When Jalen Carter looked back at his first couple of weeks of the NFL season, he didn’t like what he saw. He was harsh on himself, admitting that his performance was “trash” in a video after practice. The young defensive tackle knew he could do better, especially after being disciplined for being late to a team meeting and struggling in the first two games.
But Carter quickly turned things around in the Eagles’ Week 3 win over the Saints. He was all over quarterback Derek Carr, consistently disrupting the backfield and making key plays to keep the game tight. By the end of the game, Carter had put up impressive stats, including being the highest-graded Eagle by Pro Football Focus and leading the defense to a much-improved performance.
After the game, Carter still criticized his own play, setting a high standard for himself. He joked about needing to perform like Khalil Mack to reach his goals but emphasized that team success was paramount. Despite his strong showing against the Saints, Carter knows he has more to give and is determined to meet the high expectations he sets for himself.
Looking ahead, the Eagles will rely heavily on Carter’s continued improvement to solidify their defensive line. Sunday’s game may have been the spark he needed to reach his full potential and help lead the team to more victories in the future.
MORE: Goedert’s dominant day, BG’s role, other Eagles thoughts
Follow Nick on Twitter: @itssnick
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports