Dak hurting, but Birds still on guard
PHILADELPHIA » Al Pacino’s pep talk in the movie “Any Given Sunday” resonates with several Eagles.
Pacino play head coach Tony D’Amato, and before the playoff opener for the fictional Miami Sharks, he tells his players that it’s “three minutes to the biggest battle of our professional lives.”
Then there’s Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz. With the Eagles taking on the Dallas Cowboys with a playoff berth on the line Sunday, it’s four days until the biggest start of his professional life.
“You could probably say that,” Wentz said Wednesday. “I mean it’s definitely a big game. We know the situation. At the same time, we’re treating it as another game but we’re aware of everything. And like I said, we’re real excited. And I’m real excited that we’re at home. I mean these fans are going to show up and be loud. I can’t wait until Sunday.”
If the Eagles (7-7) defeat the
Cowboys (7-7) and the Giants, they clinch the NFC East pennant and a playoff berth. The best the Cowboys could do would be 8-8. A loss and the Cowboys win the division, as they defeated the Eagles, 37-10, earlier this season.
Wentz is brimming with confidence coming off back-toback game-winning drives. After committing six turnovers in a three-game losing streak, he’s coughed it up twice in the two-game win streak, both fumbles he intends to atone for by keeping two hands on the ball in the pocket.
Wentz was “embarrassed” following the loss to the Cowboys, in which he lost two fumbles and threw an interception. That’s not nearly as much motivation as having his moment to show what he can do in a big game this late in a season.
“The last couple of years didn’t end the way I wanted to personally, obviously being hurt and everything,” said Wentz, who blew out a knee late in the Super Bowl 52 championship season and injured his back last year. “So I’m excited to just be playing here in December with what’s at stake and being out there with my guys. I’m excited for it.”
Like Pacino said in the movie, that’s football guys. That’s all it is.
Now, what are you going to do? Last week, the Eagles criticized linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill for not reporting and playing through a concussion against the Miami Dolphins.
Wednesday, the Eagles shut Grugier-Hill down for the season, putting the fouryear veteran on injured reserve with a back injury.
What was extremely odd about the transaction was that the Eagles announced it on Twitter, of all mediums, and head coach Doug Pederson later said Grugier-Hill didn’t report the injury until after he played just five snaps against the Redskins Sunday.
The Eagles described the veteran’s injury with a tweet identifying it as “a lower lumbar disk herniation.” The tweet also said the decision was made to proceed with surgery.
Shortly after that bizarre occurrence, Grugier-Hill’s agent, Steve Caric, distributed a statement through Mike Kaye of NJ Advance Media telling his side of the story:
“Kamu has been playing through significant pain for the majority of the 2019 season. This pain has forced him to take weekly pre-game pain killing shots and IV drips. This past week the pain became unbearable and it was determined he required a minor and minimally invasive back procedure to relieve the pain. He is expected to be fully recovered in 3-4 weeks. Kamu is the ultimate team player who has given everything he has to this organization the past 4 years.”
Pederson was asked if the back issue was something Grugier-Hill had been playing through.
“I don’t know about that,” he said.
The NFL routinely investigates team reports about injury matters. Fines for violating the policies are common.
Pederson said Grugier-Hill played sparingly in the win over the Redskins because of the opposition’s personnel packages, not injury.
Pederson recently ripped Grugier-Hill’s revelation that he played through a concussion in the loss to the Dolphins. The coach said he was disappointed that no one else on the team told medical staff that Grugier-Hill was dinged on the first play of the contest, and that he’d have a chat with Howie Roseman, the general manager, before thinking about possible disciplinary measures.
Grugier-Hill did not regret telling the truth about the concussion, and said he wasn’t worried about discipline. Grugier-Hill’s contract expires after this season.
The Eagles elevated defensive tackle Bruce Hector to the active roster and signed linebacker Deshaun Davis to the practice squad. Pederson gave the players Tuesday off. On Wednesday they had a walkthrough indoors without helmets as Pederson tried to freshen them up.
Offensive tackle Lane Johnson (ankle), defensive end Derek Barnett (ankle) and wide receiver Nelson Agholor (knee) didn’t participate, according to the practice estimation Wednesday.
Guard Brandon Brooks (calf), defensive tackle Fletcher Cox (triceps), cornerback Ronald Darby (hip flexor) and running back Jordan Howard (stinger) were limited participants.