No one had a rougher week in Philly leading up to the Week 8 game against the Washington Commanders than Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter.
Many would say that Carter brought it on himself, and that would be fair. He dropped a dud performance in the Eagles' 17-point loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7, raising questions about the defense's effort. Carter took offense, saying it didn't matter what fans thought about their expectations during the losing streak.
That, of course, ticked off many Eagles fans already frustrated with the franchise's play. Sunday's 27-10 loss to the Commanders did not help the angered fans, but Carter at least put to rest the idea that he isn't playing well, as he stepped up in a big way.
Jalen Carter rose to the occasion despite a disappointing Week 8 loss for the Eagles
Philly's defense played better against Washington than it did against the Cowboys, allowing over 400 yards in the Cowboys' loss. They still struggled; the Commanders averaged over five yards per carry, and the secondary allowed big plays downfield.
Carter held his own and was one of the few standouts in the game. He pressured Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and made several key run stops for short yards.
In the end, Carter finished with five tackles, three pressures, three run stops, one quarterback hit, one pass deflection, one tackle for loss, and one sack. The Eagles got a little bit of everything from their two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle.
Jalen Carter is still putting together a solid 2026 season with the Eagles despite recent struggles
Despite a nagging wrist injury, Carter has played in all eight games this season. He has racked up 23 tackles, 16 pressures, 12 quarterback hurries, six tackles for loss, four sacks, three quarterback hits, three pass deflections, and three forced fumbles.
Pro Football Focus gave him a 57 overall grade, ranking him 77th among 139 interior defensive linemen. He also got a PFF pass-rush grade of 56.2 (ranked 105th) and a run-defense grade of 55.6 (ranked 64th).
No, it hasn't been a perfect season for Carter, and he hasn't consistently dominated like fans are used to. At least this time around, he is staying on the field and still fighting through it, unlike last year, when he dealt with a heel injury and hurt both shoulders.
Despite the wrist injury and cast, Carter is still playing like one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL. With an Eagles defense that has been wildly inconsistent, Carter has at least stepped up like Zack Baun, Nolan Smith Jr., and Quinyon Mitchell have.
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No, things are pretty bad in Philly, and Eagles fans want it all to be different, but Carter can't take the blame, as he is battling. He has earned his $152 million contract extension even when he frustrates the fan base. The hope is that his fighting through the wrist injury will pay off in 2026.
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