Oh, the things the Philadelphia Eagles are worried about right now. They had to save a player’s first-ever touchdown ball, and ponder whether Saquon Barkley should go record hunting. Also, C.J. Gardner-Johnson downplayed the NFC East title.
He what?
It goes like this, according to a post on X by Dave Zangaro.
“ ‘I’m not trying to win the division. I’m trying to win the Super Bowl.’ – CJ Gardner-Johnson on clinching the NFC East”
Ok, we get it.
Eagles CB C.J. Gardner had a big play Sunday
Saquon Barkley rushed for 167 yards to top 2,000 on the season, and backup quarterback Kenny Pickett ran and threw for scores. And the Eagles clinched the NFC East title by routing the Dallas Cowboys, 41-7.
On the Cowboys’ opening drive of the game, Gardner-Johnson returned an interception 69 yards for a touchdown. That set the tone.
Gardner-Johnson moved his interception total to five on the season. He has three of those picks over the last four games.
The good game may have erased his unsportsmanlike play against the Commanders in Week 16. Gardner-Johnson got ejected from that contest, and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said it hurt, according to yahoo.com.
“Yeah, we've got to be better than that,” Fangio said. “We don't want that as part of our team. We don't want to be known for that. Our guys have to do a better job of not getting those fouls.”
Siranni didn’t like it, either.
“You never want to have penalties like that,” Sirianni said. “I always encourage our guys to be themselves, have fun when you're celebrating, play how you play. But do it within the confines of the rules. That's something I say to our guys all the time. That's the same message here. Obviously, you don't want those situations. I love how much energy and fire those guys play with, but obviously at no point do you want them to get a penalty or is it acceptable to get a penalty.
“But, like I said, there is a reason we have an edge on defense. We have really good players who play with great passion and great fire. That's huge. We just always have got to understand and know to do it within the confines of the rules.”
