As the Dallas Cowboys gear up for a highly anticipated showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles, there’s no shortage of tension and rivalry building. However, the latest remarks from Eagles’ emerging defensive tackle Jalen Carter carry a playful tone rather than animosity.
Jalen Carter, who has made a significant impact during his rookie season with the Eagles, is looking forward to his first encounter with the Cowboys. In a conversation with SI.com’s Mike Fisher and Isaiah Deanda Delgado, he delivered a striking statement, saying, “I’m ready to kill the Cowboys. Everybody’s got beef. I might as well join the wave.” It’s important to note that Carter’s comments don’t add hostility; instead, he’s injecting some humor into the NFC East rivalry.
Nonetheless, it’s easy to imagine how Cowboys players might react to such remarks. These games are already intense, and a rookie’s playful comments might just earn him additional attention or extra motivation when Sunday’s clash arrives.
The Cowboys face a challenging task in dealing with Jalen Carter and the formidable Philadelphia defensive line. While Dallas boasts one of the NFL’s top defensive lines with standout pass rushers like Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence, the Eagles may have the edge in this department.
Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat, and Brandon Graham are all impressive, but Carter, in particular, has excelled as a rookie. Pro Football Reference statistics show that Carter has accumulated 3.5 sacks, 6 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles in just seven appearances. These numbers are impressive for a rookie interior defender and place him among the league’s top performers. ESPN reports that his 25% pass-rush win-rate is the best in the league. Carter is poised to play a pivotal role on Sunday, and the Cowboys’ experienced offensive line will need to be at their best to counter his impact and that of the entire Eagles’ defensive line.
Beyond the fierce defensive line showdown, this matchup also features an intriguing quarterback battle. While players like Carter and Parsons will be gunning for Dak Prescott of the Cowboys and Jalen Hurts of the Eagles, the two quarterbacks have only faced each other once before. Hurts holds a 2-2 record against the Cowboys, but their lone head-to-head meeting took place in 2021, resulting in a 41-21 win for the Cowboys. In that game, Prescott had a standout performance with 238 passing yards and three touchdowns, while Hurts threw for 326 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Prescott has a strong track record against the Eagles, with an 8-3 record as he enters their first clash of 2023. Beating the formidable Eagles in Week 9 will be a challenging task, considering the Eagles have only suffered one loss this season and the electric atmosphere at Lincoln Financial Field will undoubtedly add to the spectacle.