The Philadelphia Eagles traveled to the nation’s capital for a rematch against the Washington Commanders. Last time out, the Eagles were impressive and handled the Commanders convincingly. However, this game had a very different element with Jalen Hurts leaving the game with a concussion in the first quarter.
It’s not a colossal disappointment for the Eagles to lose with their backup quarterback against another playoff-caliber team. However, it once again shows the Eagles’ biggest weakness this season: They have a serious depth problem almost everywhere on the roster.
The Eagles Depth Issue
It’s not just about the bad performance of Eagles backup quarterback, Kenny Pickett. The depth issue spans throughout the team outside of the offensive line. The Philadelphia Eagles’ early-season struggles were defined by injuries to A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith, and there have been periods where Barkley has sat out in games and the offense has suffered.
Offensively, one injury to Hurts, Brown, Smith, or Saquon could be a decisive blow against any playoff opponent. However, the problem spans to the defense as well. Without, Brandon Graham, the Eagles’ defense got lit up and only had one sack for the game. The rotation of edge rushers has taken a big hit, and the Eagles could struggle to rush the passer for the rest of the year.
Like the offense, if any of Milton Williams, Jalen Carter, Quinyon Mitchell, or Zack Baun were to get injured, it would be a massive downgrade. Every team has to deal with injuries (see the Detroit Lions), but great teams can adapt to missing one or two key players, while it’s up in the air if the Eagles can do the same.
How to Go Forward
With it being so late in the season, there’s not much the Eagles can do roster-wise to fix the situation. There may be one or two veterans willing to join the team for a playoff run. Yet, there is no guarantee that would be any help. This problem will be one for the offseason with a variety of moves and draft picks to solve it.
However, there are some things the team can do in the meantime to prepare for the playoffs. With the loss today, and the wins by the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings against the Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks, the Eagles’ hopes of getting the one seed are almost gone. Additionally, the Eagles are a win away from securing the two seed in the NFC. Thus, the Eagles need to be smart about the usage of their players in the next two weeks.
The Importance in the Next Two Weeks
Next week, they take on the Dallas Cowboys, before finishing the season off against the New York Giants. The Philadelphia Eagles must make sure they get their win and secure the number two seed next week. Once that is done, they should manage their starters and bench them in week 18.
With the early bye week, the Eagles were able to get things on the right track this season. However, it’s forced them to play up to 18 games consecutively without a break. If the Eagles can get a break in the next two weeks, it could be the assurance they need to go on a playoff run.
Main Image: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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