the Detroit Lions for first place in the NFC. Although no one wants to get carried away after what happened last time, Philadelphia should be pleased by what it is seeing from its beloved franchise. Gardner-Johnson is certainly fired-up about the squad’s prospects.
The 2022 co-interceptions leader had one pass defensed and three total tackles in the home win. Former Pro Bowler Brandon Graham recorded one sack and two tackles for loss and Reed Blankenship procured a critical interception that allowed the Eagles to essentially put the game out of reach. The defense bought the offense some time until Barkley ignited for two fourth-quarter touchdowns (finished with 146 rushing yards).
Related Philadelphia Eagles NewsArticle continues below
Philly is rolling with momentum, but the Commanders (7-4) have the more manageable schedule the rest of the way. The complexion of the division could be different when the two teams meet again on Dec. 22 in Northwest Stadium. For now, though, the NFC East indeed goes through the Eagles (8-2).
They hope the same can be said about the conference in the very near future.
Alex House is a sports journalist who covers the NFL, NBA, and MLB for ClutchPoints, providing a unique writing voice due to his in-depth knowledge of New York sports. Alex resides in Connecticut after receiving his journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island.