Testy coach says Wentz could play
Pederson storms off after media cross-exam over injured QB
PHILADELPHIA – Once again, Doug Pederson has devised a game plan that is fooling absolutely nobody.
The Philadelphia Eagles coach insisted on Friday that his star quarterback, Carson Wentz, will not only make the trip to Los Angeles for Sunday's night's game against the Rams, but actually could still play.
This despite more or less confirming multiple reports from the day before citing unnamed sources saying Wentz has a “stress injury” in his back that could require up to three months to heal, though no surgery is required.
“Stress injury,” Pederson reiterated to reporters. “You can word it how you want — fracture, injury.”
The coach said it evolved over time and that nothing positive showed up on any tests until Tuesday. Pederson made the announcement the next day that Wentz had a back injury that would keep him out of practice.
Friday's press conference grew so contentious because of extensive cross-examination regarding Wentz's injury that Pederson stormed off afterward, canceling the weekly informal and off-therecord chat session he has with reporters every Friday morning during the season.
Before he did, he kept reminding everyone that he wasn't a doctor.
Because if he was, then he'd have to explain how a quarterback with a fresh diagnosis of a stress fracture can possibly heal in time to play on Sunday night.
Either way, it's a safe bet the Rams aren't concerning themselves with the possibility of facing anyone other than backup Nick Foles or, if Foles gets injured, Nate Sudfeld.
“The fact that he doesn't need surgery on this is the best news you could possibly have on anybody that has a stress fracture or stress injury,” Pederson added about Wentz.
Surprisingly, Pederson went on to admit that he understood that this latest setback added to Wentz's injury history can be a red flag.
“But moving forward, we just have to make sure that we do a better job of protecting him, starting with the offensive line, starting with the backs,” he said. “He does his part by getting the ball out of his hand. I do my part by maybe incorporating more screens and quick throws to help that. But it's not in any way going to change the aggressiveness of my nature or his moving for-
ward.”
The coach also reiterated his confidence in the new medical staff, brought in following the surprising dismissal of most of the former one following their Super Bowl victory.
“It’s extremely — it’s at a high level because of the communication that we have, myself, [executive vice president of football operations] Howie [Roseman], our docs, [head trainer] Jerome [Reid], [director of rehabilitation] Shireen [Mansoori], everybody involved,” Pederson said. “We’ve had a lot of really good conversations, a lot of really good protocols put in place for every injured athlete we’ve had this season.”
The Eagles, in violation of NFL rules, have not made either quarterback available for interviews this week.
In unrelated injury news, a sore back that landed reserve offensive lineman Jordan Mailata on Thursday’s injury report has now landed him on the injured reserve list. His spot was taken on Friday by linebacker B.J. Bello, promoted from the practice squad.
An Australian native who made a name for himself playing rugby, Mailata is a project who was taken in the seventh and final round of this year’s NFL Draft. He had never played football at any level before joining the Eagles, who are developing him as a tackle.
Though Mailtata hasn’t played in any games this season, he did dress for three after Pederson said he wouldn’t rule out using him as a running back in goal-line or other short-yardage situations.
The 6-foot-8, 350-pound Mailata (down from his original rugby weight of 380) was immortalized by a viral video of him running roughshod over rugby opponents.
This injury could be a blow to his development. If the Eagles enter the final week of the season having been eliminated from the playoff race, there’s a good bet the plan was to play Mailata all or part of that game.
Injury report
Out: LB Jordan Hicks (calf ), DT Timmy Jernigan (back), CB Sidney Jones (hamstring), G Isaac Seumalo (pectoral).
Doubtful: QB Carson Wentz (back).
Questionable: DE Michael Bennett (foot), WR Shelton Gibson (wrist), S Avonte Maddox (ankle, knee).