PHILADELPHIA – Brandon Graham understands the essence of championship mentality in the NFL and is unafraid to highlight this to those who might not grasp it.

In his 15th season, the veteran Philadelphia Eagles defensive end walked through the halls of Lincoln Financial Field late Thursday night, beaming after his team secured a 26-18 victory against the Washington Commanders, further establishing their lead in the NFC East.

Before entering the locker room filled with victorious teammates, the seasoned pass rusher took a moment to chat with the waiting reporters.

“About six weeks ago,” laughed Graham, “you all were saying, ‘I don’t know. I don’t know.’”

Having made a critical play in the Eagles’ first Super Bowl victory against Tom Brady seven years ago, Graham certainly has insight into what it takes to reach the championship game. The Eagles have been on an impressive run, winning six straight games since September 29, boosting their record to 8-2, and are just a half-game behind the Detroit Lions in the playoff race.

“We’re moving in the right direction,” Graham mentioned at his locker. “It all comes down to chemistry.”

“We must remain grounded and not let success go to our heads. We’ll have our time to celebrate with the trophy, but for now, we need to keep our focus sharp until the very end.”

The Eagles seem well-equipped to contend for their division and potentially challenge the Detroit Lions, who are generally considered the top team in the NFC and possibly the whole league, as well as the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs, who narrowly beat the Eagles 38-35 in Super Bowl 57.

A major contributor to their success is Graham’s formidable defense, which has limited opponents to an average of just 18.3 points during the current six-game winning streak. On Thursday, they effectively contained Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate Jayden Daniels, keeping the Commanders to 264 yards of offense, their second-lowest output of the year.

Graham’s defense, strengthened by emerging talents like defensive tackle Jalen Carter, linebacker Zack Baun, and rookie defensive backs Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, made crucial plays, including a key fourth-down stop in the fourth quarter when Washington was poised to take the lead with a field goal. This set the stage for the offense to score three touchdowns in the final quarter.

“We’re blocking out distractions and improving every week. We have young guys stepping up in critical moments,” Graham said, noting that the team took some time to adjust to new coordinators Kellen Moore (offense) and Vic Fangio (defense) earlier in the season.

“It’s all about building momentum.”

Another pivotal asset for this Eagles team is Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley, who, after a slow start on Thursday, finished with 198 total yards and two touchdown runs in the fourth quarter. He leads the league with 1,347 yards from scrimmage, outpacing Baltimore’s Derrick Henry, and has significantly elevated the offense while relieving some pressure off quarterback Jalen Hurts.

“We’ve hit a good offensive rhythm,” Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson told YSL News Sports.

“We thrive on big plays and enjoy giving the ball to Saquon, wearing teams down physically. This dynamic opens avenues in the passing game and weakens the opponents’ pass rush, allowing us to play complementary football.”

Aside from specialists, Johnson and Graham are the remaining links to the Eagles’ Super Bowl 52 championship team. Although spirits were high post-game with music echoing in the locker room, the veterans are mindful of last season’s struggles, which saw the team falter at the end, affecting the farewell seasons of icons like Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox, culminating in a playoff defeat in Tampa.

“We are in a favorable position now, but we must remember last year when things looked promising,” Johnson cautioned.

“A sense of relief can lead to complacency, and that’s what happened to us last year. We need to keep that in mind as we move forward.”

Looking ahead, the Eagles will benefit from the extended break following Thursday’s game. However, they will face three challenging away matches against the LA Rams, Baltimore Ravens, and a rematch with Washington over the next five weeks. Despite the Commanders being a formidable opponent, the Eagles must minimize mistakes to secure the division title and possibly strive for the NFC’s top seed over the Lions.

There are areas for improvement, particularly in red zone efficiency and some missed opportunities from kicker Jake Elliott. Nevertheless, these Eagles look poised for great achievements.

“Winning is what matters,” Hurts stated. “That will always be our focus, regardless of how it happens.”

And right now, it looks quite promising.

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