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The Philadelphia Eagles suffered a serious injury during their loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
As reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network on Monday, December 26, slot cornerback Avon Maddox suffered a “significant” toe injury and it out indefinitely. As Rapoport notes, CJ Gardner-Johnson is eligible to come off of injured reserve and could fill the slot role while Maddox is out.
“Eagles CB Avonte Maddox suffered a significant toe injury, per me and @MikeGarafolo,” says Rapoport. “He had his MRI this morning to confirm the news that he’s out indefinitely. Philly does have CJ Gardner-Johnson eligible to come off IR and is a possibility to play in the slot.”
Maddox Has Dealt With Injuries All Season Long
Maddox had been dealing with injuries all season long, missing six games before returning versus the Cowboys in Week 16. In nine games and eight starts this season, Maddox had posted 43 tackles, three tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, a sack, three passes defensed, three forced fumbles and an interception.
Josiah Scott filled in for Maddox following his injury and the Eagles promptly gave up a 3rd-and-30 conversion to Cowboys receiver T.Y. Hilton midway through the fourth quarter.
The Eagles will look to rely on Scott, Darius Slay, James Bradberry and potentially Gardner-Johnson with Maddox out indefinitely.
Lane Johnson out for Rest of Regular Season
Not only are the Eagles going to be without Maddox for the foreseeable future, they’re going to be without arguably their top offensive starter for the remainder of the regular season.
As reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday, December 26, starting offensive tackle Lane Johnson will be out for the regular season due to a torn tendon in his abdominal area.
“Eagles are hopeful that four-time Pro Bowl OT Lane Johnson will return for the postseason, but he is not expected to play again this regular season due to what tests revealed was a torn tendon in the abdominal area, per sources,” says Schefter.
The four-time Pro Bowler is probably the most consistent player on the Eagles’ roster, having not allowed a sack on an NFL-record 928 pass attempts, as mentioned by Ed Kracz of Sports Illustrated.
“Johnson’s loss is a big blow to what is arguably the best offensive line in the NFL, and for Johnson who hadn’t given up a sack in an NFL-record 928 pass attempts,” said Kracz.
According to Pro Football Focus, the 32-year-old Johnson has posted an 83.2 offensive grade this season, ranking seventh among all tackles. Over his first nine seasons, Johnson ranked within the top 10 of all offensive tackles in offensive grade.
With Johnson sidelined, the 25-year-old Jack Driscoll — who has 14 career starts to his name — is the next man up.
Following the Eagles’ tough loss to the Cowboys, head coach Nick Sirianni’s message to his team was simple — we’re in this together.
“We win together, we celebrate together, and we pick each other up together,” he said. “Everything is together – together, together, together, It wasn’t one phase that let another phase down. It was offense, defense, coaching, everything.
“We’re in this together. The teams that stick together through the ups and downs of the season are teams that continue to grow together. We’ll figure it out.”
Philadelphia will have the opportunity to clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a win in at least one of their two final remaining games, with home games versus the New Orleans Saints and New York Giants.
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