Foles appears likely to get call vs. Rams
Carson Wentz sat out the open portion of practice Thursday because of a back injury, increasing the possibility that Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles will start for the Eagles on Sunday against the Rams.
Two people familiar with the quarterback’s injury confirmed reports that Wentz has a fractured vertebrae, but no definitive determination has been made regarding his status, pending further evaluation. Both people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Foles hasn’t taken a snap in a game since Week 2. He took over in Week 14 last season after Wentz tore two ligaments in his left knee. Foles led the Eagles to their first NFL title since 1960 and started the first two games this season, going 1-1.
Wentz has 3,074 yards passing, 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 11 games this season after finishing third in the NFL MVP voting last year.
Beckham examined: Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. had his injured quad examined by a specialist, and his status for Sunday’s game against the Titans is uncertain.
Beckham went to The Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan and returned to the Giants’ facility after getting the second opinion.
“It was good. We just went in, got it scanned just to see everything and it’s doing much better than it was,” said Beckham, who did not practice Thursday. “Just taking it a day at a time, that’s really it.”
Beckham was hurt when he was leg whipped on the final play of the Giants’ loss to the Eagles on Nov. 25. He played against the Bears the following week but missed Sunday’s game against the Redskins after the quad started bothering him on the Friday before the game.
Beckham said the quad has been getting better, but it just didn’t feel right.
“Just feel like it’s the right thing to do, just check on it,” Beckham said. “You got the resources there, might as well use them.”
Extra points: Bills RB LeSean McCoy returned to practice on a limited basis a day after being held out because of an injury to his left hamstring. Coach Sean McDermott said the team will continue evaluating McCoy’s progress before determining whether he can play Sunday against the Lions. ... The Browns will again be without rookie CB Denzel Ward, who will miss his second straight game with a concussion Saturday at Denver. Ward has been in concussion protocol since getting hurt making a tackle Dec. 2. ... Jets RB Isaiah Crowell and WR Quincy Enunwa will not play against the Texans on Saturday. Crowell is dealing with a toe ailment, and Enunwa has an ankle injury. ... A Texas jury returned a $25 million verdict against former Cowboys player Josh Brent and the owner of a now-defunct nightclub in the death of Brent’s teammate, Jerry Brown Jr. Brown was killed six years ago when the car Brent was driving overturned in Irving. Brent had a blood-alcohol level of . 18 percent. Brown’s mother, Stacey Jackson, and his estate sued Brent and Beamers, an Irving nightclub, alleging the nightspot overserved Brent with alcohol.