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Eagles defensive line wreaks havoc in playoff-clinching win over Giants

Larry Henry Jr|
The Philadelphia Eagles defensive line have stolen the spotlight on several occasions in 2022 and Sunday was the latest example of the continued havoc that Jonathan Gannon’s defensive front have caused for opposing offenses.
Brandon Graham totaled three of the Eagles’ seven sacks on Sunday afternoon in the Eagles 48-22 victory over the rival New York Giants at MetLife Stadium, helping the Birds become the first team this NFL season to clinch a playoff berth. The Eagles extended their league-lead in the sack department to 49 through 13 games, frustrating Giants quarterback Daniel Jones and tailback Saquon Barkley for most of the day.
While the Eagles offense also helped deliver a statement win with quarterback Jalen Hurts continuing his MVP push and running back Miles Sanders eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark on the ground, the defensive stepped up and set the tone early in a dominant win.

“Hey man, we want the playoffs to come through Lincoln Financial Field,” said Graham, who set a new career-high with three sacks. “We want that bye week and we want that home-field advantage, because we know our fans are going to bring it.”

“We wanted to set the tone and I think we did exactly that,” fellow Eagles pass rusher Hanson Reddick said . “First, it was Sweaty [Josh Sweat] and then it was my turn. That’s kind of the way it was today, the way it’s been all season. We’re all taking turns and making plays and having a lot of fun.”

The Eagles knew what to expect from the Giants upon their arrival at MetLife Stadium, but sacked Jones twice on the first drive and continued to wreak havoc for the entirety of the football game. The Eagles never trailed in the game, racing out to a 24-7 first half lead and never taking their foot off the gas in the second half.

Barkley was held to only 28 yards on nine carries while Jones felt the pressure on several of his offensive snaps under center. The Eagles have shown for majority of the season that they can beat teams on offense or defense, making them a major threat for when the NFL Playoffs kicks off in January.

The Eagles will continue a three-game road trip on December 18 against the Chicago Bears before taking on rivals Dallas Cowboys  on Christmas Eve. There are four final games on the Eagles schedule for the team to improve on, and ultimately lock down the NFC East Division title and the No. 1 seed in the conference.

With the defensive line playing at a high level right now, every opposing offense will find it tough to outduel the Eagles defense going forward, especially with the amount of depth that Gannon has at his disposal.

“We know there are a lot of areas where we can improve, but it feels great to be 12-1 because this is a special team with that kind of chemistry,” Graham said. “Everybody wants everybody to do well. We’re all rooting for each other and helping each other. We know we can be special, but there is a lot of work to do.

“It’s been so much fun, though,” he added. “Coming here and beating the Giants like this? Man, it’s something else. Just keep it going. That’s all we want to do, keep it going to let’s see where we end up.”

 

You can follow Larry Henry on Twitter (@lhenry019) and e-mail him at [email protected].

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