Dan Orlovsky Breaks Down Just How Crucial Jalen Carter’s Late Sack Was for Eagles

This sack may have saved the Eagles' season.

An all-22 camera angle shows Rams tight end Tyler Higbee breaking open after an Eagles defender fell down just as Carter sacked QB Matthew Stafford. | Screengrab Twitter @danorlovsky7

Jalen Carter earned praise from both fans and pundits for his impressive play in the Philadelphia Eagles' 28-22 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round on Sunday. Carter was a dominant force on the interior, tallying three quarterback hits, a pair of sacks, and two tackles for loss.

But it was Carter's final sack, which came in the fourth quarter as the Rams were driving deep into Eagles territory with a chance to take a late lead, that was his biggest play of the game.

As ESPN's Dan Orlovsky broke down in a video with an all-22 camera angle, Carter very likely saved a touchdown with his sack of Rams QB Matthew Stafford on 3rd-and-2 from the Eagles' 13-yard line with 1:14 remaining in the game.

Carter probably saved a TD @Eagles pic.twitter.com/qDedFtBiiL

— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) January 20, 2025

As Orlovsky points out, Stafford was very likely going to tight end Tyler Higbee, who already had one touchdown reception in the game and seemed ticketed for another. On the play, the nearest Eagles defender in coverage slipped on the snow-covered turf, leaving the veteran pass-catcher with a clear path to the end zone.

Carter, who was unblocked by the Rams' offensive line, may have saved the Eagles' season with the crucial and incredibly-timed sack.

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