Eagles’ Upcoming Opponents Are Dealing With Bad Injury News
While the Philadelphia Eagles seemingly made it through Week 5 relatively unscathed, several of their upcoming opponents did not. Let’s take a look at the latest NFL injury news.
WEEK 6 – AT NEW YORK JETS
Jets starting right tackle Alijah Vera-Tucker will miss the rest of the 2023 season due a torn Achilles. The news was first reported on Monday afternoon and later confirmed by head coach Robert Saleh.
Here’s the reaction to the news over at Gang Green Nation
This is a huge loss for the Jets. Vera-Tucker has been the team’s most consistent lineman the last two seasons. He just cannot seem to catch a break injury wise. Now the Jets will need to figure out how to make it through the rest of the season without him again.
AVT ranks 22nd out of 64 offensive tackles graded by Pro Football Focus this season (minimum 50% snaps).
His absence does not help a Jets team that is tied for the eight-most sacks allowed this year. The Eagles’ defensive front will be looking to take advantage of a weakened Jets offensive line.
Max Mitchell, a 2022 fourth-round pick, is AVT’s backup. Mitchell has allowed 15 pressures in 251 career pass blocking snaps, which is not good. For context, Lane Johnson allowed 11 pressures in 651 pass blocking snaps last season. Mitchell has also graded out poorly as a run blocker.
Haason Reddick, who has three sacks in his last two games since getting his cast removed, will get the chance to go up against Mitchell this Sunday. That’s looking like a mismatch in Philly’s favor.
WEEK 7 – VS. MIAMI DOLPHINS
Sean Desai’s defense is certainly going to be tested by a Dolphins offense that just set a record for the most yards through five games with 2,568 (513.6 average).
Miami will be without one of their top weapons, however, since rookie standout Devon Achane is expected to miss multiple games due to a knee injury.
Here’s the reaction over at The Phinsider:
It’s a tough blow for a Miami offense that has been humming on the ground as of late. The Dolphins ran for 222 yards against the Giants last weekend — 151 of those rushing yards belonging to Achane.
Achane has a total of 527 yards and seven touchdowns on the season. He’s averaging a whopping 12.1 yards per carry.
The Dolphins will lean on veteran Raheem Mostert in Achane’s absence. Jeff Wilson Jr. could also be back in the near future as the team has said the previously injured running back may begin practicing this week for the first time since his injured reserve designation prior to the regular season opener.
Mostert, an Eagles UDFA signing back in 2015, is more than capable of contributing in Achane’s absence. He’s at 5.4 yards per carry for seven touchdowns in addition to 128 receiving yards for one score.
And even if the Birds manage to shut down the Dolphins’ rushing attack, they’ll still have to deal with the likes of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in the passing game. Not an exciting proposition.
But the Eagles will avoid Achane.
WEEK 8 – AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
Commanders special teams ace Jeremy Reaves, who earned first-team All-Pro plus Pro Bowl honors last year and is a former Eagles UDFA signing, reportedly suffered a partially torn ACL. He might miss the rest of the season.
WEEK 9 – VS. DALLAS COWBOYS
The Cowboys got blown the eff out by the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night. Making matters worse, they suffered several notable injuries.
Starting linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is reportedly headed to injured reserve due a neck injury, thus ruling him ineligible to play in Week 9.
Here’s the reaction over at Blogging The Boys:
Shortly after The Dallas Morning News noted that the team does indeed plan to place Vander Esch on injured reserve. Also in the note is that the Cowboys could add a veteran in the linebacker room as well. For what it’s worth defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, speaking after McCarthy, noted that Micah Parsons could play some more traditional linebacker.
Dallas’ next game is on the road against the Los Angeles Charters, the site of which came Micah Parsons’ debut predominantly as an edge rusher during Week 2 of his rookie season, so it would be ironic if that was where he slid back to play more classic linebacker, but that is still a week away.
Whatever the case this is obviously not ideal for the Cowboys given that they do not have a ton of linebacker depth.
LVE ranks second the Cowboys in tackles this season. He is one of their best run defenders on a defense that ranks tied for the eight-most rushing yards per attempt allowed this season. According to Pro Football Reference, LVE has yet to miss a tackle this year and he is allowing just a 62.8 passer rating when targeted.
In other news, the Cowboys’ special teams unit has also been bit by the injury bug. ST ace C.J. Goodwin is reportedly out for the year and returner/offensive gadget guy KaVontae Turpin is banged up.
Goodwin has been with the Cowboys since the 2018 campaign. He’s logged 1,424 snaps on special teams as well as 58 on defense. Since his arrival, he’s been the tone-setter for the third phase of the game on Dallas and even made a great tackle on a punt against the 49ers.
It isn’t just his presence on the field, but his mentorship that will be missed for the next 12 games, and possibly beyond into the playoffs for the Cowboys. This is added on to KaVontae Turpin being out for 4-6 weeks with a high ankle sprain. The Cowboys special teams have taken a hit from injuries.
After hosting the Cowboys in Week 9, the Eagles will play in Dallas in Week 14.
Brandon Lee Gowton:
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