Philadelphia Eagles’ Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders Injury
The Philadelphia Eagles are in a bind with injured running backs Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders out this week. The team is already missing a valuable piece on the offensive line, but it isn’t clear how the team will move forward without Sanders. The injured running back had been effective in recent weeks, rushing for 409 yards on 67 carries in his last four games. In fact, Sanders had back-to-back 100-yard games against the New York Jets and the Washington Football Team. But Sanders did not practice this week, and the Eagles have two key games coming up.
Jordan Howard’s stinger
During the Week 16 game against the Giants, Philadelphia Eagles running back Jordan Howard suffered a stinger injury. The injury has him questionable to play, but he should be available for Week 17 against the Washington Football Team. Sanders is already out with a broken hand, so if Howard is able to play, he could be in line to take on a significant workload. Last season, Howard missed several weeks due to a stinger injury.
The Philadelphia Eagles are already playing without one of their two top running backs, so it would be a big blow to their chances of making the playoffs. The Eagles have a chance to win with the second-placed Washington Football Team in the NFC playoffs, but without their top two running backs, they may be forced to settle for a fourth-place finish.
Miles Sanders’ broken hand
Eagles running back Miles Sanders has been diagnosed with a broken hand. The injury occurred in the first half against the New York Giants and will keep the running back out of the final two games of the regular season. The team is hopeful that Sanders will be able to return at some point this season.
The Philadelphia Eagles have made changes to their offense to make them run the ball more. The team is now leading the NFL in rushing yards per game. Coach Jimmy Sirianni said that his running backs are doing a good job and that they’re committed to running the ball faster. Sanders’s recent performance has been one of the reasons that the Eagles are succeeding on offense. The running back position is one of the most difficult positions in the NFL.
The Eagles’ rushing offense has been a bright spot this season, but the loss of Sanders could have a negative impact on the team. The Eagles have leaned on Boston Scott and Jordan Howard when Sanders was out. If Sanders is out for two weeks, it’s a major blow for the team. Luckily, the Eagles have several other players who can step in to help out.
Eagles’ need to run the ball without him
The Philadelphia Eagles are not abandoning the running game, even with Miles Sanders injured. They are also missing running back Jordan Howard, who suffered a stinger in their loss to the Giants. Boston Scott and Kenny Gainwell, along with practice squad backs, are expected to carry the load. Without Sanders, the Eagles are likely to rely heavily on their offensive line to get the ball to the opposing offense.
The Eagles’ need to run the ball without Sanders is exacerbated by the absence of Sanders, who set a franchise record for rushing yards as a rookie and caught 50 passes for 509 yards. In his first three seasons, Sanders increased his yards per carry, ranking third among all running backs in yards per carry. In addition, he averaged 3.82 yards after contact, the sixth-best mark in the NFL in that time.
The Philadelphia Eagles had hoped to evaluate Sanders’ availability before the start of the preseason. Sanders was limited in practice Wednesday but wasn’t seen wearing any support. That suggests he’s moved past the need to wear wraps. If he does miss any practices, he will likely be ready for Week 1.
