It’s been a strange week for the Philadelphia Eagles organization. Everything looked good for the Eagles following their dramatic Week 1 comeback. However, Week 2 led to some panic. In a true heart-breaker, the Eagles were done in by a fourth-quarter, 54-yard Julio Jones touchdown reception, falling 24-20 to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football. While the loss hurt, the real takeaway from this game was the absurd amount of injuries for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Philadelphia Eagles Injuries: It’s Not Time to Panic
Make no mistake about it. On Sunday night the Philadelphia Eagles suffered too many injuries to count against the Falcons. DeSean Jackson sustained an abdominal strain and is looking at a two week absence. Alshon Jeffery strained his calf and could miss two contests as well. Corey Clement injured his shoulder and is likely out for a game or two as well. Timmy Jernigan broke his foot and is likely out for a month.
And this is to say nothing of the second quarter shot to the ribs that seemed to limit quarterback Carson Wentz for most of the game’s duration. Wentz missed a portion of a late first-half drive in concussion protocol. No doubt, it was a rough night for the fourth-year passer.
And that’s just scratching the surface. In all, nine Eagles missed action at one point or another. Nine. Injuries are an unavoidable reality for any NFL franchise but this is an almost unprecedented run of bad luck. In fact, the team is currently so banged up that head coach Doug Pederson actually changed Wednesday’s scheduled full practice to a simple walkthrough to accommodate his ailing roster. That’s less than ideal, to say the least.
No Easy Task
Be that as it may, on Sunday afternoon, the Eagles are set to host the Detroit Lions, a team that is something of an enigma right now. After blowing an 18-point lead against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1, the Lions held Philip Rivers and the Chargers to a mere 10 points en route to an impressive 13-10 victory. Based on what they’ve shown thus far, it’s impossible just how good these Lions are. The Eagles are undoubtedly the much better squad on paper, but they can’t afford to look past such an unpredictable opponent.
Outside of the getting lit up by Kyler Murray in the fourth quarter in Week 1, Detroit’s defense has looked impressive in the early portion of the season, and would likely put up a fight even against a fully healthy Eagles offense. With weapons like Jackson and Jeffery sidelined and an inconsistent running game, this won’t be easy.
Without question, it’s going to be tough sledding hosting the Lions on Sunday, then traveling to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers four days later on Thursday Night Football. And the schedule isn’t exactly a cupcake with a brutal upcoming stretch that includes contests with the Dallas Cowboys and the New England Patriots among other contenders. So what does all of this mean for the Eagles’ chances of getting in track?
Built for Success
Injury and inconsistency have been the team’s downfall in the early going, but it’s far too soon to panic in Pennsylvania. This team has won four of its last five postseason appearances. It’s more important to be healthy in December than September and there’s every reason to believe things will work out.
All in all, the team’s outlook remains bright. This is a talented and dynamic roster, and the majority of these injuries lend themselves to reasonably quick recoveries. While losing Jackson and Jeffery is a huge blow to the passing game in the short term, Nelson Agholor and rookie wideout J.J. Arcega-Whiteside have the talent to step up and tight end Zach Ertz remains one of the game’s best.
As long as Wentz is healthy, this is a team that can make serious noise. Take the events of last Sunday night and toss them aside. That many injuries in one contest can only be described as a fluke, and a victory at home on Sunday should quell the concerns of the fan base. It’s too early in the season to call any single game a “must-win” affair, but the 2017-18 Super Bowl champions know what’s at stake. Short-handed or not, a bounce-back performance in the City of Brotherly love is likely in order.
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