LANDOVER, Md. —The Eagles were supposed to be the more disciplined team on the field Sunday against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. The Eagles were trying to lock up the NFC East title, and a win would have made it happen. But then the parade of flags as a result of undisciplined actions began, two of which led to safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson being ejected from the game.
Gardner-Johnson’s absence was noticeable as the Commanders attacked the Eagles’ secondary, culminating in quarterback Jayden Daniels throwing the eventual game-winning 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jamison Crowder, leading to the Commanders’ 36-33 victory. This was the second week in a row that post-play penalties impacted the Eagles. This time, the undisciplined infractions may have not only contributed to their loss but also jeopardized their chances of securing home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Gardner-Johnson’s first unsportsmanlike conduct flag came late in the first quarter after Commanders wide receiver Dyami Brown struck him in the face as the two jawed back and forth. Gardner-Johnson responded by removing his helmet and saying something to Brown, which drew the penalty. His second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty came in the third quarter after the Eagles recovered a fumble by Brown.
BUY EAGLES TICKETS: STUBHUB, VIVID SEATS, TICKETMASTER
“He’s basically taunting the opponent on the second foul,” referee Shawn Smith told pool reporter Nicki Jhabvala. “He already had a first one earlier in the game that we had announced as his first toward disqualification. So, this became his second. He was taunting the players, so that’s a disqualification by rule.”
When asked about the first penalty and why no offsetting fouls were called on both Gardner-Johnson and Brown, Smith said the crew “only had the one foul.”
As Gardner-Johnson left the field, he flipped his middle fingers to the crowd. He was not available for postgame interviews, but went on X to explain what happened.
“Respectfully got kicked out for nothing, I play with passion and fire!!” Gardner-Johnson posted. “Guys was chirping all day what u expect !!”
With Gardner-Johnson being ejected, the Eagles inserted Tristan McCollum into the game. McCollum was one of the closest defenders to Commanders wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus on his 4-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter, which cut the Eagles’ lead to six points and reignited a spark in the Commanders. Safety Reed Blankenship told NJ Advance Media that many of the defensive coverages did not change with the adjustments made after Gardner-Johnson left the game. Whether Gardner-Johnson would have broken up the pass remains unknown, but his absence loomed large.
Gardner-Johnson wasn’t the only Eagles player penalized for post-play infractions. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who was fined $11,817 last week for unnecessary roughness against the Steelers, was flagged again Sunday for shoving Commanders guard Sam Cosmi after the play. Cosmi fell to the ground, extending the Commanders drive. However, the Eagles were able to force a turnover and mitigate the damage. Speaking for the first time since last week’s penalty, Carter said head coach Nick Sirianni reminded him to avoid penalties before Sunday’s game and remain composed enough to move on to the next play. Carter also explained how he knows if he takes things too far after a play.
“When that flag goes in the air, that’s how I know I went too far,” Carter said. “You just have to calm it down and not get another one.”
Carter said he spoke with Gardner-Johnson after the game and encouraged him to move forward.
“I told him, ‘You’re good, bro. It’s football,’” Carter said. “There’s nothing too much to say. We just have to move on to next week.”
Sirianni does have to deal with the aftermath of yet another game with preventable penalties that are now in the spotlight instead, saying the team will try to address it again, hoping the message sticks this time.
“We talk about everything, and we’ll talk about it again tomorrow,” Sirianni said. “We talked about it on the field as it happened. If it didn’t get fixed, though, that’s always going to be on me. They have to be better in those scenarios, and I have to be better to help them. We look at this as an opportunity to get better because we know we need to.”
The loss drops the Eagles’ record to 12-3. With the Detroit Lions defeating the Chicago Bears and the Minnesota Vikings beating the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, the Eagles’ chances of securing the NFC’s top seed and a much-needed bye week to recover are significantly diminished, with Next Gen Stats stating the Eagles now having a four-percent chance of obtaining it with two games remaining.
There is no problem with Gardner-Johnson or Carter showing a fire when playing, especially when it is what makes them the players they are. That passion during critical moments just has to be reigned in, which can be tough during again. That said, teams will try to bait them into penalties and it could draw more attention from officials, meaning the Eagles must eliminate those mistakes as they approach the postseason. The chippiness displayed in Sunday’s game could resurface, especially with the Commanders projected to be their first-round opponent if the playoffs began today. Right tackle Lane Johnson hopes the penalties and the way the team lost can be corrected, as frustration lingers after the defeat.
“I think there’s definitely a need for poise,” Johnson said. “Sometimes when stuff like this happens, it can lose you games. You learn more in a loss than you do sometimes in a win.
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
Chris Franklin may be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com.
