The Eagles find themselves in a pivotal NFC showdown in Week 7 as they travel to face the Minnesota Vikings -- and the return of defensive tackle Jalen Carter might be the single biggest swing factor in the matchup.
An explosive and dynamic interior presence as you'll find in football, Carter missed last week’s embarrassing blowout loss to the New York Giants, and his absence was felt at all three levels of Vic Fangio's defense.
Should everything go to plan, that won’t be an issue this week.
Carter is back, and he’s walking into a matchup he should overpower early and often.
How Carter can dominate the Vikings' offensive line
Minnesota’s interior protection has been patchwork at best. The Vikings have rotated Blake Brandel and Joe Huber at left guard and center, while right guard Will Fries has been asked to plug holes on the fly.
Between the three, they’ve surrendered 20 pressures in spot appearances across five games -- and none of them have faced a disruptor on Carter’s level.
And this isn’t just about winning reps. It’s about forcing chaos.
Carter isn’t a grinder who gradually wears you down -- he’s a one-man wrecking ball. His ability to forklift linemen off their base or win instantly with explosive first-step quickness makes him nearly impossible to survive in isolation.
Minnesota’s coaching staff will have no choice but to adjust protections, and once that occurs, Philadelphia’s front -- with edge threats in abundance -- becomes exponentially more dangerous.
Then there’s the quarterback matchup.
Former Eagle Carson Wentz has settled in as Minnesota’s starter, but he’s far from the big bodied, elusive threat he once was in his early Philadelphia days. Age and injuries have sapped most of his mobility; he’s become a pocket-bound passer who struggles to reset when moved off his spot.
That’s a terrible fit against a defensive tackle who lives in the backfield and reduces space for signal-callers to step up inside the tackles.
If Carter collapses the pocket from within while the likes of Josh Uche (13 pressures) and Jalyx Hunt (16 pressures) close the edges, Wentz won’t have anywhere to go. Expect Philadelphia to crank up its pressure looks early -- run stunts, overloads, and simulated pressures that isolate Carter one-on-one and force Minnesota into survival mode.
The Eagles secondary has taken its lumps this season, but interior pressure can be the great equalizer. Disrupt timing, force hesitation, and even average coverage starts to look elite. Carter offers that luxury.
As it stands, Philadelphia doesn’t just need a win -- it requires a statement. Last week’s humiliation against the Giants reopened questions about their toughness and identity, let alone the drama that has surrounded the offense over the previous few weeks.
If Carter shows up angry -- and all signs point to that being the case -- he won’t just impact the game.
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He could flip it on its head.