The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Win costly for Eagles as Peters, Hicks hurt
Wentz stars, but NFC East leaders lose key players.
The Philadelphia Eagles keep losing key players and are still winning games thanks to No. 11.
Carson Wentz tossed four touchdown passes and ran for a career-best 63 yards, helping the Eagles overcome losing nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters and linebacker Jordan Hicks in a 34-24 win over the Washington Redskins on Monday night.
Peters tore his right ACL and MCL and Hicks ruptured his right Achilles tendon.
“Both of them are obviously significant,” coach Doug Pederson said Tuesday. “They will be missed.”
The NFC East-leading Eagles (6-1) already lost veteran return specialist Darren Sproles and special teams ace Chris Maragos to season-ending injuries. Top cornerback Ronald Darby has been out since Week 1 with an ankle injury.
Halapoulivaati Vaitai takes Peters’ spot. Najee Goode and Joe Walker filled in for Hicks against the Redskins.
Peters has anchored Philadelphia’s offensive line for a decade. He’s a team leader and teammates showed their respect by surrounding the cart before it took him off the field.
“He is a legend around here,” Wentz said. “He is a future Hall of Famer. We love that guy. He means a lot to us.”
Hicks is a top playmaker on defense. He has seven interceptions and five fumble recoveries in 31 games.
It appears the Eagles will be fine as long as Wentz is under center.
The second-year quarterback made one highlight play after another in front of a national audience.
“He is amazing,” receiver Nelson Agholor said. “I talk about how great and how athletic he is and how he has a great arm, but the attention to detail, the film study, the professionalism he has is second to none.”
Kirk Cousins threw for 303 and three TDs for the Redskins (3-3).
Steelers: Mike Tomlin has a message for wide receiver Martavis Bryant: get comfortable. The Pittsburgh coach stressed that Bryant is “not available via trade” following a social media outburst late Sunday in which Bryant expressed frustration about his role in the offense and hinted he wants to go to a team where he can get more playing time.
“It’s irrelevant whether his gripe is legitimate,” Tomlin said. “It’s whether it’s appropriate.”
Broncos: Trevor Siemian is keeping his starting job as Denver tries to emerge from a prolonged offensive funk that has plunged them to depths not reached in a quarter-century.
Coach Vance Joseph said that benching Siemian isn’t the solution for the team’s myriad problems that have resulted in just one touchdown in their last 35 possessions.
The Broncos (3-3) were blanked 21-0 by the Chargers on Sunday, snapping their 394-game scoring streak.
Dolphins: Cornerback Byron Maxwell was released and David Fales signed to reinforce depth at quarterback.
With Jay Cutler nursing cracked ribs, Fales is expected to back up Matt Moore in Thursday’s game at Baltimore.
Maxwell, a seven-year veteran, lost his starting job to rookie Cordrea Tankersley before Game 3 and had been inactive the past four weeks. His salary this season was $8.5 million.
Browns: Pro Bowl tackle Joe Thomas had surgery for his torn left triceps, an injury that ended his consecutive plays streak at 10,363. The 10-time Pro Bowler is expected to make a full recovery.
Raiders: Marshawn Lynch’s appeal of his onegame suspension for shoving an official was denied, and the running back will miss Oakland’s game this week at Buffalo.
Chargers: Left guard Matt Slauson will miss the rest of the season with a biceps injury.
Colts: Former defensive star and current assistant coach Robert Mathis was jailed on a preliminary charge of driving while intoxicated. Police in the Indianapolis suburb of Carmel say the 36-year-old Mathis was arrested on the misdemeanor charge early Tuesday after driving the wrong way on a one-way street and not signaling a turn.