Wide receiver Jeffery nearing season debut
PHILADELPHIA » Barring a setback, the signs are pointing to a return to game action this weekend for Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, and not a moment too soon.
The Eagles resorted to a three-tight end package Sunday in their 20-16 win over the Colts. Zach Ertz, rookie Dallas Goedert and Joshua Perkins combined for 13 of Carson Wentz’s 25 completions.
Though Jeffery wasn’t cleared for contact as of Monday, practice begins Tuesday, and head coach Doug Pederson indicated the veteran would work more this week than last, when he showed up as questionable on the final injury report. Jeffery hasn’t played since the Super Bowl. He’s coming off rotator cuff surgery.
“He’s getting close,” Pederson said. “We’ll get him in the mix a little bit more this week and see where he is health-wise.”
Goedert caught seven passes for 73 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown against the Colts. Ertz had five receptions for 73 yards. Among the wide receivers, Nelson Agholor had four catches for 24 yards, Jordan Matthews two grabs for 21 yards. Agholor got 22 targets and 16 catches in the first two games when Nick Foles quarterbacked the Eagles.
“I’m not worried about that,” Agholor said. “My objective is to put wins on the table, play fast and just get better each week. The coaching staff is going to do whatever they need to do. Carson and I are going to talk about different ways that I can be better as a football player to help him, so that he can help me. We’ll get better. It’s just putting pieces in place and getting better.”
Elsewhere on the injury front, safety Rodney McLeod is having his injured knee evaluated.
“I’ll probably have a better update for you on Wednesday, quite honestly,” Pederson said.
Additionally, running backs Jay Ajayi (back) and Darren Sproles (hamstring) should return to practice after sitting out the game against the Colts.
“They’re both day to day right now,” Pederson said. “We’ll evaluate them again tomorrow when the players are in and see. But I would expect, barring any setbacks, they would both be available.”
Pederson made a questionable decision to send Jake Elliott out for a 55yard field goal attempt that went wide left. The short field helped set up the first Colts touchdown.
But Pederson got the attention of the officials long enough to tell them the Colts were illegally holding the Eagles’ offensive linemen.
The Eagles trailed, 16-13, in the fourth quarter when they found themselves in fourth-and-five at the 42yard line of the Colts. Birds right tackle Lane Johnson was grabbed by defensive end Jabaal Sheard and shoved into the center of the line, enabling defensive tackle Margus Hunt, who earlier had a strip sack and fumble recovery of Wentz, to circle outside and pressure the quarterback into an incompletion.
The officials called the hold on Sheard to keep alive what proved to be the triumphant scoring drive.
“It’s common practice,” Pederson said. “I get a chance to meet with officials before the game. I get a chance to meet with the head referee during pregame. Listen, it’s a tough job. If there is something out there that we see, they want to know about it, so they can get it right. It’s not strategic. It’s not planned in any way. It’s something that we kind of saw throughout the game and just wanted to bring it to their attention. Obviously, it was a true hold on Lane and they got it right. It’s not a competitive advantage other than we just want to make sure everything is officiated correctly.”