Getty Eagles QB Jalen Hurts may not be fully healthy until the playoffs.
The Philadelphia Eagles could be looking at a possible worst-case scenario involving Jalen Hurts’ injury.
The starting quarterback is currently dealing with an SC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder and missed the Eagles’ Week 16 game versus the Dallas Cowboys. His playing status for Philadelphia’s Week 17 game versus the New Orleans Saints is still questionable, with head coach Nick Sirianni leaving open the idea of Hurts playing on Sunday. However, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Les Bowen has a less optimistic scenario involving Hurts’ injury.
While initial reports had Hurts missing two games in a worst-case scenario, Bowen reveals a troubling scenario that could have Hurts sidelined until the divisional round of the playoffs.
“On Jalen Hurts’ injury, I checked w/a medical source, who isn’t involved in Hurts’ treatment, but has dealt w/SC joint problems in football players,” said Bowen on Saturday, December 24. “Hard to say for sure but it COULD take every bit of time up to a Jan. 20-21 playoff game for Hurts’ shoulder to be completely right.”
Sirianni Refuses to Commit to Starter for Week 17
Hurts initially suffered the shoulder injury in Philadelphia’s Week 15 matchup versus the Chicago Bears.
Gardner Minshew has served as the team’s starting quarterback in Hurts’ absence, posting a solid performance in the Eagles’ 40-34 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The experienced backup went 24-of-40 for 355 yards to go along with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the loss.
Sirianni gave no indication on where the Eagles are leaning for their starting quarterback in Week 17 while speaking to reporters on Monday, December 26.
“We’ll see. One day at a time here,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said. “We know how much he wanted to play last week and how much he did to get his body ready. Again, with Jalen, his body heals different than yours and mine, right? He’s going to do everything he can do to get himself healthy. If he’s healthy, he’ll play.”
Why the Eagles Could Sit Hurts Until Playoffs
The Eagles are one game away from clinching the No. 1 seed in the NFC. They have home games remaining versus the Saints and the New York Giants to finish out the season.
If Minshew can lead Philadelphia to a win versus the Saints in Week 17, it’s not inconceivable to fathom the Eagles could hold Hurts out of the lineup until they begin their playoff run in the divisional round of the playoffs.
However, if the Eagles somehow falter against the Saints this week, Philadelphia faces the pressure of re-inserting Hurts into the lineup as they look to clinch a first round playoff bye.
The Eagles’ offense seemed to operate just fine without their star QB, producing 442 yards of offense versus one of the top-ranked defenses in the league.
Minshew explained how the offense ran the same plays they’d normally run with Hurts — minus the run game plays.
“It’s a lot of the same stuff minus some of the QB run game being the biggest difference,” Minshew said. “Outside that we run some of the same plays, same concepts. … All the guys fought their tails off. That’s the ones that hurt, when you fly like that and come up short. But there’s not a group that I’d rather step out there with and really grateful for the effort they gave and fight that they had.”
The Eagles will look to win this week to clinch the No. 1 seed. By doing so, Philadelphia may not press Hurts back into the lineup until the playoffs as he rehabs his shoulder injury.