Prior to Monday night's game, it was tough to determine who would emerge as a leader on the Eagles' defense.
Starting linebacker DeMeco Ryans was the unquestioned field general for the Eagles. He tore his Achilles tendon two Sundays ago in Houston and is done for the year.
Connor Barwin, a teammate of Ryans' both with the Texans and Eagles, led the defensive charge with 3.5 of the team's nine sacks in a memorable performance from the Birds' D as they battered the Panthers, 45-21.
"I think he has had a Pro Bowl-type season," Derrick Gunn said on Tuesday's episode of Quick Slants. "That's one of the better acquisitions the Eagles have made in recent years."
Barwin has 10.5 sacks through nine games this season, which is already the most ever by an Eagles linebacker.
Besides rushing the passer, he can drop into coverage when necessary and defend the run. It's his intangibles and team-first mentality that has impressed CSNPhilly.com's Reuben Frank the most though.
"I just love how unselfish he is," Frank said. "I think it says a lot that you lose DeMeco, and Connor Barwin steps up the very next week with the biggest game of his life."