January 07, 2024
The Philadelphia Eagles just faced their Week 18 opponent, the New York Giants, in Week 16, but both teams have some new injuries, and the Eagles will be without WR DeVonta Smith and CB Darius Slay.
Here are the Eagles' and Giants' inactives, with analysis:
Tanner McKee is the emergency quarterback. S Tristin McCollum is a gameday callup from the practice squad.
• WR DeVonta Smith: This will be Smith's first missed game of his career. My understanding is that while the Eagles are trying to win this game — as in, not rest starters (Fletcher Cox aside) — they are making sure Smith and Slay are are healthy as possible for the playoffs.
• CB Darius Slay: Kelee Ringo will get his fourth straight start in relief of Slay. He has shown some good and some bad, as you might expect.
• RB D'Andre Swift: Swift was a late addition to the injury report with an illness, which opens the door for Boston Scott to add to his touchdown total against the Giants,
• DT Fletcher Cox: Cox wasn't on the injury report, but he's getting a rest in advance of the playoffs.
• OL Tyler Steen: The backup linemen will be Sua Opeta, Jack Driscoll, and Fred Johnson.
• LB Nakobe Dean: Entering the 2023 season, Dean was the clear No. 1 linebacker on the roster, as the team was counting on him to take on a much bigger role than what he had as a rookie in 2022. That has not gone to plan, as he landed on injured reserve after suffering a foot injury Week 1 against the Patriots. He returned Week 6 and played in four games before again suffering a foot injury that landed him on injured reserve for a second time this season. When he has played, Dean has been fine as a run defender and as a tackler (PFF has him down for 0 missed tackles), but he has struggled in coverage. PFF has him down for 13 completions on 14 targets for 120 yards.
Dean was seen on a Roll-A-Bout in the locker room a couple weeks ago. He graduated to crutches and a walking boot last week. He's likely done for the season.
• S Justin Evans: Evans was the Eagles' choice to start opposite Reed Blankenship to begin the 2023 season, as he beat out Terrell Edmunds and Sydney Brown during training camp for that opportunity. He started four games for the Eagles, and when healthy, was a competent player. He landed on IR with a knee injury, lost his starting job when the Eagles traded for Kevin Byard, and reverted to season-ending IR when he was unable to make progress toward a return.
The Giants' inactives:
GIANTS INACTIVES
— Dan Salomone (@Dan_Salomone) January 7, 2024
WR Parris Campbell
CB Deonte Banks
OLB Benton Whitley
C John Michael Schmitz
TE Tyree Jackson
DT Timmy Horne
QB Jacob Eason
EAGLES INACTIVES
CB Darius Slay
WR DeVonta Smith
RB D'Andre Swift
G Tyler Steen
DT Fletcher Cox
QB Tanner McKee pic.twitter.com/9STvEwUNcp
Banks and Michael-Schmitz are both rookie starters.
• QB Daniel Jones: Jones tore his ACL in October. His season is over. His final stat line of the season: 108 of 160 (67.5%) for 909 yards, 2 TDs, 6 INTs, 30 sacks, and 4 fumbles in 6 games (1-5 in those starts). 😬
Tyrod Taylor initially took over for Jones, followed by Tommy DeVito after Taylor went down, and now the Giants are back to starting Taylor after DeVito was benched for his performance against the Eagles Week 16.
• RT Evan Neal: Neal has had a rough start to his career after being selected seventh overall in the 2022 draft. He was replaced in the lineup at RT by Tyre Phillips, who was on the Eagles' practice squad earlier this season.
• OT Tyre Phillips: Phillips was on the Eagles' practice squad earlier this season. The Giants poached him to start in place of the injured Neal, and he wound up being an upgrade. His season is now over though with a quadriceps injury. Matt Peart filled in at RT after Phillips went down.
• OL Joshua Ezeudu: Ezeudu started five games at LT for the Giants early in the season in place of the then-injured Andrew Thomas.
• OG Shane Lemieux: Lemieux has appeared in four games, starting 1.
• K Graham Gano: Gano has been a good kicker in the NFL for a long time, but he had a rough season, going 11 for 17 on field goal attempts before going on IR with a left knee injury that required surgery. Gano was replaced by Randy Bullock.
• K Randy Bullock: Bullock was injured Week 15 against the Saints, and the Giants then turned to 39-year-old Mason Crosby.
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