The Philadelphia Eagles are in a bit of a dilemma going into the final two weeks of the season. The team rode a 10-game win streak and looked poised to win the division. However, a late road bump may put that in jeopardy. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts suffered a concussion early in their game against the Commanders. Now the latest injury news doesn’t sound overly promising. With only a two-game lead over their rival, with two games left, they need Hurts to be healthy now.
What Is The Latest Injury News On Hurts?
NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Dave Zangaro reported on Christmas that who will take snaps under center for the team in their upcoming matchup against the Cowboys was uncertain. While the report says that the Birds had an off day for Christmas, they still put out an initial injury report for the week.
The report listed Hurts as a non-participant after the concussion. It would be a tough blow to lose Hurts for an extended period of time considering he is the engine that keeps the Eagles ship moving. However, this late in the season losing Hurts long term could be a detriment. The team only having the slim lead they have over their division rival means there’s no room for error. They can still lose the division if they lose their next two games versus Dallas and their other division rival the Giants. Of course, Washington would also have to win their next two games as well for that to happen.
Still, not having the captain of the ship for either of those games could be problematic. Additionally, Eagles backup quarterback Kenny Pickett was listed as a limited participant with an injury to his ribs.
Another report from USA Today’s Jacob Camenker doesn’t give a much better diagnosis today on Hurts.
How Should The Birds Proceed?
If Hurts can’t go for their week 17 showdown against Dallas, the key to victory should be what has carried them all season, the legs of Saquon Barkley. He’s continuing to have a historic season and the team has been able to win games consistently with Hurts sometimes throwing under 20 times in a game as long as Barkley is early and active with the ball. This should be even more of a precedent if neither Hurts nor Pickett can go this week.
If they do need to lean on the passing game it should only be in service of big downs or manageable yardage situations. The team fortunately has two of the best pass catchers in the game if it comes to that. Hurts Hopefully will also be healthy for at least one of the two games.
Thankfully for the birds, the Cowboys and Giants matchups also have favorable advantages in the sense that neither have had strong seasons. Both games will also be at home which is always an advantage at the Linc. It will be interesting to see how the Eagles manage the next two weeks. We will have to wait longer to see if the team can finally clinch the division.
Main Photo: [Peter Casey] – USA Today Sports
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