Philadelphia Eagles DE Brandon Graham Closes Out Dallas Cowboys: 'Just Hustling!'
PHILADELPHIA - At the age of 35 and in his 14th NFL season, Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham knows a thing or two about closing games, something that could be validated by Tom Brady on the league's biggest stage.
These days, however, the ebullient, trash-talking Graham has seamlessly transitioned from leading man to the versatile character actor who can tie together a plot.
On Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, Graham got home on consecutive sacks of Dak Prescott in the fourth quarter with under three minutes to go, the latter of which was shared with Jalen Carter, the rookie 12 years Graham's junior, in what turned out to be a 28-23 Philadelphia win that distanced the 8-1 Eagles from the 5-3 Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East.
Prescott and Co. didn't go easy but Graham's savviness in understanding what Prescott was doing to manipulate the pocket set the tone for the punctuation on the game that was furthered by a Josh Sweat 11-yard sack on Dallas' final desperation drive that came up short when Dak found Cee Dee Lamb four yards short of the end zone on the game's final play.
Graham had been setting up Cowboys right tackle Terence Steele like an ace pitcher, painting the corner until unleashing the out pitch. The Eagles' veteran realized Steele was consistently "jumping out" of his stance to keep Graham rushing to the outside so Prescott could climb the pocket and avoid the outside rushers.
Well-versed in that kind of setup from practicing against Jeff Stoutland-schooled offensive linemen, Graham played along until he didn't in the game's biggest moment when he attacked the inside shoulder of Steele.
It wasn't pretty but Graham kept his balance on a good player nearly 10 years younger and Prescott didn't have an answer.
“It was just cool that Dak didn’t throw that thing right away,” Graham smiled. "I thought I almost lost him for a minute but it was just cool to make the plays that we needed to help us get out of that drive."
Brandon Graham made his playing time count vs. the Cowboys.
John McMullen/Eagles Today
On the prior drive, the Cowboys scored on a 7-yard touchdown throw from Prescott to Jalen Tolbert but it was Graham's effort that forced Prescott to step out of bounds just before securing a two-point conversion attempt which would loom large at the end of the game situation when the Cowboys needed a touchdown instead of a field goal that would have forced overtime.
"Even that two-point conversion, just hustling, and boy that was big in the game," said Graham.
Once his domain, the edges belong to Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat in Philadelphia these days. The former, who was a serious contender for NFL Defensive Player of the Year last season, played 60 defensive snaps against the Cowboys (80 percent of the team's defensive total of 75), and the latter who now leads the NFL with 50 pressures, according to Next Gen Stats, toiled in 63 (84 percent).
Graham had to do his damage in 18 opportunities (24 percent) and it was the vet who cashed in that to the point he got the podium treatment in the bowels of the Linc.
“In the beginning, it was a little difficult,” Graham admitted when asked by SI.com's Eagles Today about his diminishing playing time.
The former starter played 43 percent of the snaps last season after returning from a torn Achilles that wiped out much of his 2021 campaign, the first time he was that low in a healthy season since 2014.
Things have declined to 29 percent heading into the Cowboys game with the idea that Graham is fresh for the home stretch of what is expected to be another extended playoff run.
"The rotation was a little different but I know I’m on a pitch count. They’re trying to make sure I’m here for the duration of the season. We’ve got a big stretch coming up. It’s going to be physical these next three, four weeks before we see Dallas again.”
Again arrives on Dec. 10 when the trash-talking tour heads to North Texas.
And 78, B.G. is coming for you.
"I’m going to miss this when it’s over,” Graham said, “but I’m going to enjoy it while it’s here.”
