The Philadelphia Eagles have already clinched a playoff spot heading into Week 17 against the Buffalo Bills, but the good news continues to trickle in. They are expecting defensive tackle Jalen Carter to return this week.
Not only are they getting their All-Pro defensive linemen back, but they are getting him healthy for their playoff run. Carter missed the last three games after undergoing procedures on both shoulders in early December, but in his absence, the Eagles went 2-1, clinching the division title in the process.
And that has allowed Carter to heal up. When speaking to reporters this week, Carter said, via NBC Sports Philadelphia. "It feels better. I can’t get too excited because I’m still working on it every day, still getting the strength back and stuff like that. I had a couple times where I strike the O-lineman and gave me some good knock-back to where I could really test out the shoulders and they felt pretty good.”
While he still has to get back into game action, this is a great step for the Eagles team.
Jalen Carter Feels Ready to Go Roll After Shoulder Surgeries
It hasn't been the season that everyone expected from Carter, as he's recorded 32 total tackles, two sacks, four TFLs, and six pass deflections. He's still been effective for the Eagles, but it was clear he wasn't 100% healthy.
While it's tough to expect that from anyone at this point in the season, Carter appears ready to roll for this postseason stretch. Prior to him getting sidelined due to the surgeries, the Eagles were 8-4 and dropped two games in a row. They ended up losing to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 14, which had them at 8-5, as negativity soared around the team.
Instead of continuing to go down this bad stretch, they rebounded and won two straight games without Carter. The defense also allowed 18 or fewer points over the last two weeks, as they've hit a groove.
Doing that without your most impactful defensive linemen is a big deal for any team, let alone the defending champions. It shows the potential of this team when the games matter the most. The last two weeks will be a nice test for Carter to get back into the swing of things and be ready to roll when the playoffs begin.
It's hard to play the long game with your better players in the middle of the season, but that's what Philly did with Carter. And from the sound of it, that was the correct decision. This is especially true since they clinched the division title for the second straight year.