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    • The Philadelphia Eagles’ winning formula could lead to a run to the Super Bowl
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    The Philadelphia Eagles’ winning formula could lead to a run to the Super Bowl

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    PHILADELPHIA – Brandon Graham knows a thing or two about NFL championship DNA, and he’s not shy about reminding those who may lack a similar perspective.

    Now in its 15th season, a long time Philadelphia Eagles The defensive end had a grin on his face as he walked down the hall in the bowels of Lincoln Financial Field late Thursday night. He also had a twinkle in his eye after his team pulled away to beat the Washington Commanders 26-18 to solidify their grip on first place in the NFC East.

    Before heading to the victorious locker room, the passenger who is literally a graybeard stopped in front of a group of reporters waiting to access the players.

    “About six weeks ago,” grinned Graham, “You all said, ‘I don’t know. I don’t know.'”

    Nearly seven years removed from his pivotal sack of Tom Brady that gave the Eagles their first — and still only — Lombardi Trophy, Graham certainly knows a thing or two about a Super Bowl formula, reaching the Super Sunday stage twice. And the rest of us are quickly learning about the Eagles, who haven’t lost since Sept. 29 after extending their winning streak to six and improving their record to 8-2, just a half game behind the Detroit Lions in the race for home field advantage in the 2024 playoffs.

    “Things are moving in the right direction,” Graham said shortly after his locker. “It’s all chemistry, man.”

    “We just have to make sure we stay the course and don’t get too big. When we hold that trophy, then we can do whatever we want. Right now, we have to stay focused until the end.”

    But it looks like these Eagles, who have now started 8-2 or better in each of the past three seasons, have what it takes — to win their division, challenge the Lions, who are widely considered as the top team in the NFC (if not all of football) and can even knock off the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs, who cruised past Philadelphia 38-35 in Super Bowl 57.

    Graham’s defense is a big reason why, giving up just 18.3 points per game during the six-game stretch. On Thursday, he put the clamps on Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite Jayden Daniels limiting the Chiefs to 264 yards, the second-lowest production of the season for an offense entering Week 11 ranked fourth in the league.

    Anchored by Graham and bolstered by blossoming players like defensive tackle Jalen Carter, linebacker Zack Baun and rookie defensive backs Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, Philadelphia’s defense kept the team in the game – capped by a key stop on fourth down midway through the fourth quarter when Washington could have taken the lead with a field goal — until the offense exploded for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

    “We just block out the noise and build every week. We have these young guys playing good ball in these pressure times,” said Graham, who said the team needed a few weeks early in the season to adjust to new coordinators Kellen Moore (offense) and Vic Fangio (defense ).

    “It’s all momentum.”

    Of course, these Eagles also have one key ingredient that their recent predecessors didn’t: Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley.

    After a modest start Thursday night, he finished with 198 total yards and a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown runs. Now with a league-leading 1,347 yards rushing — currently 131 more than Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens — Barkley has certainly proven worthy of the contract he signed earlier this year, becoming a weapon incendiary offense that takes this attack to another level. and takes pressure off quarterback Jalen Hurts.

    “We found a rhythm offensively,” Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson told USA TODAY Sports.

    “We like big, explosive plays. We like to hand the ball to Saquon and carry teams physically up front. When you can do that, it opens up the passing game, slows down the pass rush when you attack guys like we do. So complementary football.”

    Pundits aside, Johnson and Graham are now the only ones left from Philly’s Super Bowl 52 champions. And as positive as things were Thursday night, music blaring through the victorious locker room, the vets also recognize that it hasn’t been a year since when this team imploded during the 2023 campaign – marring recent iconic (and now retired) seasons. ) Eagles Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox as the club fell to Tampa in the wild-card round.

    “We’re in a good place, but I want people to remember last year when things went well,” Johnson said.

    “Whenever you get that feeling of relief or the job is done or the fulfillment is there, then you can get kicked in the ass quickly – and that’s what happened to us last year. Remember that things move on.”

    Moving forward, the Eagles will enjoy the other side of Thursday Night Football, which is the mini-pa it provides. They will then face three tough trips – to the LA Rams, Baltimore and Washington again – over the next five weeks. As good as the Chiefs have been overall, Philadelphia can’t afford any major slipups in their bid to reclaim the division crown — and maybe none if the Eagles hope to do so. pass Detroit for the top seed in the NFC.

    And there are still things to clean up, namely the offense’s performance in the red zone and some turnovers from kicker Jake Elliott. But such concerns aside, these Eagles look ready to fly.

    “Winning is the main thing,” Hurts said. “It will always be the main thing. And it takes what it takes, no matter what it looks like.”

    He looks awfully good right now.

    ***

    Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.

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