PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles will oppose the New York Jets this Sunday at MetLife Stadium without three starters, including their best defensive player in tackle Jalen Carter. The rookie is listed as out with an ankle issue along with safety Justin Evans (knee) and cornerback Darius Slay (knee).
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said the injuries to Carter and Slay, the team’s best cornerback, were unlikely to be “long-term.”
The Eagles certainly will miss Carter, who leads them with 3.5 sacks and six quarterback hurries. He has blown up pass pockets with a devastating inside push, along with hulking defensive tackle Jordan Davis, the heart of the NFL’s top-ranked rushing defense.
The good news is Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox returns to the lineup after sitting out last week with a back injury that required an injection. Limited in practice Friday, defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu (triceps) is questionable this weekend.
Carter appeared on the injury list Wednesday.
“We had a little injury in practice, which you saw in the injury report,” Sirianni said. “So, we’ll see where he is and what the status will be. … I don’t see it as something keeping him out very long.”
Wide receiver Quez Watkins (hamstring) also has been ruled out of the Jets game while safety Sydney Brown (hamstring), scratched the past two games, is questionable. Brown was limited in practice Friday.
The Jets (2-3) aren’t exactly an offensive juggernaut. They needed Xavier Gipson’s 65-yard punt return in overtime to upset the Buffalo Bills in overtime last Sunday.
At the same time, the Eagles are riddled with injuries up front and on the verge of being decimated by bumps and bruises in the secondary.
“I think they had a major challenge last week with the players and the pass offense that we went against, and they’ll have a challenge this week as well,” Sirianni said. “But I thought they have done a nice job of ‘next man up,’ you know, just everyone ready to play. Credit to (*defensive backs coach) D.K. McDonald and the defensive coaches of having guys ready to go. That’s always a challenge, to make sure that everybody is ready to go with limited reps. That’s Sean Desai, too, with how he has to call it and different things like that. But it just speaks to the character of that group that they’ve worked hard, they’re ready to go when their number is called, and they’ve continued to get better throughout the year.”
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Barring a setback, the Eagles will welcome linebacker Nakobe Dean back to the lineup Sunday.Sidelined since the opener with a foot injury, Dean has shown in practice he’s ready to be back on the field. And not a moment too soon, as the Eagles must throttle running back Breece Hall.
“He’s looking like he’s going to be there,” Sirianni said of Dean. “And we’re excited about that as a football team.”
Hall rushed for 177 yards last week, far and away the most in the NFL. He’s averaging an insane 8.3 yards per carry in the first half of games this season with 25 carries for 207 yards.
Rest assured, Dean will know every move Hall likes, as he’s a student of the game.
“People who don’t know much about football on the outside looking in might think it’s just about running and hitting,” Dean said. “If you’re able to go tackle somebody, be tough, be strong and you can play football, it’s not always the case. It’s a lot of thinking that goes with it. It’s a lot of scheme stuff that goes into it. I feel like that’s the beauty of the game to me.”
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NOTES >> Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is in line to become the third quarterback since 1970 to win at least a dozen straight road starts. That would put him nearer the hallowed company of Joe Montana, who won 18 straight starts from 1988-93 and the G.O.A.T., Tom Brady, who won 13 consecutive road games in 2016-17. … The Eagles are 6.5-point favorites over the Jets after opening as 7-point favorites.
Source: Berkshire mont