How Lane Johnson became Jalen Carter’s unlikely mentor on the Eagles

When it was over, the old veteran found the kids, and he thanked them.

“I told them I think that’s the best they played all year,” Lane Johnson said. “They took away multiple touchdowns.”

Johnson and the Eagles hadn’t won at Dallas in six years, but they won Sunday, 34-6. They hadn’t won by more than 28 points at Dallas since 2001, eight years before AT&T Stadium opened. Jalen Carter was seven months old.

Carter and the Eagles got drilled in his first trip to Dallas, last season, by 20. He left happier Sunday night, and left with the old man’s blessing.

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Lane Johnson is a personable sort, but, according to his teammates through the years, he mixes with defensive linemen like toothpaste mixes with orange juice. He makes frenemies of his own tribe at practice. He is clinical, at his kindest.

At least, he used to be.

Now, with center Jason Kelce retired, Johnson is much more … available. He has been especially available to Carter, a first-round pick at defensive tackle in 2023. He is the most important defender on the Eagles’ roster, both short-term and long. Johnson realizes this. He gives Carter pointers on technique. He encourages him at Nick Sirianni’s intense practices. This is the sort of thing Kelce routinely did. This is the sort of leadership Johnson now displays.

Johnson’s support manifested itself at the end of the second quarter Sunday.

Jalen Hurts had committed his second turnover in three scoreless possessions. The second, a strip-sack fumble the Cowboys recovered at the Eagles’ 6-yard line, gave Dallas a chance to take its first lead.

But on first down, Jordan Davis — a third-year first-rounder who also is surging — attacked two blockers, occupied them, and gave C.J. Gardner-Johnson a clear shot at Ezekiel Elliott, whom CJGJ dropped at the 3. After the sun blinded CeeDee Lamb on a TD route — yes, the Cowboys played with the roof closed — Carter had, perhaps, the finest moment of his 25 NFL games.

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At the snap, he grabbed center Cooper Beebe, tossed him aside to the right, then shot a gap to the left where Rico Dowdle was looking for daylight. One step later and it was lights out for Dowdle, smothered by Carter for a 2-yard loss, and the Cowboys had to kick a field goal. Instead of a 10-7 hole the Eagles led, 7-6.

Hurts, resettled and inspired, got the ball back with 1 minute, 49 seconds to play and led a seven-play drive that ended in a touchdown. The Eagles took a 14-6 lead into the locker room.

After the game, Carter sought out Johnson.

“Jalen asked me, ‘How’d I look out there today?’ ” Johnson said.

Carter wasn’t happy. He’d only managed a half-sack to go with his three others this season.

“I’m big on sacks,” he said later in the locker room, with a greedy smile.

Johnson told him to forget about sacks defining his play. Retired defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, whom Carter was drafted to replace, averaged only seven sacks when he went to six straight Pro Bowls from 2015 to 2020.

“I told him, ‘People are going to see you out there throwing people around,’“ Johnson told Carter. “‘You’re creating lanes for linebackers to make plays.’”

Carter’s motor matters, too. As a rookie last year, Carter too often disappeared for long stretches, and he had little juice at the season’s end. This season, he’s cruising.

“I told him, ‘You’ve got people watching you. When they see Jalen Carter working hard, they’re going to work hard,’“ Johnson said.

The result: The Eagles defense ranks No. 2 in total yards, No. 3 against the pass, No. 4 in opponent’s passer rating, No. 5 against the run, and No. 6 in points allowed.

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Carter ranks eighth in total defense and No. 2 among interior pass rushers, according to Pro Football Focus. During the Eagles’ five-game winning streak, Carter has gotten an above-average PFF grade as a pass rusher in all five games. He was above average overall in four of the five. So was Davis, as it happens. Neither had any such streak last season.

“I’ve seen Jalen get real consistent,” Johnson said. “That’s what, I think, the biggest jump has been, this year.”

“He’s gotten better and better every week,” said defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. “He’s playing better with his hands, using his hands, and being a better technician. And that’s translating into good play because of his talent.”

A few weeks ago, Johnson lit a fire under Carter, and checks in occasionally.

“He told me, ‘You can do it. Go show them,’” Carter said. “He watches me on film. He lets me know. He’ll come and tell me, ‘Turn up.’”

Rookie corners Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean have gotten more recognition, and middle linebacker Nakobe Dean has, in his third season, earned a starting linebacker spot, and second-year edge rusher Nolan Smith keeps making plays. But they all eat better when Carter, and Davis, command the middle of the field.

“You’ve seen it,” Johnson said. “We have a young team. A young defense. The more they play, the better they’ll get.”

Even if it doesn’t show up on the stat sheet.

After the big win in Big D, Carter told Johnson that he wished he’d been able to do more.

“He told me, ‘You didn’t get any sacks, but you did the little things,’“ Carter said.

He rubbed his chin. You could almost see the light turn on.

“You know what?” he said. “That’s smooth. That’s smooth.”