Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Tackle Jalen Carter Out For Week 14 Game
Just when you thought the Eagles’ rollercoaster season couldn’t get any weirder, the team’s best defensive player is heading to the sidelines. Defensive Tackle Jalen Carter, the phenomenal force in the middle, will be out for Monday night’s clash against the Los Angeles Chargers after getting both of his shoulders worked on.
Sources dropped the bomb on Thursday, confirming Carter went under the knife this past Monday. Now, he’s in treatment and officially listed as “week-to-week.” How will the team fare without its star defender?
Why Go Under the Knife Now?
So, why the mid-season tune-up? The word on the street is that Carter wanted to get as close to 100% as humanly possible for the playoff push. You have to respect the foresight. You don’t want to break down when the stakes are highest.
For Carter and the Eagles, the real season starts in January, and having a one-armed defensive tackle trying to chase down quarterbacks just wasn’t going to cut it. It’s a gamble, for sure, but one that could pay off big time if it means a fully operational Carter is ready to wreak havoc in the postseason.
What This Means For the Eagles
Let’s be real, the timing stinks. The Eagles are sitting at 8-4 and haven’t exactly been setting the world on fire lately, especially after that ugly Black Friday loss to the Bears. Fans have been scratching their heads, wondering why the explosive Carter we saw early in the season looked… well, human. Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio had already admitted Carter was playing through an injury, which explains why he wasn’t his usual self against Chicago.
Now, without Carter anchoring the defensive line, things get a little dicey. The Eagles still have a decent shot at the NFC’s top spot and are leading the NFC East, but their margin for error just got a whole lot thinner. Losing a player of his caliber is a gut punch, no matter how you slice it. The defense will have to dig deep and find a way to plug the massive hole he leaves behind.
Still, there’s a silver lining. If this strategic sidelining works, and Carter returns to his full, quarterback-terrorizing glory for the playoffs, then this short-term pain will be a distant memory. For now, Philly will have to hold its breath and hope the gamble pays off.
