They’re playing a lot, they’re playing great, and the Eagles hope the first thing doesn’t change the second thing.
Only two interior linemen have played at least 440 snaps for fewer than 23 NFL teams this year.
Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. Davis played 455 snaps and Jalen Carter 440.
This is a big deal for two guys who have never played this much before, and they’ve already played a full college season and are at a stage where the most important games of the year are coming up. It starts Sunday in Dallas.
Davis and Carter are both having great seasons, and the two former Georgia Bulldog teammates are by far the most impressive young interior linemen in the NFL.
But is the increased snap count too much? Both Davis and Carter say no.
“I feel like I’m holding up pretty well,” Carter said after Friday’s practice. “Nobody’s ever told me to try harder or anything like that. I feel like I’m doing pretty well.
“Everything I get is what I get that weekend. I’m happy with what I get. I try to make it happen with every snap I get.”
Carter played 408 times on defense and 32 times on special teams in 11 games, while Davis played 362 times on defense and 93 times on special teams in 12 games.
Davis averaged 17 snaps per game last year, but has taken 30 snaps this year. He has already played over 100 more snaps this year than he did as a rookie, when he missed four games.
Over the last month, they’ve had more snaps than ever before. In fact, Carter has played the fourth-most snaps of any inside lineman in the NFL over the past month. His snaps went from 29 per game before the second game against Washington to 52 per game over the last four games. Davis was scoring 27 points per game before Washington’s second game, but he scored 37 points in the final four games.
While the Eagles played 95 defensive snaps against the Bills, Carter played 76, the most by an interior lineman in the NFL in a game this year. Davis played a career-high (so far) with 62 points.
“We’re about three-quarters of the way through the season, so being able to play every game and still be healthy means a lot to me,” Davis said Friday. “Last year I was knocked out for like five weeks? Yeah, it’s a long season, but I feel really good.
“We’re on a mission every week, but I don’t think about the snap numbers. I never look at them. Whatever they want from me, I give it to them.” intend to.”
Davis and Carter have both been outstanding this year, but their productivity has dipped a bit as of late.
By Week 7, they had totaled five sacks, seven lost tackles, three forced fumbles, and 10 quarterback hits.
In their last five games, they have totaled half a sack, one tackle for loss, no forced fumbles and two QB hits.
That might just be because the Eagles played a stronger opponent. But it’s remarkable.
Fletcher Cox and Milton Williams are still in the rotation, but the Eagles are missing snaps from Kentavious Street, who played an increasingly important role when he was traded. And Cox has seen a drop in snapping over the past two weeks as he deals with a groin injury.
It’s a difficult balance for coaches. You want to have the best players on the field, but you also want to make sure you don’t overdo it.
And Carter’s top four games for snaps have all come in the last six games. Three of Davis’ top five have come in the past three weeks.
Both Carter, 22, and Davis, 23, said they are spending more time on recovery and maintenance than ever before.
“When I got to the next level, the first thing I was told was, ‘There’s going to be more games, it’s going to be a longer season, your body might be more sore,'” Carter said. “So we have a training room, cold bath, hot tub, and sauna. I take advantage of them every day.”
What was most helpful?
“It’s a cold bath,” he said. “I’m still getting used to it. That’s really cold. It really hits home. Every time people ask, ‘What’s your ritual to keep your body in shape?’ It’s a cold bath.”
When we caught up with Carter, he had just finished a cardio session and his hoodie was fully soaked.
“I’m not going to sit here and say I love cardio or look forward to doing it every day, but I know I need it,” he said. “I feel like it’s never enough. For me, I know that’s what I have to do to get to where I want to be. That comes with being a professional.
“I do the treadmill, sometimes the Versa Climber, sometimes the elliptical. It’s all about moving your body and getting your heart rate up.”
The Eagles have never won by a blowout, so coaches didn’t have the opportunity to rest players late in games like they did last year.
One thing is certain. The Eagles need Carter and Davis at their best over the next five weeks and likely beyond.
It doesn’t matter how many snaps he has to play.
“That’s just the name of the game,” Davis said. “We’re still not where we want to be. We’ve got to keep doing what we have to do, take care of ourselves and just keep it down.
“The offseason is about getting your body in shape. Right now, we just know that’s the weekly mission. Let’s do the best we can, pick ourselves up and get back in shape.”