The Philadelphia Eagles beat the New Orleans Saints in an intense Week 3 matchup, which led to some injuries and pointed comments from CJ Gardner-Johnson that didn't sit well with Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons. During the postgame interview, Gardner-Johnson called the Saints “pretenders,” despite coming into Week 3 with one of the NFL's most potent offenses.

“They ain't no contenders, they're pretenders. They have Derek Carr, remember that,” the Eagles safety said.

While Gardner-Johnson simply was trying to get under the Saints' skin, the Cowboys linebacker took issue with the “pretenders” comments.

“I don't know who CJ [Gardner-Johnson] thinks he is, bro,” Parsons said during his show, The Edge with Micah Parsons. “We've been dealing with this cat for a while. I mean, we just got to be a little bit real right here like, I think Derek Carr has validated himself way before CJ has ever done.”

Cowboys vs. Eagles vs. Saints?

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (11) drops back in coverage during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium.
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The Cowboys' Micah Parsons continued in his reaction to the “pretenders” issue.

“In a most respectful way, I'm not taking away anything, but Derek Carr has been a Pro Bowl quarterback–highest pick quarterback–before… Like, let's be real,” he said. “Derek Carr has always been a pretty damn [good] quarterback.”

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Besides Parsons' reaction, fans might say that Gardner-Johnson said all those things in frustration at how some of his teammates went down against the Saints.

For instance, Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith suffered a concussion after Khristian Boyd leveled him in the helmet early in the fourth quarter. Then, the Saints' offensive tackle Trevor Penning shoved Darius Slay out of bounds, which got a rise out of Slay's wife Jennifer on social media.

Likewise, Pro Bowler Lane Johnson had a concussion scare, while star wideout AJ Brown remains out due to a hamstring injury.

“That's the dirtiest s**t I ever saw in football, bro,” Gardner-Johnson said about the hit that concussed Smith. “Y'all obviously saw forward progression was stopped. For them to take a cheap shot on one of our key players, it goes to show what type of team that is. They're front-runners.”

Moreover, Saints fans might take even more of an issue at their team getting called “front-runners” instead of “pretenders.” Despite having one of the most explosive offenses in the league, the team could not overcome the Eagles' defense, ultimately falling 15-12.

While the season is still early, several compelling storylines are already developing. Anything can happen in the NFL, and fans should stay tuned.