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Landon Dickerson headlined one of four limited participants at Philadelphia Eagles’ practice. The starting left guard showed up on the injury report with a hip injury. His status for Week 8 remains in limbo.
Sua Opeta or Nate Herbig would be the next two options at left guard if Dickerson can’t go. Meanwhile, Miles Sanders was listed DNP for a second straight day. The feature back won’t suit up against the Detroit Lions as he recovers from a foot/ankle injury. Sanders will be placed on injured reserve, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He’ll be eligible to return on Sunday, November 21 versus the New Orleans Saints.
Rookie cornerback Zech McPhearson (hamstring) was missing in action, along with defensive end Ryan Kerrigan who picked up a groin injury. Kerrigan’s absence wouldn’t be a huge loss considering he has zero sacks on 166 snaps, including a season-low 13 snaps in Week 7. The ailing pass rusher to monitor is Javon Hargrave (shoulder).
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Defensive Players Buying into System
Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon continues to take the heat for the NFL’s 17th-ranked defense. The numbers don’t seem too bad at first glance, then you watch the tape. The unit runs a vanilla scheme and can’t seem to get pressure on the quarterback.
The Eagles’ defense is getting gashed in the run game (133 yards per game), bleeding points (26.4 per game) while averaging only 1.6 sacks per game. Not good enough. That doesn’t mean the players don’t believe in Gannon’s system.
“I think so, and I’m confident in that because, when we go out and install the game plan, they’re juiced up,” Gannon said about guys buying in. “When we explain to them, ‘Hey, here’s why we’re doing what we’re doing,’ they understand, and you see it in practice, and you see it in the game. They are trying to do what we want them to do. We have to set it up a little bit better.”
Cornerback Steven Nelson thinks there are “genius” parts to Gannon’s scheme. While no one else was comparing him to Albert Einstein, there is widespread optimism that a turnaround is coming soon. Safety Rodney McLeod said it’s a matter of attacking the calls made.
“I’m very confident, man, and that’s just because of the type of guys that we have,” McLeod said. “Aggressively attacking blocks in the screen game. Owning the ball when it’s in the air. And playing violently.”
Lions Coordinator Positive for COVID-19
Detroit will likely be without special-teams coordinator Dave Fipp in Week 8. The former Eagles coach tested positive for COVID-19 and needs to turn in two consecutive negative tests before the Lions-Eagles game. Fipp is fully vaccinated and has no symptoms, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Fipp spent seven seasons in charge of special teams for the Eagles. Originally hired by Chip Kelly in 2013, the 47-year-old survived one coaching regime change but not a second one. His unit has been a lone bright spot in 2021 for Detroit. The Lions recovered an onsides kick in Week 7, then pulled off two fake punts against the Los Angeles Rams.