Sep 21, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis (90) walks off the field after he blocked a field goal attempt and returned it for a touchdown on the final play of the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Eric Hartline
This story was written by Andrew DiCecco, and originally appeared on Inside The Birds.
One could hear a pin drop inside Lincoln Financial Field, as three seconds remained on the clock Sunday.
The Rams had just marched down the field in relatively short time, poised to counter the Eagles’ go-ahead score as the final seconds ticked away. Matthew Stafford had engineered an efficient enough drive to position second-year kicker Joshua Karty with an opportunity to nail a game-winning 44-yard field goal.
Karty, who had his previous field goal attempt blocked by defensive tackle Jalen Carter, approached his windup intent on drilling it through the uprights, quickly atoning for his previous gaffe.
But as the ball began to take flight, another Eagles’ interior lineman – Jordan Davis – stormed through the A-gap to reject the attempt in dramatic fashion.
Jordan Davis and the Eagles called game!
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With a raucous crowd behind him, Davis tracked the batted ball, which had landed several yards in front of him. Without hesitation, Davis scooped the loose ball and began high-tailing it in the other direction. There was no looking back for the 6-foot-6, 336-pounder who bolted 61 yards for the touchdown – the exclamation point on a 33-26 Eagles win.
For perspective, the big man reached a speed of 18.59 miles per hour.
The team spilled onto the field, meeting Davis in the end zone after the play to celebrate. But for as elated as the locker room was postgame, no one seemed more proud, more excited, for Davis than Carter, his long-time teammate and position mate.
“It feels so good,” Carter said. “Because I’ve been with him five, six years now. Since college. He’s been doing this. It’s new to y’all, but to me, it’s old. It’s now just showing, and y’all recognizing it.”
The Rams’ field goal unit was down right guard Kevin Dotson, pressing second-year offensive lineman Beaux Limmer into service as his replacement. Limmer, unable to anchor, was walked back into Karty.
The proverbial walls caved in, and Davis was there to pounce to save the day for the Eagles. Carter offered additional perspective regarding the Rams’ protection unit and whether the Eagles had detected a tell to exploit, directing the credit to his coaches.
“Our special teams coaches,” Carter began. “Coach [Joe Pannunzio], he’s always talking to us during our special teams meetings. Going through field goal block, who the fish is, what side is the best side to rush. They had some injuries over there, where they had to replace a guy. And we took advantage of it and came out with a block.”
Jalen Hurts says he knew “them Georgia boys about to make a play” to preserve an Eagles win. 🐶
(Via @kb_973)
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Back to Davis, for a moment.
While he’s been a revelation this season, increasing his snap share and impact, including behind the line of scrimmage, there have only been enigmatic flashes that leave you wanting more.
The team was banking on Davis building off of his strong postseason stretch and taking on a sizeable workload in the absence of free-agent departure Milton Williams. Davis was a primary talking point this offseason, as few knew if or how he would perform with greater responsibility. He attacked the offseason with intent and purpose, shedding weight and accepting his newfound role.
In the Rams game alone, Davis accounted for five tackles (one for loss) and a sack that occurred on an effort play in which he chased down Stafford along the sideline.
It was a play similar to the one Davis made two seasons ago when he brought down Bills quarterback Josh Allen, but it’s fair to wonder whether that’s a play he would have made last season.
“Hell, yeah,” Carter said. “He making that way in high school. He been running fast. Like, he faster than me. I said this before, I don’t know if y’all clipped it or not, but he faster than me. That boy is fast.”
No one calls a big moment better than @RR_RicardoFAN and @OscarBudejen!
(Via @_piccone)
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With Davis, understandably, the consensus going into the season was that his building momentum needed to be witnessed in order to be believed. He entered camp in peak condition last summer, only to undertake a limited role and account for the same snap share as Moro Ojomo, with each playing 37 percent of the snaps.
But what most aren’t privy to is the work being put in behind the scenes, refining technique, attacking the process and absorbing the directives of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and position coach Clint Hurtt.
Some players progress at different rates, which Davis seems to have exemplified. But from a team perspective, no one seems surprised. They’ve worked alongside Davis daily. His fourth-year emergence hasn’t happened by accident. Everything has been earned.
“Nothing’s changed,” safety Reed Blankenship said. “He keeps that working mentality. He grinds every day. Obviously, he’s a funny guy. But, end of the day, he loves what he does.
“Obviously, he’s lost a ton of weight, he’s moving so good and he’s playing lights out right now. He’s playing with all the confidence in the world and I’m happy for him.”
— Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com
