The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Eagles’ injury at QB opens up NFC race
Philadelphia looked like a lock for the Super Bowl. Now Carson Wentz is out for the season. Can the Falcons take advantage?
A season-altering injury for the Philadelphia Eagles has created some playoff drama in the NFC.
Eagles coach Doug Pederson announced on Monday that quarterback Carson Wentz suffered a torn left ACL against the Los Angeles Rams.
“I hate it for the season he’s been having,” Pederson said. Even worse, it came on a scrambling TD run that was then negated by a penalty.
Nick Foles, who has started 36 games and has a 20-16 record as a starter, will attempt to replace Wentz, who had thrown 33 touchdown passes while guiding the Eagles to an 11-2 record.
The Eagles currently have the No. 1 seed and would have a firstround bye with Minnesota (10-3).
The Rams (9-4) would be the
No. 3 seed and host the No. 6-seeded Falcons (8-5) if the playoffs started today.
The Saints (9-4) would host the Panthers (9-4) as the NFC South champions because they’ve beaten the Panthers twice this season.
While the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots are on a collision course for the AFC title, the NFC is now set up for a wild finish.
While the Eagles looked Super Bowl-worthy, they figure to fall back to the pack. The hottest team figures to have the best chance to roll to the Super Bowl.
That’s what happened last season when the Falcons were the No. 2 seed based on a late-season surge and beat Seattle and Green Bay on their way to the Super Bowl.
Jacksonville’s win over Seattle, coupled with the Falcons’ win over the Saints and a previous win over Seattle, would give the Falcons the sixth and final playoff spot with three games to play.
The defending NFC champion Falcons hold the headto-head tiebreaker over the Seahawks by virtue of their 34-31 win on Nov. 20.
The Falcons are one game behind the Panthers and Saints in the NFC South. But they still control their future.
If the Falcons win their remaining games at Tampa Bay on Monday, at New Orleans on Dec. 24 and against Carolina on Dec. 31, they will repeat as NFC South champions.
Based on the final three weeks, they could end up in almost any position but likely would be third or fourth in that scenario.
“We are going to throw a hello fa week and get ready to play Tampa,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “Outside, we know that’s a conversation for sure. That’s human nature. But the best way for us to control the future is for us to play really well right now.”
There’s a doomsday scenario where the Saints, Falcons and Panthers could all finish 11-5, which could happen if the Falcons win all three remaining games and the Saints and Panthers win their other two games and lose to the Falcons.
The Saints have to beat the Jets and Tampa Bay and lose to the Falcons. The Panthers must beat Green Bay and Tampa Bay and lose to the Falcons.
The Saints beat Carolina twice. Under this scenario, the Falcons would have beaten the Saints twice and split with Carolina.
The second tiebreaker is best won-lost-tie percentage in games played within the division and that would go to the Falcons (5-1), Saints (4-2) and Carolina (3-3).
“Guys start turning it up as the regular season is coming to an end,” Falcons safety Keanu Neal said.
The Falcons have been off since defeating the Saints 20-17 Thursday. They return to practice at noon today.
“We were fortunate that we have this little time to get healed up,” Quinn said. “We will treat it almost like a bye.”
The Falcons defeated the Bucs 34-20 on Nov. 26. Ryan Fitzpatrick was playing quarterback, but Jameis Winston has since returned and is scheduled to start.
“We are way more equipped to stay right where we are at, on the task at hand,” Quinn said. “That will be playing Tampa down there. It will be a division game ... another game, battling for it.”
The Panthers play the Green Bay Packers next and may face quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who’s reportedly slated to return from a broken collarbone.
“The current thinking, I am told, is that Aaron Rodgers will return when he is eligible to come off of injured reserve and play,” said analyst Mike Florio of profootballtalk.com. “That would be next week against the Carolina Panthers.”
Rodgers returned from a similar injury in 2013.
“Keep this in mind, it was four years ago that he missed a total of eight weeks, when a left collarbone was broken,” Florio said. “If he returns next Sunday against Carolina, it will be a nine-week absence for Rodgers. For now, the thinking is we will see him.”
The Jets, who play the Saints, also have a quarterback injury.
Luke McCown broke his left hand and Bryce Petty is set to take over.
The Falcons are trailed by Seattle (8-5), Detroit (7-6), Green Bay (7-6), Dallas (7-6) and Arizona (6-7) in the playoff race. In addition to Seattle, the Falcons own head-to-head tiebreakers over Detroit, Green Bay and Dallas.