Jalen Carter Is Ever Better Than We Thought
When the Eagles drafted Jalen Carter, we knew they were getting a guy with insane talent. He only fell to them because of unfortunate off-the-field issues. But most people thought he was one of the most talented players in the draft, if not the best player period.
His first season was a bit up and down. He came out of the gate on fire but lost steam as the season went along. It is not uncommon for a rookie. Vic Fangio says he does not believe in the rookie wall, but Carter clearly hit a wall late in his rookie season, as the high snap count eventually caught up to him.
Going into year 2, everyone predicted Carter would take the next step. He got Defensive Player of The Year hype. The thing is, he might be even better than we thought. Not only is he doing all the stuff on the field people thought he could, but he is doing it while playing nearly every snap.
Carter plays 51.9 snaps per game. The 6th most for D-Linemen who played at least 10 games, and the most for DTs. He played 831 total snaps. All while being double-teamed as often as anyone in the league.
Based on last year, you may have been concerned that would take its toll on him as the season went on. That was not the case. His production kept up, even while he barely left the field.
EJ Smith Surprised By How Much Jalen Carter Has Played
EJ Smith, who covers the Eagles for the Philadelphia Inquirer, joined The Best Show Ever on Monday and talked about how Jalen Carter has surprised him by being able to maintain that high level of play even while playing nearly every snap.
“He had that stretch in the middle of the season where he played almost 100% of the Eagles defense at that those games. That’s really surprising. The level that he was able to play despite having that high workload was really impressive.
So that surprised me… He was probably the most talented player in that draft class. He’s been an important tone-setter for the group, and I think he’s meshed well into the framework, the personalities of that defense… So I would say that it’s surprising to me to see how much he’s been able to play at the level that he’s been able to maintain while playing it.
But in terms of his style, I think we knew how talented he was. He’s really become one of the most difficult players to gameplan against on defense.“
His Stats Don’t Tell The Full Story
The stats are good. 53 pressures, 5 sacks, 27 stops, 2 forced fumbles. But they maybe don’t tell the full story. Tony Dungy joined Kincade & Salciunas this week and talked about how what Jalen Carter does helps the rest of his teammates.
“He is he’s set the tone for that defense. When you have a disruptive force in the middle like that that everybody has to account for, it’s kind of like an Aaron Donald, or John Randle, who I had in Minnesota, or Warren Sapp where you know how people are going to block because they’ve got to double team him. That means everybody else is getting single-covered. Now, you take advantage of that with your other guys… and it’s huge.“
Guys like Josh Sweat, Nolan Smith, Milton Williams, Jordan Davis, and even the linebackers like Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean, benefit from playing next to or behind Carter. While he is engaging, and beating, two blockers, they then only have 1 guy to worry about. Baun and Dean don’t have to always worry about shedding that extra to get where they need to be to make the run stop.
Everyone knows how great Carter is. But he may actually be underrated. Because not only is he producing at a high level, and not only is he doing it while playing nearly every snap, but his success is directly leading to more success for his teammates.
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Every Eagles-Packers Game in NFL Playoff History
The Miracle of Fourth-And-26
NFC Divisional Round
January 11, 2004
Lincoln Financial Field
Eagles 20, Packers 17An ugly 2-3 start to the 2003 season had Philadelphia up in arms after a second straight NFC Championship Game exit. Donovan McNabb remained calm and fought through early-season struggles to lead a nine-game winning streak that helped the Eagles back to the top seed in the NFC.
The Eagles hosted Brett Favre and the Packers in a divisional round game on a bitter cold Sunday evening in Philadelphia after the 2003 season.
Favre threw a pair of touchdown passes to Robert Ferguson to springload the underdog Packers to a worrisome 14-0 lead. However, the early hole only set the stage for one of the greatest comebacks in Eagles history.
McNabb threw touchdowns to Duce Staley and Todd Pinkston to claw back and tie the game early in the fourth quarter.
The Packers took a late three-point lead and milked the fourth quarter clock, but Philadelphia’s defense held just enough to earn one more possession.
A two-minute offense that allows a 16-yard sack with only one timeout leaves the game in the hands of a miracle, but that’s exactly what the Eagles got.
