Jalen Carter Takes Responsibility for Eagles’ Struggles in Run Defense
In the aftermath of the Philadelphia Eagles’ disappointing 24-15 defeat against the Chicago Bears, defensive tackle Jalen Carter openly accepted the blame for the team’s inability to contain the run. His acknowledgment reflects both humility and a deep sense of accountability, even as he hinted at personal challenges without elaborating further.
“I blame myself on that,” Carter stated candidly. “There were some runs out there I got drove back and wasn’t able to have an effect on the play. It’s my problem to deal with. I won’t tell you what I’m going through.”
Despite his personal assessment, Carter’s individual performance statistics paint a more favorable picture. He recorded four tackles, two of which were for loss, alongside a sack, two quarterback hits, and a pass defended. Yet, the statistics tell only part of the story. Carter found himself sidelined for significant portions of the first half, as teammate Byron Young logged his highest snap count of the season, participating in 44 percent of the defensive plays.
Carter managed to play 61 snaps, which accounted for 70 percent of the defensive workload, but the stark reality remains: when a defense surrenders 281 rushing yards, individual performances are overshadowed by the collective failure on the field.
Standout Performances Amidst Struggles
While the Eagles’ defense as a whole faced scrutiny, some players did rise to the occasion. Safety Reed Blankenship achieved a career-high 14 tackles, surpassing his previous best of 11, which he had accomplished on three separate occasions. Defensive lineman Jordan Davis also made a mark, setting a new personal record with nine tackles, a clear improvement from his earlier high of six during the season opener against the Cowboys.
The lack of run defense is a glaring issue that cannot be overlooked, and the responsibility for improvement falls on the entire unit. As the Eagles move forward, the focus will need to be on strengthening their run-stopping capabilities to avoid further disappointments in the future.
