Philadelphia Eagles At Risk of 2 Devastating Injuries
Should a Jalen Hurts injury be the main focus of Philadelphia Eagles fans?
Their team put themselves in great shape with a victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9. The Eagles are in the driver’s seat to win the NFC East and earn the top seed in the conference. Nick Sirianni has established himself as one of the best head coaches in the NFL. Fans deserve some positivity.
However, Eagles fans know they already used their miracle to win a Super Bowl with a backup quarterback. The health of Hurts and tight end Dallas Goedert could factor into the 2023 Eagles season more than any level of execution on offense, defense, or special teams.
McManus on Jalen Hurts Injury
Hurts hasn’t shown the fullest extent of his ability as a runner in recent weeks. A bone bruise on his knee has clearly affected his quickness.
A hit from DeMarcus Lawrence in the second quarter didn’t exactly help. Tim McManus joined The Birds Postgame Show on 97.5 The Fanatic to speak about the injury.
“I’m not sure one week is going to make it all go away. I think it likely got worse tonight when Lawrence puts a hit directly on it…He had a hard time getting off the ground, and when he did finally get to his feet, he started to stumble. There was a bad limp.” -Tim McManus
The fourth-year quarterback has struggled to avoid the wear and tear of big hits throughout his career. During his first full season as a starter in 2021, an ankle injury wore on him late in the season.
He ran for over 50 yards in six consecutive games before missing a Week 13 matchup against the New York Jets. Although he returned quickly, he rushed for under 50 yards in each of his remaining three starts.
Hurts missed two games in 2022. Gardner Minshew and the Eagles failed to give him the luxury of a long rest. Two straight losses forced Hurts back into action in Week 18 to right the ship.
The bone bruise likely won’t keep Hurts out of action coming out of the bye. However, it’s fair to question whether he can utilize the extent of his skill set, especially in the ground game, in the second half of the 2023 season.
If he does miss time at any point in 2023, Marcus Mariota doesn’t inspire short-term or long-term confidence.
DiCecco on Dallas Goedert Injury
Ian Rapoport reported that Goedert suffered a fractured forearm that will most likely require surgery. The estimated recovery time is four weeks.
Andrew DiCecco of Inside the Birds joined The John Kincade Show to discuss the injury.
“They don’t have much behind Dallas Goedert. I think that is the biggest drop off on the roster from a starter to a backup. They don’t really have the guys on the team to step up and fill that role adequately.”
— 97.5 The Fanatic (@975TheFanatic) November 6, 2023
- @AndrewDiCecco via @975JKShow
📸Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images pic.twitter.com/mv8wAKlqbf
Grant Calcaterra is out of the lineup with a concussion. His history of head injuries doesn’t indicate optimism that he’ll recover quickly. Jack Stoll is a serviceable blocking tight end, but he doesn’t provide explosive ability as a receiver.
Albert Okwuegbunam played his first six snaps with the Eagles in Week 9. The 6-foot-5 tight end caught 54 passes in three seasons with the Denver Broncos before the Eagles acquired him in August. He’ll never see a better opportunity to prove himself.
Goedert has caught 38 passes for 410 yards in 2023. The tight end screen and the short passing game showcase his physicality and ability to run after the catch. The ability to unleash Goedert as a weapon behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith provides a luxury to the Philadelphia offense that very few NFL teams have.
Linebacker Nakobe Dean could also miss extended time with a foot injury. Although he hasn’t lit the world on fire this season, additional injuries are the last thing the Eagles need.
Philadelphia could get Bradley Roby and Cam Jurgens back in the lineup for Monday Night Football on Nov. 20 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Lane Johnson spoke after the victory about the upcoming bye week and some much-needed rest. He certainly knows the effect of wear and tear in his 11th NFL season, and he’s well aware that the Eagles simply need to cross their fingers and hope that key players are in reasonable shape by the time the playoffs come around.
Watch The John Kincade Show live on the 97.5 The Fanatic YouTube page on weekday mornings from 6am-10am.
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