Eagles Face Chargers Without Jalen Carter, Rely on Young Interior Linemen

On Monday night, the Philadelphia Eagles will take on the Los Angeles Chargers without their star interior lineman, Jalen Carter, who is sidelined after shoulder surgery. The absence of a second‑team All‑Pro defensive tackle leaves the Eagles’ defense—ranked 25th overall, 24th against the run and 19th against the pass—facing a tough challenge as they look to keep their 8‑4 record intact.\n\n## Carter’s Injury and the Eagles’ Defensive Rank\n\nCarter’s shoulder injuries, one dating back before training camp, have limited his production, but he still managed two sacks, 11 quarterback hits, six pass deflections and four tackles for loss before the surgery. The Eagles have not placed him on Injured Reserve, hoping to see him return in two to three weeks.\n\n## Interior Linemen Step Up\n\nWith Carter out, the Eagles rely on four interior linemen on the active roster: Moro Ojomo, Jordan Davis, Byron Young and Ty Robinson. Snap averages over the season show Carter at 58 per game, Ojomo 44, Davis 42, Young 16, Robinson 35 and practice‑ squad Gabe Hall 13.\n\nMoro Ojomo said, \”I think that you just try your best,\” adding, \”I think we’ve got a defense and a lot of guys that have more opportunities (now). And I think we’re just excited to have that opportunity.\” He also noted, \”Obviously a little sad for Jalen not to be there. I think he should get right and get his body feeling as good as possible. And we’re going to be ready when he comes back.\”\n\n## Young’s Confidence\n\nByron Young, who played a career‑high 38 snaps against the Bears Friday, said, \”We’ve just got a lot of young, hungry guys.\” He continued, \”We all believe in one another. The coaches believe in us. I think we can go out there and compete. We can play with anybody.\” Young added, \”Obviously (Jalen) is a great player, one of the best in the league, but everybody believes in everybody in the group and there’s going to be different players that have to step up.\” He concluded, \”I’ll be one of them and we might have other guys that have to come along too. I’m always ready for it, man. It felt good. I’m ready to go again this week.\”\n\n## Coaching Perspective\n\nJaelan Phillips remarked, \”You never want to have your guys missing time, but ultimately, I think it will be good for them to kind of deal with that now to kind of gear for the long run.\” He added, \”And then in terms of guys stepping up and switching positions and doing different things, I think that we have all the guys that we need to step up to the task.\”\n\n## Practice Without Carter\n\nThe Eagles have already tested their depth without Carter. He missed the first Cowboys game after being ejected and the first Giants game with a heel injury. The first Giants game turned out to be the team’s worst performance this year. In those two games, Ojomo averaged 59 snaps, Davis 51 and Young 30. In the 10 games Carter played, Ojomo averaged 41 snaps, Davis 40 and Young 13. Those numbers give a glimpse of what Monday night might look like, with Robinson potentially seeing more action.\n\n## Game Details\n\nThe matchup, both teams 8‑4, will take place at 8:15 p.m. Monday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.\n\n## Key Takeaways\n\n- Jalen Carter is out for Monday’s game due to shoulder surgery, with a projected return in 2–3 weeks.\n- The Eagles’ interior line will be handled by Ojomo, Davis, Young and Robinson, each with varying snap totals.\n- Coaches and players emphasize readiness and stepping up, citing recent practice sessions without Carter.\n\nThe Eagles head into Monday night with a defensive unit missing a key player but bolstered by a group of young, hungry linemen who are ready to step into the spotlight against the Chargers.