The Eagles are down another offensive starter. This one is arguably their best and most explosive weapon.
Miles Sanders limped off the field in the first half of the Eagles-Giants game on Sunday with an ankle injury. The rookie running back was shaken up after landing awkwardly while being forced out of bounds. The Eagles listed Sanders as questionable to return. Boston Scott came in and took over the extra ball-carrying duties, not veteran Jordan Howard.
Sanders, who has been eviscerating all-purpose yardage records, was widely viewed as the front-runner to win the NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He had eight touches for 51 yards — 6.4 yards per carry — before going down in the first half.
The Eagles also lost starting right guard Brandon Brooks toward the end of the first half to a right shoulder injury. Brooks, arguably the best (and highest-paid) player at his position, was carted off the field in a troubling scene. His teammates emptied the sideline to bid him a fond farewell.
Eagles head coach Doug Pederson told FOX Sports’ Shannon Spake that both Sanders and Brooks were “unlikely to return” versus New York.
Matt Pryor took over for Brooks at right guard. Cornerback Avonte Maddox (who was filling in for an injured Jalen Mills) also left the game for a brief stint and went to the medical tent. Sidney Jones filled in for him.
Meanwhile, Scott had five carries for nine yards in a replacement role. But it was his 29-yard catch-and-run on a vintage screen play that set up the game’s first touchdown. On it, Carson Wentz fired a perfect strike down the field to a wide-open Joshua Perkins for a 24-yard touchdown. The Eagles took a 10-3 lead into the halftime locker room.
Wentz rolls out and Perkins makes the defense pay!
The Eagles, of course, are already down a dizzying array of starters on offense and defense. Lane Johnson, Jalen Mills, Nelson Agholor, Alshon Jeffery, Zach Ertz and Ronald Darby were all ruled out for the team prior to kickoff. Then, they lost Sanders and Brooks in the first half. Stay tuned for injury updates.
If the #Eagles win this game, they’ll probably have to do it without all these offensive players they were counting on this season:
Miles Sanders, Brandon Brooks, Lane Johnson, Alshon Jeffery, DeSean Jackson, Nelson Agholor, Zach Ertz, Corey Clement, Darren Sproles
Miles Sanders Named Sixth Team Captain
The Eagles named Miles Sanders their sixth team captain on Sunday. The team usually adds a captain on gameday and the honor was given to the rookie as a reward for all his hard work in getting the Eagles back into contention.
.@BoobieMilesXXIV will serve as our sixth captain for #PHIvsNYG.
Sanders ranks seventh in the NFL in all-purpose yards with 1,590, plus has another 766 yards strictly on the ground. The rookie running back carried the ball eight times for 51 yards before going down with an ankle injury in the first half on Sunday.
His 1,327 total yards from scrimmage leads all NFL rookies. Sanders is the first Eagles player to accomplish that feat in 66 years, according to NBC Sports’ Reuben Frank.
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Eagles Top Playmaker Leaves with Ankle Injury, Pro-Bowl Guard Carted Off