Getty DeSean Jackson and Nelson Agholor celebrate after a touchdown in the Eagles 32-27 win.
Lane Johnson and Darius Slay both left Sunday’s game in the second half and never returned after leaving the field. It’s looking more and more likely neither player will be available in Week 5, although the team hasn’t yet ruled them out.
Johnson (ankle) continues to deal with complications from summer “tightrope” surgery, a clean-up procedure that Doug Pederson said will “linger” all year. He is getting a second opinion, according to Pederson. The All-Pro right tackle first hurt his left ankle at the end of last season and hasn’t been 100% healthy since last December. Rookie Jack Driscoll took over for Johnson on Sunday.
“In the case of Lane Johnson, I am waiting,” the head coach said. “Medically we’re waiting on a second opinion, so there’s some reports still coming in on Lane, so I don’t have any update yet with him.”
Meanwhile, Slay is in the NFL’s concussion protocol after suffering a head injury against Pittsburgh. The Pro Bowl cornerback has to report no symptoms — no dizziness, no headaches — before he can return to the lineup. Slay has been one of the Eagles’ best defenders in 2020, the true shutdown corner the team has lacked since Asante Samuel left town.
Special-teams ace and backup corner Craig James filled in for Slay on Sunday and held his own. They are down to three active corners on the roster in James, Nickell Robey-Coleman, Cre’Von LeBlanc.
This Darius Slay hit 😤
(via @thecheckdown)
Pederson also gave a quick update on the health of receivers DeSean Jackson (hamstring) and Alshon Jeffery (foot/illness). The head coach wouldn’t put a timetable on a return for either player — he never wants to increase expectations — but revealed they are both making progress and hopes they can practice this week. Pederson mentioned “fully incorporating” Jackson back into the offense.
“We’re hopeful that DeSean gets incorporated into practice this week,” Pederson said. “We’re obviously hopeful that Alshon gets back out there this week. You know, we’ve got to make sure that these two guys obviously are healthy first, right, No. 1 and make sure they are 100 percent heading into the game.”
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The Travis Fulgham Experience Rolls On
The Eagles might have plucked a number one receiver off the scrap heap. And, of all the places, he came from the Lions’ waste pile.
Travis Fulgham has turned into an overnight sensation in Philadelphia. He has 12 receptions for 209 yards and two touchdowns over the past two weeks while making people forget about Jackson and Jeffery. He’s the real deal.
Travis Fulgham’s last two months:
* August 9th: waived by the Lions
* August 10th: claimed by Packers
* August 19th: waived by the Packers
* August 20th: claimed by the Eagles
* October 4th: catches game-winning TD
* October 11th: 10 catches, 152 yards, 1 TD and counting
“He’s a beast,” quarterback Carson Wentz said, via the Eagles’ website. “I mean he showed up today and showed really last week that the two big plays he had, they weren’t a fluke. Kid’s a baller. He made a lot of big plays. I was really proud of him and pumped for him.”
Just a reminder of what Fulgham has accomplished: first Eagle with 150 receiving yards since Jackson in Week 1 of 2019 — and first Eagles wide receiver with 100 yards in a game since Alshon Jeffery last December.
“I’m just trying to do what I can. If Carson throws me the ball, just come down with it and make the play,” Fulgham said. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to get the win, but we’ll keep building on it.”
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