Game Changer
After Ejection, Gardner-Johnson Made Changes – Then Swung Momentum Vs. Dallas
PHILADELPHIA — An audible groan, accompanied by apparent pockets of concern, spread throughout the home crowd on Sunday, the same crowd that moments earlier been relatively raucous for an early afternoon kickoff.
A punchless Dallas Cowboys team had marched to the Eagles’ 35-yard line and needed three yards for a fresh set of downs.
The Eagles’ No. 1-ranked defense, as it had a week ago against the Commanders, was reeling a bit, providing little resistance through the game’s first six plays.
But in a timely wake-up call, the Eagles flipped the script, rejuvenating a rather tame stadium and bringing fans to their feet with the kind of play that reinforced exactly how crucial this particular player was to Vic Fangio’s defense, and to the overall success of the 2024 Eagles.
Reading the eyes of Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush, safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson astutely sniffed out the pass, undercut receiver Brandin Cooks and pried away a timely interception, returning possession to Eagles.
But the sequence was far from over.
There was no need for personal escorts on this return, as Gardner-Johnson turned on the jets with nothing but green grass ahead, galloping down the right sideline untouched to complete the 69-yard pick-six.
While many of Gardner-Johnson’s teammates later acknowledged the magnitude of what his turnover meant in that moment, the self-assured Gardner-Johnson realized his trek to the end zone would be smooth-sailing upon securing the football.
“Sh-t, as soon as I put my hands on it,” he said, grinning. “As soon as I put my hands on that motherf—–. I ain’t gonna lie.”

GETTY IMAGES: Eagles S C.J. Gardner-Johnson showed his value, with two INTs vs. Dallas.
Gardner-Johnson, ejected a week earlier against the Commanders following a pair of unsportsmanlike penalties, answered the bell and made his presence felt early, coming through for his teammates on the heels of a week in which his disqualification left them in peril while the NFC East title was on the line.
Plays such as his interception of Rush perhaps best exemplify the impact that Gardner-Johnson can have in a game on a given play. He was also named NFC Defensive Player of the Week.
The turnover served as a reset button for the league’s top defense, providing the jolt – and confidence – it needed to settle in and return to form.
“It just got our confidence back,” linebacker Oren Burks acknowledged. “I feel like, throughout the whole year, the name of the game has been turnovers. Taking the ball away and just playing collective defense.
“And I feel like that really took us to the next level. It’s like, ‘All right, we’re getting back to the defense that we know we’re capable of playing.'”
In the absence of quarterback Jalen Hurts, who remains in concussion protocol, Gardner-Johnson filled the leadership void, leading the charge during pre-game warmups and opting to break the team down.
“If it motivated you, it motivated you,” he said. “If it didn’t, it didn’t. But at the end of the day, I’m here to win. My teammates understand we lead by action. When people lead by words, I don’t think we’re gonna follow.”
Gardner-Johnson’s actions resulted in six points, spotting the Eagles an early lead and providing a cushion for an offense piloted by backup quarterback Kenny Pickett.
The hefty shadow cast by his absence last week – the Eagles were uncharacteristically encumbered by communication lapses following his exit – coupled with his first-quarter spark served as a reminder why the Eagles pursued the enigmatic Gardner-Johnson in free agency.
Brash and chatty on the field, Gardner-Johnson plays with a distinct edge, occasionally pushing boundaries and envelopes.
The confidence and moxie that he exudes is palpable, however, and it radiates throughout all three levels of the defense.
His penchant for big plays was an obvious selling point, along with his ability to communicate on the back end, vocalizing calls and ensuring the secondary plays assignment-sound football.
Gardner-Johnson would later snare his second interception of the afternoon in the second half, his sixth of the season, but it was his game-altering takeaway that acted as the counterpunch, furnishing the Eagles with a much-needed remedy to their defensive woes.
And just as he does for his teammates on and off the field, his teammates remained in his corner and rallied around him.
“I mean, shoot, anytime when you get a turnover — it doesn’t matter what team it is – it’s definitely a drive-stopper,” defensive tackle Jordan Davis said. “And for him just to come up big in that moment, especially after the week that he had last week, we needed him bad.
“You know, just him being able to get his name cleared and just to get one in his hands and run it back for a touchdown. Man, come on, that’s a DB’s dream right there. And so, for that guy to get that and just to understand that we’re always behind him. We always got him. He got our backs and we got his. We’ll do it 10 times over, any day of the week.”
For the Eagles to reach their ultimate goal requires more measured decision-making and a watchful eye from Gardner-Johnson, as the sixth-year pro is likely to now fall under the brightest of spotlights after his fallout in Washington.
The value of a player is often determined by whether or not their absence makes a difference.
In Gardner-Johnson’s case, it became painfully evident that the overall functionality of the defense was hindered by his ejection.
But in a sign of personal growth and development, Gardner-Johnson didn’t lean into his plight or use it as added fuel against Dallas.
He instead took a look in the mirror and was intent on making the necessary changes to ensure he’d be able to have the backs of his teammates – leading by action.
“Sh-t, you get what you get. You get the hand you’re dealt,” he said. “I think it was a learning lesson that I gotta grow the hell up. This team obviously needs me when I’m here. I ain’t saying in a way as I’m a superstar, nah, like, my presence, just being out there with the guys and having fun.
“I think just being out there with them, it hurt me not being out there and see them losing when could have clinched the week before. But I had to look myself in the mirror and understand this is a team game, not a me game.”
– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.
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