Devonta Smith and Darius Slay Out For Week 18

There has been a lot of talk of the Eagles sitting their starters in week 18. While it does not look like the Eagles will go all in and sit everyone, at least two starters will be resting during the final game. Devonta Smith (ankle) will miss his first game of the season. And Darius Slay (knee) will miss his 5th straight game after arthroscopic knee surgery.

But as of now, no one else is listed as out for the game. Meaning as expected, the Eagles will put out their starters, at least for the first half. What is likely is that they will be watching the scoreboard for Cowboys vs Washington. And if it becomes clear the Cowboys are going to win, they will pull their own starters. But the Eagles do not want to risk sitting their starters, only for the Cowboys to get upset and for them to miss their chance to take back the Division.

If they lose, or the Cowboys win, they will be stuck as the 5 seed. Which means they will be traveling to face the winner of the NFC South. As of now that would be the Bucs. But if the Bucs lose to the Panthers, and the Saints beat the Falcons, the Saints could still sneak into the playoffs. It could also still be the Falcons if they beat the Saints, and the Bucs lose.

It seems Smith's injury isn't so serious that if they needed him to play, he would not try to do so. But with little chance that the game will mean anything, bad conditions predicted for Sunday's game, and Met Life's turf being infamous for causing injuries, the Eagles figure why risk it. They fully expect both him and Slay to be back for the playoff game, wherever that may be. In better news, it looks like Zach Cunningham will be back.

The Philadelphia Eagles suffered their worst loss of their NFL season in Week 17 against the Arizona Cardinals. A tight victory over the New York Giants didn't inspire too much hope, and the team responded with the worst loss of the Nick Sirianni era. The Eagles hope to have key starters like Zach Cunningham back on the field in Week 18 for the final game of the regular season.

It wasn't pretty at Lincoln Financial Field on New Year's Eve. The Eagles are reeling with four losses in five games. The optimism of a 10-1 team has disappeared quickly.

Nobody can confidently say the Eagles have any momentum heading into the playoffs. They have struggled with the same weaknesses throughout the 2023 season, and their recent opponents have exposed their flaws brutally.

A.J. Brown spoke confidently about the direction of the team on Wednesday. He insisted that the team still believes in Sirianni, the rest of the coaching staff, and each other. However, his words carry no weight until the fans see the Eagles improve their performance on the field.

Darius Slay will likely miss his fourth consecutive game after an arthroscopic knee surgery. Kelee Ringo was the primary fill-in on the outside for the injured Pro Bowl cornerback. Zach Cunningham was a full participant in Thursday's practice. He should provide relief to a struggling defense that desperately needs it.

DeVonta Smith is nursing an ankle injury suffered in the fourth quarter against the Cardinals. The Eagles need him for a potential playoff run, and he'll likely sit out Sunday.

Nick Sirianni will weigh the option of resting his starters against the Giants. The Dallas Cowboys can clinch the NFC East with a victory against the Washington Commanders. There's a good chance the Eagles will not face any seeding consequences with a loss.

Quarterback, #1
Oklahoma University/University of Alabama
4th NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (53rd overall) in 2020

Running Back, #0
University of Georgia
4th NFL season- Acquired in a trade from Detroit Lions (April 2023)

Wide Receiver, #11
Ole Miss
5th NFL season- Acquired in a trade from Tennessee Titans (April 2022)

Wide Receiver, #80
University of Alabama
13th NFL Season, Signed in Free Agency (October 2023)

Wide Receiver, #13
University of Virginia
5th NFL Season, Signed in Free Agency (April 2023)

Tight End, #88
South Dakota St.
6th NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (48th overall) in 2018

Left Tackle, #68
Jeff Stoutland University
6th NFL Season- Drafted in 7th Round (233rd overall) in 2018

Left Guard, #69
University of Alabama
3rd NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (37th overall) in 2021

Center, #62
University of Cincinnati
13th NFL Season- Drafted in 6th Round (191st overall) in 2011

Right Guard, #51
University of Nebraska
2nd NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (51st overall) in 2022

Left Tackle, #69
Oklahoma University
11th NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (4th overall) in 2013

Defensive End, #94
Florida State
6th NFL Season- Drafted in 4th Round (130th overall) in 2018

Defensive Tackle, #91
Mississippi State
12th NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (12th overall) in 2012

Defensive Tackle, #90
University of Georgia
2nd NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (13th overall) in 2022

Edge Rusher/Linebacker, #7
Temple University
7th NFL Season- Signed in Free Agency (March 2022)

Linebacker, #52
Vanderbilt University
7th NFL Season- Signed in Free Agency (August 2023)

Linebacker, #50
South Carolina St.
6th NFL Season, Signed in Free Agency (December 2023)

Cornerback, #22
University of Georgia
1st NFL Season, Drafted in 4th Round (105th Overall) in 2023

Cornerback, #24
University of Arkansas/Samford University
8th NFL Season- Signed in Free Agency (May 2022)

Cornerback, #29
University of Pittsburgh
Drafted in 4th Round (125th overall) in 2018

Safety, #31
Middle Tennessee State
8th NFL Season, Acquired in trade from Tennessee Titans (October 2023)

Safety, #32
Middle Tennessee State
2nd NFL Season- Signed as Undrafted Free Agent (May 2022)