Battered Birds have Giant task
Zach Ertz’s swan song in an Eagles uniform may have been last Sunday when he limped off the field in the second half of loss to the Ravens.
Don’t expect Ertz to rush back from the high ankle sprain that will sideline him Thursday versus the New York Giants. Not after he was insulted in contract talks by the Eagles despite taking the field in the playoffs with a lacerated kidney last January.
Ertz also is frustrated with his role framed against the Eagles’ 1-4-1 record this season.
After the Giants Thursday, the Eagles host the Cowboys and take on the Giants on the road before their bye week. The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 3, between the latter two games.
There are several teams that could be targeting Ertz provided the price is right. The Colts, Seahawks and possibly the Bucs, Patriots and Cardinals would listen. A conditional second-day pick for Ertz, providing he passes the physical would be a win-win for both sides.
Meanwhile Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said Wednesday that tight end Dallas Goedert is “on schedule” to play this season in his rehab from a broken bone in his ankle. Goedert’s availability obviously would make Ertz much more expendable.
Pederson wouldn’t put a timetable on a return for Goedert or wide receiver Jalen Reagor, who has torn ligament in a thumb. They’re eligible to come off injured reserve having sat out the required three games.
“Both of them are doing well and they’re on schedule,” Pederson said.
Ertz’s potential final line for the Eagles: 48 snaps, four catches worth 33 yards and zero media availability.
Make no mistake, if Ertz has played his last down for the Eagles he’s had a stellar career with them.
This season Ertz has 24 catches for 178 yards (7.4-yard average) and one touchdown. In eight seasons Ertz, who turns 30 next month, has 549 receptions for 5,921 yards (10.8 ypr.) and 36 touchdowns.
In 2018, Ertz set the singleseason club with 116 receptions.
That also is the league record for most catches by a tight end.
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In addition to Ertz, the other Eagles ruled out Thursday include running back Miles Sanders (knee), rookie offensive tackle Jake Driscoll (ankle), defensive tackle Malik Jackson (quadriceps), wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (foot) and safety K’von Wallace (shoulder).
Pederson anticipates offensive tackle Lane Johnson (ankle), wide receiver DeSean Jackson (hamstring) and cornerback Avonte Maddox (ankle) to be available for the Giants.
Safety Marcus Epps (rib) also should be back to boost special teams. The Eagles are 4-0 versus the Giants in their all-black uniforms, which they will wear again Thursday.
It’s not the color, it’s the
Giants.
“We have a saying around here that everything matters,” Pederson said. “It goes from maybe the uniform choice
color to how we practice, the meetings, everything. I think about a lot of things obviously and making sure that we’re prepared. But listen, it doesn’t matter the color jersey we’re in or what color jersey they’re in. We still have to line up and play and play a good football team.”
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The referee Thursday is Adrian Hill, and that’s anything but good news judging by the flag-fest he oversaw in Week 3 when the Eagles and Bengals played to a tie.
In this, the age of “clear and obvious” calls, his crew went flag-happy as it totaled 20 penalties for 166 yards, seven flags resulting in first downs.
Hill’s crew blew a call on a fumble the Bucs returned for what would have been the game-winning score in a game against the Titans.
Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield was fined $12,500 for ripping Hill’s crew after it flagged his team nine times for 83 yards in a loss to the Seahawks last year.