McNabb lined up under center on fourth-and-26. He fired a strike over the middle to Freddie Mitchell in between two Green Bay defenders.
A glaringly generous spot, the adrenaline of one of the unlikeliest plays in NFL history, and McNabb’s quick reaction to run and spike the ball eliminated any questions about whether Mitchell actually reached the sticks.The Eagles drove into range for David Akers to send the game into overtime.
The best quarterbacks rack up career interception totals over long periods of time. It’s how the game works, and it’s a big reason why Brett Favre threw more pics than any quarterback in NFL history.
When he threw the backbreaker to Brian Dawkins in overtime, however, it was simply a terrible decision that cost his team a chance to win a playoff game.
Dawkins returned the ball to the Green Bay 32. A short drive lined up Akers for a chip shot that put the exclamation point on one of the most thrilling victories in franchise history.
Michael Vick Interception Sparks Packers Super Bowl Run
NFC Wild Card Round
Lincoln Financial Field
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Packers 21, Eagles 16A half century had passed since Bednarik dragged down Taylor to capture the NFL Championship. The two franchises fittingly faced off in Week 1 of the 2010 season in Philadelphia.
While the throwback kelly green uniforms initially drew the attention, the emergence of Michael Vick as the full-time quarterback stole the headlines after a close opening day loss.
Vick and the Eagles again met Green Bay to open the NFL Playoffs after the golden anniversary season. Aaron Rodgers came out hot for the visitors. Green Bay took a 14-0 lead in the second quarter while the usually dynamic Philadelphia offense sputtered.
Vick finally sparked the Eagles in the second half for two touchdown drives that raised the collective spirits higher in South Philadelphia. The defense even kept Rodgers from icing the game on a key third down stop just ahead of the two-minute warning.
One of the NFL’s most dangerous offenses suddenly had a chance for a game-winning touchdown drive trailing 21-16.
Vick drove the offense down to the Green Bay 27-yard line with 44 seconds left. The Linc waited for an epic moment.
The NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year for the 2010 season decided a deep ball to Riley Cooper was worth throwing to the end zone and risking time and momentum on the Eagles side.
Tramon Williams came down with the interception and sealed Green Bay’s first of three road victories on their way to the Super Bowl.
Many Eagles fans had never heard of James Starks before entering the gates at the Linc that day. The rookie sixth-rounder had played three NFL games and rushed for 101 yards entering the playoffs.
Starks ripped through a door left open by an underwhelming running back group. He rushed 23 times for 123 yards with the type of unexpected performance that leaves Eagles fans in self pity thinking “Why does this stuff always happen to us?” after a tough loss.
Eagles fans will also remember the heartbreaker as possibly David Akers’ worst career game. He missed a 41-yard field goal in the first quarter and a 34-yard chip shot in the fourth.
Fans in attendance didn’t realize the magnitude of the personal situation he dealt with heading into the playoffs. He later shared with The Philadelphia Inquirer that his daughter faced surgery to remove a cancerous cyst.
Make sure you celebrate the best kicker in franchise history with proper perspective for an overtime winner that followed the fourth-and-26 conversion ahead of this painful memory.
Nick Sirianni Faces Critical Redemption Day
NFC Wild Card Round
Sunday, January 12, 2025 at 4:30pm
Lincoln Financial Field
Eagles (14-3) vs. Packers (11-6)Polarizing head coach Nick Sirianni helped the Eagles to an appearance in Super Bowl LVII, but his shortcomings showed up in a brutal late-season collapse in 2023.
How will his Eagles legacy unfold as his team enters the playoffs as one of the Super Bowl favorites?
Vic Fangio has helped the Eagles to an incredible resurgence on defense this season. The league’s top-ranked unit in DVOA, total yards, and scoring will cause fits for praised offensive playcaller Matt LaFleur and probable starting quarterback Jordan Love.
Although the Eagles beat the Packers 34-29 in Week 1, the evolution of both teams and the fluky nature of a trip to Sao Paolo, Brazil minimizes the relevance of the victory.
The health status of Hurts and Love will dominate the conversation leading into an NFC Wild Card Round playoff clash between the Eagles and the Packers.
