Put up or shut up: Jalen Carter knows how to stop Patrick Mahomes

Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive tackle Jalen Carter has emerged as a force in his second season. General manager Howie Roseman traded up in the first round in 2023 to secure the former Georgia Bulldog. This season, he earned his first invitation to the Pro Bowl.

Talk about a disruptive force from the inside? Carter totaled 25 tackles, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and knocked down six passes. He led Vic Fangio’s defensive unit in tackles for losses (12) and quarterback hits (16). In three playoff games, he’s added nine tackles, two sacks, another forced fumble, and give QB hits.

The Eagles bring the league’s top-ranked defense in fewest yards allowed and fewest passing yards given up in Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX clash with Patrick Mahomes and the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs.

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When asked how do you stop Mahomes, a three-time Super Bowl MVP and with a brilliant postseason resume, there was a basic answer. “One thing is to sack him,” replied Carter. “If we do that or get him off his game, I think we’re going to have a good game …”

It’s not as if Mahomes hasn’t seen his share of pressure on Super Sunday. In four previous Super Bowl appearances, he’s been sacked a combined 10 times. He overcame the pressure of the 49ers in Super Bowls LIV (4) and LVIII (3) for wins, but was dropped three times in the humbling 31-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV.

That accounts for the 10 sacks, but no mention of the Eagles/Chiefs Super Bowl LVII clash at Arizona. The Birds led the NFL in 2022 with 70 quarterback traps, then added eight sacks in the playoff wins over the Giants and 49ers. Then-defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s unit did not record a sack that Sunday.

Will things be different at the Superdome? “I’m very confident," added Carter. "Coach Vic got us here and I’m pretty sure he’s going to finish us off right.”