3 players are ejected after a brawl late in the Eagles’ game against the Commanders

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) 鈥� The heated rivalry between boiled over in the fourth quarter Saturday night, when three players were ejected after a fight broke out among several members of both teams in the aftermath of Saquon Barkley’s 2-point conversion that increased Philadelphia’s lead to 19 points with about 4 1/2 minutes left.

Two players on Washington’s defense 鈥� lineman Javon Kinlaw and safety Quan Martin 鈥� and one Eagles player 鈥� offensive lineman Tyler Steen 鈥� were disqualified after being flagged for unnecessary roughness during the brawl in the 29-18 victory that allowed Philadelphia to clinch a second NFC East title in a row.

There was some punching, a ton of pushing and shoving, and a lot of jawing, too, as the scrum spread across the grass. Six flags were thrown by officials as the chaos ensued.

鈥淚 guess it was a theme. … The fans were fighting … and I guess it carried over to the game. It鈥檚 chippy out there, and we have a lot of history with this team, especially since I鈥檝e been here,鈥� said Barkley, who gained 132 yards on 21 carries and scored a touchdown. 鈥淭his team don鈥檛 like us. It鈥檚 just the truth. And we don鈥檛 like them, either.鈥�

Commanders coach Dan Quinn didn’t directly answer the question when he was asked at his postgame news conference whether it was disrespectful for the Eagles to go for 2 after the late TD in a lopsided game.

But Quinn did issue something that sounded akin to a warning, noting that these NFC East rivals meet on Jan. 4 in Philadelphia to close the season.

鈥淚f that鈥檚 how they want to get down, all good,鈥� Quinn said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l play them again in two weeks.鈥�

When Washington linebacker Bobby Wagner was asked a question about respect, too, this is what he had to say: 鈥淚t is what it is, Bro. I don鈥檛 care. Is it disrespectful? Maybe. But we鈥檝e still got to stop them. That鈥檚 how I look at it.鈥�

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said he was not running up the score and considered his decision a simple case of numbers, preferring a 19-point lead to an 18-point edge.

鈥淲e wanted to make sure we went up that way, just in case. That was what our math told us in that particular case,鈥� Sirianni said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a division game. It鈥檚 always back-and-forth. 鈥� That鈥檚 the team we played in the NFC championship game last year. I know how badly they wanted to beat us. I know how badly we wanted to beat them. We鈥檝e always got to keep our cool in moments like that. But that鈥檚 NFC East football. 鈥� They鈥檝e got tough guys. We鈥檝e got tough guys.鈥�

Eventually, when order was restored, and Wagner, Barkley and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts spoke with each other on the field.

Barkley said later Wagner made a point that the Eagles running back understood: 鈥淗opefully you don鈥檛 break your hand just to say you鈥檙e a tough guy. It鈥檚 not really worth it. And you lose a lot of money鈥� because of fines.

鈥淲e鈥檝e got to be better. We鈥檝e got to be smarter,鈥� Barkley said. 鈥淚鈥檝e got to be smarter. I shouldn鈥檛 put myself in that situation. It鈥檚 really not worth it.鈥�

Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin understood why Eagles coach Nick Sirianni decided to go for 2 there. And like his teammate Wagner, McLaurin was not offended.

鈥淓agles vs. Commanders, man. That鈥檚 how it goes. … There鈥檚 a lot of history, obviously. They were beating us. They鈥檙e not going to throw in the towel. They鈥檙e not going to take it easy on us. They were going for 2 to bury us. As a team, it鈥檚 not like you鈥檙e going to tell them, 鈥楧on鈥檛 go for 2.鈥� We have to stop them,鈥� McLaurin said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 really take any bad blood from what they did, but you don鈥檛 want to see the game get out of hand and guys possibly getting hurt. It comes with this rivalry between us and them. I don鈥檛 think that will ever change, to be honest.鈥�

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