Live analysis: How Jalen Carter helped Eagles forget star D-lineman, injuries vs. Commanders

[Procus]

https://www.delawareonline.com/story/sports/nfl/eagles/2023/10/01/live-analysis-updates-eagles-vs-commanders-stay-unbeaten-jalen-hurts-carter-nfl-fletcher-cox/70996148007/

Live analysis: How Jalen Carter helped Eagles forget star D-lineman, injuries vs. Commanders

Martin Frank

Delaware News Journal

PHILADELPHIA − Perhaps the easiest way to quantify Jalen Carter's impact on the Eagles' defensive line is that nobody mentions Javon Hargrave anymore.

Hargrave had a career-high 11 sacks last season and went to the Pro Bowl in 2021 when he had his previous career high in sacks with 7.5. He left after last season to sign a four-year contract worth as much as $84 million with the San Francisco 49ers.

And Hargrave has picked up where he left off, with 2 sacks through the first three games.

The Eagles don't miss him. They drafted Carter at No. 9 overall, and the Eagles defense has gotten even better this season heading into their game Sunday against the Washington Commanders. That should continue as Carter plays more. The Eagles have limited him to between 40-50% of the defensive snaps in each of their three previous games.

"I feel like however many snaps they need me to play, I can play even more," Carter said. "Whatever I get for that game is what I get, and hopefully, the next week, it’s more."

No, the Eagles aren't on the same sack pace as last season, when they had 70, just two away from tying the 1984 Chicago Bears' all-time record.

The Eagles only have 6 sacks through three games this season, and Carter is among three players who lead the team with 1.5 each. Carter leads the team in pressures with 15, and his pass rush win rate of 22.4% is second among all NFL defensive tackles. He trails only the Rams' Aaron Donald, a certain Hall of Famer considered one of the best DTs of all time.

In other words, Carter is in the offense's backfield often, putting pressure on the quarterback and forcing him to get rid of the ball sooner. That, in turn, leads to turnovers. The Eagles are second in the NFL with 8 takeaways.

The Eagles also have the stingiest run defense in the NFL, allowing only 48 yards per game on the ground.

The Eagles have done this despite injuries throughout the secondary. All Pro cornerback James Bradberry missed a game with a concussion. Safety Reed Blankenship has also missed a game, and fellow safety Sydney Brown has been ruled out for Sunday, while Justin Evans is listed as questionable.

Nickel corner Avonte Maddox is on injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle.

Carter's impact has helped offset the losses. The rookie hasn't been intimidated going from Georgia straight to a prominent role on a Super Bowl caliber team in the NFL.

"It really hasn’t been a really tough adjustment," Carter said. "I try to go in with the mindset of don’t fear nobody, come play hard and just work. That’s been working so far, and it’s been showing up."

Practice squad player making NFL debut

The Eagles are coming into the game with only two healthy safeties in Blankenship and Terrell Edmunds. And that's even if Evans (neck) does play. So they elevated safety Tristin McCollum from the practice squad for the game. It'll be his NFL debut. McCollum was originally signed by the Houston Texans in 2022 as an undrafted free agent, and he spent the entire season on the Texans' practice squad.

The Eagles signed McCollum in the spring, but waived him before the season started before bringing him back to the practice squad, where he spent the first three games.

The Eagles also elevated punter Braden Mann. It's his second elevation, meaning he has only one more left before the Eagles have to add him to the 53-man roster or sign another punter.

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.