After surrendering 281 rushing yards to the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving, all options to fix the Philadelphia Eagles' run defense are on the table. For once, the loss wasn't simply on the shoulders of the Philly offense, with the defense getting consistently gashed by the Bears in the run game. The Eagles' run-stopping woes were highlighted by defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who was consistently abused defending the run and unable to make his typical impact.
Carter received his worst overall defense (32.8) and run stoppage (31.5) grades of the season in Week 13, per Pro Football Focus, as well as his second-worst tackling grade (24.4). PFF's grading is far from perfect, but anyone who watched Carter against the Bears knew how frustrating he was, as he missed two tackles for the second straight week.
Whether it is the pressure that has been on the shoulders of the Eagles' defense or simply an off day in a short week can be debated. What isn't up for argument is the fact that Carter's play has been increasingly frustrating to watch with each passing week. Something has to give if Philly wants to take the Lombardi Trophy home again, even if that means giving some of Carter's opportunities to a teammate.
Eagles Must Give Some of Jalen Carter's Responsibilities to Moro Ojomo
Moro Ojomo has surprised fans this season, attacking the run and consistently being in the right spot when he is given a chance in the lineup. The third-year disruptor has amassed 17 solo tackles and 36 pressures to begin the 2025 season, whereas Carter is currently sitting at 18 and 36, respectively. Although those numbers are on par, it's worth noting that Ojomo has played 54 fewer snaps than his counterpart.
The former Texas Longhorn even has the edge in PFF's grade:
PFF Grade | Jalen Carter | Moro Ojomo |
|---|---|---|
Overall Defense | 60.8 | 75.3 |
Run Defense | 45.9 | 66.6 |
Tackling | 25.3 | 31.2 |
Pass Rush | 76.3 | 70.2 |
This is in no way to suggest that Ojomo is a better player or is capable of wrecking a game the way that Carter can at any moment. Rather, it is pointing out the reality that Ojomo is defending the run at a higher level, and with Philly struggling in this area, it could be a wise decision to explore keeping Carter a bit fresher. Even dating back to the defender's college days with the Georgia Bulldogs, there was a constant rotation to help keep him fresh and able to attack the passer as well as the run.
Interestingly enough, Ojomo tied his season-high of 62 snaps in Week 13, while Carter played 61.
With this in mind, it makes sense to put Ojomo in the lineup a bit more to see if the positive production holds while keeping Carter a bit fresher. The best-case scenario is that Ojomo's positive production continues and eventually motivates Carter to step up. Suddenly, the Eagles could rotate between the two when needed, keeping both men fresh and in as good shape as possible to help chase a Super Bowl.
Besides, it's too late in the season to add outside help. All the Eagles have now are their internal options, meaning trying to use Ojomo and Carter differently is the best shot they have at turning things around — especially with run-happy Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh up next on the Week 14 schedule.