With the Philadelphia Eagles 43-35 victory over the Los Angeles Rams, the Birds retook the sole possession of first place in the NFC after the Minnesota Vikings lost earlier in the day. Unfortunately, the victory was bittersweet. In the fourth quarter, star second-year quarterback Carson Wentz suffered a knee injury that the team fears may be a season-ending torn ACL. The North Dakota State product will have an MRI to reveal the extent of the damage.
BREAKING: AP sources say doctors believe Eagles star Carson Wentz, an MVP favorite, has a torn ACL. He will have an MRI to confirm.
— AP NFL (@AP_NFL) December 11, 2017
Report: Carson Wentz Believed to Have Torn ACL
While it is not specifically clear where or which play the injury occurs, it most likely occurred on Wentz’s first and goal run on the Rams two-yard line. Wentz scrambled to the right and dived into the end zone, getting his lower body sandwiched in a hard collision. He got up hobbling but stayed in on four more plays, including standing in the pocket and delivering a two-yard touchdown pass to Alshon Jeffery. It was his fourth touchdown of the game and the 33rd of the season, a new Eagles franchise record. Wentz left immediately afterwards for the locker room and did not return.
Backup quarterback Nick Foles entered the game in relieve of Wentz. Foles came in for three more drives, leading the offense to field goals on the first two possessions he was under center. Down 35-31 when they got the ball back just after the start of the fourth quarter, the Eagles and Foles drove 52 yards in 10 plays to cut it to 35-34.
The Birds defense forced a fumble at the Rams 25 and seven plays later, they had another field goal to take the lead, 37-35. The last touchdown came on the final play of the game on a Brandon Graham fumble recovery for a score on Rams laterals.
If Wentz’s injury is as bad as feared, it should keep him out the rest of the season and for a large majority of the off-season. This would be the first injury to keep Wentz out of NFL games in his young career.
The Eagles clinched the NFC East with the victory and are in good position to at least get a first-round bye in the playoffs. Foles should be the Eagles quarterback for the foreseeable future this season.
The Eagles will travel to MetLife Stadium next weekend to take on the NFC East worst New York Giants.
