By Paul Bowman, Sports Talk Philly Editor
The Eagles, miraculously, enter this week’s match-up with the Redskins in a tie for first place in the division with a 6-7 record.
The Birds can certainly make the playoffs with a respectable 9-7 record if they win out, but that is far from a given.
The change in offensive play calling last week breathed new life into the Eagles, but the injuries have not let up.
Last week, the Eagles had Lane Johnson, Alshon Jeffery, Miles Sanders and Jalen Mills all miss parts of the game with injuries.
Alshon Jeffery was placed on injured reserve, ending his season, but the other injuries appear less serious.
Injury Report
Eagles
Out
RT Lane Johnson
Lane Johnson is a huge loss as one of the top tackles in the league. The good news is that Big V played well last week and has gotten the starting reps all of this week, meaning he should be more ready that the majority of the time he ends up playing. Something to watch, however, will be the status of Brandon Brooks. Brooks and Johnson are very close and without Johnson beside him and a change in his routine, Brooks may end up having more anxiety than usual.
Questionable
RB Jordan Howard
The Eagles have been missing Howard for four weeks now and it has been five weeks that he has yet to be cleared for contact. Doug Pederson seems to think that Howard can be back for a playoff run. In the meantime, Boston Scott will have to keep rolling and Jay Ajayi will need to break out of his training camp look to pick up the slack.
UPDATE: Howard has been downgraded to out.
DE Derek Barnett
Barnett injured his knee in the game against the Dolphins and did not play against the Giants.
Barnett has been both great and disappointing. He has been disappointing in that his own stats just aren’t there. He has been great in that the rest of the pass rush becomes more effective with him on the field.
UPDATE: Barnett has been downgraded to out.
WR Nelson Agholor
Agholor didn’t play last week and it sounds like he won’t again this week. His injury may be a blessing in disguise as it will allow all three young receivers, JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Robert Davis and Greg Ward, to play significant snaps. Ward and JJAW have show something in the past few games and, if Davis shows he can play and compete for a spot on the 2020 roster, the Eagles are in far better shape moving forward then they appeared they would be just a few weeks ago.
UPDATE: Agholor has been downgraded to out.
CB Ronald Darby
Darby didn’t get injured in the Giants game, but suddenly appeared on the injury report on Friday night with a hip injury. Rasul Douglas would likely play in place of Darby should he be sidelined.
Redskins
Out
WR Paul Richardson
Richardson is the Redskins second-best receiving option that is healthy at the moment, but has just 28 catches for 245 yards.
WR Trey Quinn
Quinn is supposed to be Washington’s third receiver, but has just 26 receptions for 198 yards.
With these two out, Terry McLaurin will be assisted by Kelvin Harmon at receiver.
Questionable
RG Brandon Scherff
Scherff is the best linemen on the team and may be the best overall player, too. If he is out, Wes Martin and Ereck Flowers figure to be the starting guards, which should be big for Fletcher Cox and Tim Jernigan.
S Montae Nicholson
Nicholson is the starting safety and is having a career year with 52 tackles, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. His replacement would likely be the speedy, but unproven Troy Apke from Penn State.
CB Josh Norman
Norman was benched earlier this season and is currently listed as suffering from an illness. The safety once thought to be among the greatest in the league has recorded just six defensed passes and a single interception in eight starts and 11 games.
CB Fabian Moreau
Moreau has been a benefactor of Norman’s poor play and has ended up playing more than half of the defensive snaps in 10 of the last 11 games for Washington. He has three interceptions in the last three weeks.
CB Quinton Dunbar
To add to the depth issue seen in the prior two players at the same position, their best corner in Dunbar is also questionable. Dunbar has four interceptions of his own and had been the team’s most consistent corner while playing more defensive snaps than the other corners. If all three of these corners are out, Washington is looking at the cornerback dilema that the Eagles faced in 2018 and to start 2019.
NOTE: Linebacker Ryan Kerrigan was placed on IR Friday night.
Kerrigan is the top defender on the Redskins roster and would be in line for a big game with Lane Johnson sidelined. The Skins will instead turn to rookie Monetz Sweat to be their high-impact defender.