Matt Patricia of the Eagles Provides an Inside Look at Jalen Carter’s “Rookie Wall”

Jalen Carter, the star rookie for the Philadelphia Eagles, has seen a decline in playing time and output. Has he reached his rookie status?

PHILADELPHIA- With 20 pressures in his first four NFL games, Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter looked more like Aaron Donald than your average rookie during the first month of the season.

Carter has only produced four pressures in his last four games, leading some to wonder if the gifted Georgia product has reached his rookie wall.

When questioned about that sentiment last week by SI.com’s Eagles Today, Carter grinned and pointed out that UGA is still in action at this time of year, and the Bulldogs were competing in and winning national championship games in Athens when he was accruing All-SEC and All-American accolades.

“Ask me once that’s done,” he grinned.

However, in a 33-25 victory over the New York Giants on Christmas Day, Carter only played 21 snaps (or 33 percent of the defensive total), which was his lowest total in almost two months.

Head coach Nick Sirianni and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia both denied that the Giants’ inability to scramble off the field in time resulted in an offside penalty.

Sirianni responded, “No, no, no, not at all with that.” That was when BG, or DE Brandon Graham, was tinkering around inside, right? Fletch, DT Fletcher Cox, was playing excellently.

“We weren’t in any of those five-down packages during some of their two-minute drives, so that was more a result of the game plan and the players we had on the field at that specific moment—BG with [LB] Haason [Reddick and [DE] Josh [Sweat.”

“You practice these various sets over the course of the week, using them against bigger players that you might see inside, like Fletch, Jalen Carter, or Jordan Davis, for example,” Patricia explained. “And then all of a sudden you get a little bit of a different skill set in there.”

“… small area, agility, internal components, center of gravity work.” We simply believed that matchup would be a nice change-up, especially when we are trying to affect the pocket in a particular way.

Okay, but for all the skill that players like Cox and Graham possess, no defensive lineman for the Eagles is as physically gifted as Carter, 22, who can win with a unique combination of size, strength, and quickness. Carter is a matchup nightmare when he plays well.

That means there is more going on.

When SI.com’s Eagles Today asked Patricia about the rookie wall in general terms, in an attempt to deflect attention from Carter, the seasoned coach responded with a thorough and considered response.

“I’ve seen a lot of different rookies over the years, and some have handled the transfer really well, and some have struggled through that from that standpoint,” Patricia remarked, emphasizing how difficult an NFL season can be for any player.

“I believe that your routine is the main thing that you rely on. And then you enter those seasonal modes, where you simply follow certain timelines and milestones, like trying to make it through September and then reaching the end of October, Thanksgiving, or Christmas, or simply understanding the season’s timeline from that perspective.

“I find it to be fascinating.”

Although the switch from 16 to 17 games seems insignificant on paper, Patricia pointed out that players have needed some time to adjust.

“You wouldn’t think it’s much, obviously, a few years ago, but I did think there was a change when you went from 16 to 17,” he remarked. “I felt that for some of the players, there was a shift in the way the season time marker worked, and it took some getting used to.

It is undoubtedly difficult for younger players and rookies to adjust to the league’s schedule, which differs greatly from their college experience. They may not have observed holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas, or taken the break before the postseason, and it can be challenging to grind through those months and remain consistent. For those guys, it’s novel.

Patricia says the key to getting over the hump is to stick to the routine.

It seems to be the most important factor. Patricia stated, “You just try to get them into a routine.” Many of the guys will approach the more seasoned guys and ask them questions about how to go about it.

“And that’s true, and after enduring the longer or more difficult months when the grind is what it is, all you can do is try to educate them so that they can return at the end of it from that perspective.”

But for Carter in particular, it goes beyond simply the quantity of games and reps. He’s seeing more double teams now that he’s put the league on notice, and that’s also having an impact on wearing down.

The Eagles want to win their final two regular-season games, but they are also trying to serve two masters by managing players like Carter, whose goal is to fill the potential difference-maker’s gas tank as much as possible for the high-leverage moments to come. The postseason is assured, and they have an inside track to the No. 2 seed with a chance to steal the No. 1 spot in the NFC.