Eagles ruin great defensive play with bad taunting penalty by Nolan Smith Jr.

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Eagles ruin great defensive play with bad taunting penalty by Nolan Smith Jr. originally appeared on The Sporting News

The Philadelphia Eagles and discipline haven't gone hand in hand in the season opener.

Everyone saw Jalen Carter get ejected almost immediately for spitting on Dak Prescott.

A different defensive lineman, Nolan Smith Jr., got himself in a bit of trouble in the second quarter.

Smith made a great tackle of Miles Sanders for a loss, but he ruined it.

MORE: Why Jalen Carter was ejected from Week 1

With Sanders on the ground, Smith stared him down and yelled a bunch of stuff at him.

The referees threw the flag for a taunting penalty.

Instead of second-and-long, it was an automatic first down and 15-yard gain for the Cowboys. Dallas ended up getting a field goal after extending the drive a bit, taking a 17-14 lead.

Nolan Smith makes a HELLUVA play but gets a 15 yard penalty for taunting…

I hate this. I hate this. I hate this.
I hate this. I hate this. I hate this.pic.twitter.com/MFEq3yoLws

— JPA (@jasrifootball) September 5, 2025

This just can't happen.

Clearly, officials are keeping their eyes open.

Go celebrate with teammates, because this yardage shift can decide a football game, especially with Philly already missing its best defensive player in Carter.

MORE: Explaining the NFL's push to ban the tush push

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