While the Philadelphia Eagles' struggling offense has understandably received the bulk of the attention during their recent three-game losing streak, Vic Fangio's defensive unit has been nowhere near the levels of their Super Bowl-winning season. After giving up an average of 449 yards of offense to the Cowboys and the Bears in back-to-back weeks, the Eagles had a better showing against the Chargers, but weren't able to stop their skid. To make matters worse, they lost a key starter in Jalen Carter ahead of the final stretch of the season.
The Eagles' best defensive lineman has been playing through a shoulder injury all season before electing to undergo a procedure. This kept him out in Week 14 and will continue to sideline him. The Eagles ruled out Carter and Lane Johnson already ahead of the crucial game against the Raiders.
Brandon Graham Embracing His Role as DT in Jalen Carter's Absence
In Carter's absence, it will once again be Brandon Graham stepping up. Only a few weeks after his return from retirement, Graham was immediately thrown into the fire, playing out of position in Week 14. The 37-year-old played a season-high 30 defensive snaps against the Chargers, 27 of them coming on the inside, per Pro Football Focus. He was able to hold his own, receiving a 64.8 defensive grade.
Considering how undersized Graham is to play defensive tackle, this is certainly impressive. At six-foot-two and 265 pounds, the legendary Eagles defender doesn't have the size or length to line up on the interior. Yet, he can make up for it with his experience, versatility, and strength. Graham lined up more on the inside earlier in his career, before starting to line up on the edge exclusively. Now, in his first real opportunity of the season, he is playing a role he presumably didn't expect when he decided to come back.
Fangio teased the continuation of Graham's role as a defensive tackle, saying, "Yeah, BG is the ultimate pro. He's got strength. He knows how to play blocks. I think he'll be better this week moving forward," per Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia. Zangaro added that Graham has been working with defensive tackles all week and has embraced his role. Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, and Byron Young will continue to get snaps on the interior, with Jaelan Phillips also seeing some reps in pass rush situations from the inside.
This type of sacrifice is what makes Graham so special to the city and the organization. Not only did he come back in a time of need for the Eagles, but he is also more than willing to do whatever it takes for the team.