EAGLES’ HURTS SUFFERS SPRAINED SHOULDER
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts suffered a sprained right shoulder and his status for Philadelphia’s game at Dallas is uncertain, a person with knowledge of the matter told The Associated Press on Monday.
Hurts was injured Sunday during a win over Chicago, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team hadn’t announced the injury.
Hurts has led the Eagles to a 13-1 mark and the best record in the NFL. The 24year-old morphed into a serious NFL MVP candidate in his second season as a starter.
Hurts has thrown 22 touchdowns and has 3,472 yards passing, and he has rushed for 747 yards and 13 touchdowns.
He took several big hits against the Bears and landed hard on his shoulder when he was tackled by defensive tackle Travis Gipson. Hurts did not seem to be in any pain when he talked to the media after the game and brushed off questions about being slow to get up from some tackles.
“Feel good, listening to my Anita Baker, gave me some sweets on the plane ride home, watch the tape, learn from it and move forward,” he said. “It wasn’t the first time I’ve been slow, won’t be the last. I didn’t play a really physical game.”
The Eagles need one more win to clinch the NFC East and secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC. They would turn to backup QB Gardner Minshew to start Saturday’s game against the Cowboys. The fourth-year QB has seen limited action in garbage time this season but started two games for the Eagles last year and threw four touchdowns and had 439 yards passing.
Philadelphia’s sensational season means the Eagles can play it safe and rest Hurts so he is ready for the playoffs. Hurts had been an MVP front-runner on most betting sites, but he plummeted to 7-1 on Monday, per FanDuel SportsBook.
Also per FanDuel, the Cowboys are now a 6-point favorite to beat the Eagles.
After Dallas, the Eagles close the season with home games against New Orleans and the New York Giants. Should they earn the No. 1 seed in the conference, the Eagles could play up to two home games at Lincoln Financial Field in the playoffs.
Change in Washington?
As the players dressed
and grappled with their loss to the Giants in prime time Sunday, coach Ron Rivera pulled quarterback Taylor Heinicke aside and led him from the Washington Commanders’ locker room to his nearby office at FedEx Field.
Heinicke shut the door behind him and didn’t emerge for roughly 15 minutes, after which he somberly shed his pads and prepared to address a room of reporters.
“My conversation with Taylor last night, it was: ‘Hey, look, we had some really good moments during this game. We did some really good things, but we’ve got to build on it now. We’ve got to finish. We truthfully got to finish in the red zone,’ ” Rivera recalled Monday. “... As long as I’m open with him and he understands where I’m coming from, I think we both get the messaging.”
For now, at least, Rivera isn’t planning to make a change at quarterback, meaning Carson Wentz will remain the backup.
“No, no,” he said. “I think that the biggest thing more than anything else is sticking with Taylor and what we’re trying to establish . ... ”
Injury updates
Bears offensive lineman Teven Jenkins was released from the hospital and was seeing specialists Monday, a day after he was carted from the field with a neck injury during a loss to the Eagles. Coach Matt Eberflus called the news “encouraging,” but had few details about the extent of the injury. Whether Jenkins will play again this season was not clear.
• Jets coach Robert Saleh said QB Mike White is still being evaluated for his fractured ribs and has “a lot of hurdles that he would have to go through” to be able to play Thursday night. While Saleh wasn’t prepared to announce a starter, he said it would be Zach Wilson — and not Joe Flacco — if White can’t go. The Jets are hopeful DT Quinnen Williams (calf ) will be able to play after missing Sunday’s game.
Notable
The Packers released veteran wide receiver Sammy Watkins in advance of their Monday night game with the Rams.
• TCU quarterback and Heisman Trophy runner-up Max Duggan will head to the NFL Draft after the College Football Playoff.
• Texas running back Bijan Robinson is skipping his final two seasons of eligibility to enter the NFL Draft and won’t play in the Alamo Bowl.