September 24, 2024
In the Philadelphia Eagles' Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson delivered what should have been remembered as the knockout blow that turned the outcome of the game in the Eagles' favor.
Down three with under six minutes left in the game, the Falcons went for it on 4th and 1 at their own 39 yard line. They gave it to Bijan Robinson, who for a moment seemed like he was going to hit a hole through the line for a first down, until Gardner-Johnson filled it and knocked Robinson backwards with a ferocious hit.
The Eagles took over on downs, but blew the game from that point on, and Gardner-Johnson never got the appropriate love that he deserved for that monster play.
In Week 3 in New Orleans, Gardner-Johnson made another huge tackle for no gain against Saints running back Alvin Kamara. Facing a 3rd and 1 at the Eagles' 18 yard line on the final play of the third quarter, Kamara lined up in the Wildcat, and Gardner-Johnson smelled blood. He met Kamara in the hole, just as he did with Robinson the previous week, and made a key stop.
"Wildcat," Gardner-Johnson said when asked what he saw on the play. "He getting the ball. Downhill. Gametime. Him and me. I'm choosing me every time."
The Saints went for it on the next play, but Zack Baun made another stop for no gain, resulting in a turnover on downs. Four plays later, Saquon Barkley was racing for a 65-yard touchdown.
Gardner-Johnson certainly doesn't lack confidence.
"I feel like I'm the hardest-hitting safety in the league," he said. "I'm just reading my keys and striking what I'm supposed to strike."
Of course, Gardner-Johnson played for the Eagles in 2022, and when he left to play for the Detroit Lions in 2023, the Eagles missed him. They were depleted at times both at safety and at slot corner, and Gardner-Johnson played both positions for the Eagles at a high level. But perhaps even more than his versatility the Eagles may have missed Gardner-Johnson's swagger and aggressiveness, which was often absent from the Eagles' defense last season.Howie Roseman was asked at the 2024 NFL Owners Meetings in March if the team went out of its way to add players who play with emotion this offseason.
"Obviously, we want talent with these guys, but I think that's accurate to say," he acknowledged. "We were looking to regain our swagger mentality back and obviously what happened at the end of the year didn't feel good and wasn't really acceptable for any of us. And so we wanted to get players who can kind of bring that and have that motivation and mentality."
The moment that stands out to me is when the 49ers walked right through the Eagles' defensive backs drills, and the Eagles let them.
49ers interrupt the Eagles’ DBs drills… pic.twitter.com/5O0vHKqnoW
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) December 3, 2023
That would have gone down differently if CJGJ were an Eagle last season. There would have been a pre-game fight.
Gardner-Johnson has missed some tackles in the first three games, and he'll often celebrate tackles even if they're 15 yards down the field, but the Eagles now also have a presence in their secondary that opposing skill position players have to be mindful of.
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