The week after Sydney Brown burst into the Eagles’ record book with a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown, the rookie out of Illinois suffered a season-ending torn ACL Sunday in the loss to the Giants.
The hope now is the third-round pick will be healthy enough to start the 2024 season. He joins linebacker Nakobe Dean in the rehab room.
“My heart breaks for those guys that can’t be out there with us,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “And we need those guys out there with us. As far as DeVonta (Smith), as far as Cam (Jurgens), as far as A.J. (Brown), we’ll see as the week progresses. Obviously, bummed that Cam and A.J. had to come out and we obviously missed DeVonta yesterday. We need all hands on deck to do the things we want to do. We’ll see how the week progresses. Hopeful on everybody besides Sydney.”
Jurgens suffered an eye injury in the first half against the Giants, Sua Opeta replacing him. A.J. Brown sustained, according to Sports Injury Central, a sprained MCL. Smith sat out Sunday with a sprained ankle. And quarterback Jalen Hurts injured the middle finger on his throwing hand in the first half Sunday, although he briefly returned to action, taking a seat when the Eagles fell behind 24-0 in what became a 27-10 defeat at MetLife Stadium.
“We know how tough Jalen is,” Sirianni said. “This guy has played through a lot of different things. I was watching him closely when he came out of the (injury) tent and watched him throw. He looked at me and he said, ‘I’m going.’ Got his helmet, picked it up, and that gives you goose bumps to think about one of your best players doing that and fighting through for his teammates.”
The Eagles oppose the Buccaneers Monday night in the wild card round of the playoffs. Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield played all 65 offensive snaps with injured ribs in a 9-0 win over the Carolina Panthers Sunday.
Sirianni has his fingers crossed that toughness prevails with the walking wounded, starting with Hurts.
“We’ll see as the week progresses,” Sirianni said. “I know he’s going to be sore. That finger is going to get stiff and he’s going to have to go through hard work to make sure he’s ready to go. But I have no doubt that he’s going to do everything he can do to do that, and that he’ll be able to play through his bumps and bruises because I’ve seen him do it over and over and over again.”
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Sirianni was criticized on social media when responding “no” to a question about whether he was considering any changes to the play-calling operation before the playoffs.
While it’s a little late to change the play-call operation (again), the reality is the Eagles have struggled to even line up correctly on both sides of the ball the last two games, both losses.
That will be a luxury against the Buccaneers (9-8), who have won five of their last six games basically by not beating themselves.
The Eagles are favored by 1.5 points.
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Where this is hope, there is Eagles fan and Delco Times reader Jamie Yannacone, who points out that the Birds still could host TWO playoff games.
A win over the Bucs in the wild card round plus victories by the Lions over the Rams and Cowboys over the Packers and the Eagles would host a divisional round game.
An Eagles win over the Rams and a Packers upset of the 49ers would have the Birds hosting their second straight NFC title game.
The journey begins Monday.
Source: Berkshire mont