Jalen Carter is a monster. He plays defensive tackle for the Eagles. The Minnesota Vikings have been dominated by powerful defensive tackles for years. The Eagles play the Vikings Thursday night. You see where this is going?
This is not a great scenario for the Vikings. Playing on short rest in Philly after an embarrassing home loss to the Bucs in which center Garrett Bradbury got hurt and Tampa’s interior lineman outplayed guards Ed Ingram and Ezra Cleveland.
It’s not just Carter the Vikings need to fear. The Eagles’ defensive line is big and athletic. Veteran Fletcher Cox is still an animal and second-year defensive tackle Jordan Davis is a mountain of a man at 6-foot-6 and 336 pounds. Davis has a 20- to 35-pound advantage over Cleveland, Bradbury, Ingram and backup center Austin Schlottmann.
Bradbury was being pushed backward by Tampa’s Vita Vea before he suffered a back injury that has him day-to-day and probably questionable for Thursday night.
Schlottmann held his own a little better, but it didn’t matter because Ingram was bullied all day, allowing a sack, one hit and two hurries for a total of four pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. Last year, as a rookie, Ingram allowed an NFL high 63 pressures and 11 sacks.
So far, it’s more of the same and now he’ll have to block Carter.
Carter led all rookies with eight quarterback pressures in his NFL debut, though it’s worth noting that he was gifted with the Patriots’ starting left and right guards missing the game with injuries. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Carter had the second best pass rush win rate in Week 1 and Cox was tied for fourth in the same category.
Top 10 players in pass rush win rate at defensive tackle in Week 1 thus far.
(ESPN / NFL Next Gen Stats) pic.twitter.com/VrhtOHPtAs
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) September 11, 2023
Ingram’s PFF pass blocking grade was 40.3. That’s a failing mark by a miles and was the worst on the team Sunday.
Cleveland actually earned a solid 78.9 pass blocking grade and was credited with just one pressure allowed, but his run blocking grade (49.5) was the worst on the team. This is a bad matchup for the Vikings, meaning the quick passing game is likely going to have to be exemplary in order for Minnesota to move the ball.
