Cowboys at Eagles: ’The Eagles really need Jalen Carter to make a big impact in this game’
It is time to figure out who the Philadelphia Eagles really are.
The
are playing one of the biggest games on their schedule against an NFC East rival, the
. The Cowboys are currently 3-point underdogs in the game according to DraftKings Sportsbook, We spoke with Brandon Lee Gowton at our sister site Bleeding Green Nation to get the lowdown on the Eagles.
Blogging The Boys: So give us the overall for the Eagles. From the outside it looks like they haven’t been as good this year as last, but they still keep winning. Fair assessment?
BTB: What was behind the trade for Kevin Byard and how will he fit into the defense?
BGN: The Eagles were thin at safety. There was a point in Week 6 when multiple injuries had them down to Terrell Edmunds, a struggling player on the veteran minimum, and Mekhi Garner, a practice squad cornerback elevated to play out of position as an emergency option.
Acquiring Byard for such a relatively cheap cost was a no-brainer. Pairing a two-time All-Pro with rising standout Reed Blankenship, who is now healthy, will potentially turn safety from a position of weakness into a strength.
Of course, it could take some time since Byard needs to get adjusted to a new defense on the fly. And he’ll have extra time to do so with the bye week coming up after Sunday’s game.
That won’t help Byard against the Cowboys. But perhaps his familiarity from previously playing against Dak Prescott will? Byard has picked off the Cowboys’ quarterback three times in two games.
BTB: How has rookie Jalen Carter looked this year and do you think the injury will affect him this week?
BGN: Carter has been way better than anyone could’ve reasonably expected. He already looks like an elite player at his position.
There are only four interior defenders who’ve generated more pressures this year, according to Pro Football Focus: Dexter Lawrence, Aaron Donald, Jeffery Simmons, and Chris Jones. Carter ranks tied for fifth with Jonathan Allen.
The thing is … Carter has only played 200 snaps, which is considerably less playing time than his peers have logged. Here’s how the group ranks when dividing snaps by pressures generated:
1 – Carter 7.142
2 – Lawrence: 8.393
3 – Jones: 10.104
4 – Donald 11.185
5 – Simmons: 13.916
6 – Allen: 16.14Carter is a beast.
It’s unclear if the back injury will slow him down. No injury is ever a comforting thought but a back issue seems especially bad (shout out Tony Romo). That being said, Carter was a full participant in practice all week, so that seems like a good sign.
The Eagles really need Carter to make a big impact in this game. The thinking here is that he might see a bigger workload than normal given the importance of this game.
BTB: The Eagles are currently 3-point favorites according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Do you think that’s fair and how do you see the game going?
BGN: I do think that’s fair; it’s a coin flip game between two relatively even-matched teams.
I worry about the Cowboys being able to take advantage of the Eagles’ unclear nickel cornerback outlook. I worry about the Eagles’ turnover issues continuing and the Cowboys being able to capitalize on them.
I feel good about the Eagles being able to win in the trenches. I feel good about Jalen Hurts being 23-3 in his last 26 starts. I feel good about home field advantage giving the Birds a boost.
Ultimately, I think the Eagles find a way to win a close one … 28 to 24.
