Eagles Jalen Carter Back To Himself On Defensive Line That Is Having Fun

PHILADELPHIA – Jalen Carter is playing like the Jalen Carter everyone expected to see when the season began. He’s been at his typical Carter-like levels for a few weeks now. Against the Detroit Lions in a 16-9 win on Sunday night, the defensive tackle had a career-high five tackles and batted down two passes at the line of scrimmage.

Not coincidentally, the Eagles’ defense is playing its best football of the season.

“I think Jalen Carter has really kicked up his game here lately,” said defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. “I think he was nursing his shoulder and then the thing that kept him out of the Giants game. I think it's conditioning, improving and health improving.”

Carter isn’t a stat stuffer. He has only one sack, for instance, but do you think Moro Ojomo has four sacks without him drawing the attention of offensive lines?

Do you think Jaelan Phillips would have been able to notch his first sack with the Eagles in just his second game without Carter bowling over Lions guard and former Georgia teammate Tate Ratledge?

“It was a bit of a freebie, but I’ll take them when I get them,” said Phillips, then added that he didn’t fully see Carter dispose of Ratledge with strength and leverage. “I kind of saw it on the replay, but I’ll have to watch it on the film, but it doesn’t surprise me,” he said.

Jalen Carter: Lead Dog On Line With "Monsters"

Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis (90) blocks a pass from quarterback Jared Goff (16) during the first half at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sunday, November 16, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Carter is still the lead dog on a defensive line that has made life miserable the past two weeks for quarterbacks Jordan Love of Green Bay and Detroit’s Jared Goff.

“They’re monsters,” said Phillips of the defensive line. “I think they’re technicians, I think they have great mindset, will, determination. They have everything you need in a defensive player. I’m surrounded by a bunch of talented guys.”

It’s all about having fun and playing for each other, and Carter and the rest are doing that.

“It’s super fun,” said Carter. “The fact that we’re doing that while we’re having a good, connected group shows up. We all show love for each other. We’re all believing in each other, trusting in each other. If Jaelan wants to run a stunt, I’m not going to blow him off. I’m going to think about what I’ve been seeing throughout the drives. You just go.”

Jordan Davis, who batted down three Goff passes, said it’s a team-first attitude in the locker room.

“I think that’s what makes good teams great is when you know what you’re fighting for, you know who you’re fighting for, you’ll go a hundred times harder,” he said. “When it seems like the world is against us, when our backs are against the wall, we just keep our heads down and just work. It comes from coach Vic, it comes from coach Sirianni, it comes from us. Everybody in that room has a hand in it.

"I sat there on the sideline tonight and was like, I’m so proud of how our mindset is, how we’re attacking this game. We didn’t want to wait for it. We wanted to go get it, strike first, and attack. I’m super proud of the guys.”

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