Former Eagles react to the win in New Orleans: ‘Carter was a terror’

Chris Long was animated as he watched the big plays down the stretch. LeSean McCoy wondered about some fourth-down calls.

Tackle Jordan Davis (90) and the Eagles defense came through with a big effort against the New Orleans Saints.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

by Gabriela Carroll

Published Sept. 23, 2024, 1:36 p.m. ET

The Eagles pulled off a close one in New Orleans on Sunday, thanks to Saquon Barkley and Dallas Goedert’s heroics late in the 15-12 victory. But the big story of the game was the defense. After allowing the Falcons to drive down the field virtually untouched in the final minutes of Week 2, the Birds thwarted the league’s best offense through two weeks on the road.

Chris Long was every Eagles fan watching the final drives of the game.

“Big human beings in the middle playing like big human beings in the middle,” Long said in a video posted to X. “Third downs, fourth downs. Overcame a lot of [expletive] today, played with our food, but that’s how you go on the road and win.”

A lot of former Eagles had some things to say about the decisions to go for it on fourth down — including LeSean McCoy.

But Brian Dawkins posted that with two new coordinators, growing pains are to be expected early in the season.

Jason Kelce shouted out Fred Johnson and Tyler Steen, who entered the game on the offensive line in place of Lane Johnson (concussion) and Mekhi Becton (finger).

And of course, Jalen Carter, who was dominant up the middle on defense on Sunday.

Overall, the lack of points looked worse than the final stats, as Emmanuel Acho pointed out.

But the Birds still have plenty to work on ahead of Sunday’s road game in Tampa.