PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles lost Jalen Carter this week, but not their belief. With the All-Pro defensive tackle sidelined week-to-week after undergoing procedures on both shoulders, the Birds now turn to their rotation — led by Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, Byron Young and rookie Ty Robinson — to k eep their interior defense intact heading into Monday night’s game at the Los Angeles Chargers. Carter’s absence removes one of the NFL’s most disruptive inside forces, a player who regularly commands double-teams and shapes protections. But he hasn’t been himself most of the year, despite still making an impact. With the surgeries, he’s trying to get right for a potential postseason run. The tone inside the locker room Friday wasn’t resignation. It was readiness as the Eagles enter the final stretch of the regular season with five games remaining. Carter started 10 games this season and logged more than 70 percent of the snaps last week despite the shoulder issues that finally required attention. Replacing that workload isn’t a one-man job. Davis, who has been Carter’s primary partner up front, said the group has prepared for this scenario. “Whatever the coaches need, we’re ready to go,” Davis said Friday. “You never want to see a teammate down, but that doesn’t change what’s expected of us. “The energy at practice today was really up on both sides. I really loved the energy and enjoyed it.” Robinson, a rookie out of Nebraska who hasn’t seen much time despite a strong preseason, knows his responsibilities are about to spike. “Opportunity comes in different ways,” Robinson said. “We know what’s expected of us now, and we’ve practiced like that all week.” Moro Ojomo could see additional snaps as well, and the Eagles may mix in various sub-packages to compensate for Carter’s absence without overloading any one player. Edges Brandon Graham and Jaelan Carter could occasionally slide to the inside, depending on the situation. Linebackers feel the pressure, too The guys behind the line understand the ripple effect. Rookie inside linebacker Jihaad Campbell, an impressive top pick who can also play on the edge, didn’t dance around the reality of missing a linchpin. “Look, Jalen’s a big piece of what we do,” said Campbell, who didn’t see any defensive snaps last in last week’s loss to the Bears (which defensive coordinator Vic Fango said he regretted). “But we trust our guys. When your name is called, you answer. That’s this week for a lot of us. “It’s all about wanting joy for yourself, of course, and wanting joy for everybody else that’s around you. You know, how can I help the team win? How can other players help the team win? How can we all help each other win? That’s the mindset.” Nakobe Dean echoed Campbell’s sentiments with an even broader message of identity. “It’s not one guy,” Dean said. “It’s a unit. It’s a mindset. If one piece is out, the rest of us close ranks.” Both linebackers noted that Carter’s absence puts a premium on communication. Campbell said the front seven has spent extra time cleaning up run-gap calls and making sure substitution packages are seamless. A favorable matchup, maybe Even without Carter, the Eagles may have an advantage Monday. The Chargers’ offensive line has struggled in both protection and short-yardage situations this season, and Los Angeles has been inconsistent running the ball. That said, nothing about the Eagles’ defensive performance over the last couple weeks suggests they can afford to assume anything. They surrendered 281 rushing yards to Chicago last week and have been worn down in multiple fourth quarters. Davis said the front knows it must set the tone early. “You can’t wait until the second half,” he said. “We’ve got to start fast, stay physical, and close.” Friday practice report DNP: LG Landon Dickerson (rest), DT Jalen Carter (shoulders/out), RT Lane Johnson (foot/out). LIMITED: ILB Zack Baun (hand), WR Jahan Dotson (toe), EDGE Jaelan Phillips (concussion). FULL: S Marcus Epps (shoulder), WR Xavier Gipson (shoulder), T Myles Hinton (back). — Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X at @the_defranc for the latest updates.   ...read more read less