The Philadelphia Eagles fell to a 36-33 loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday in what was only their third loss of the season. While Jayden Daniels' late-game heroics were there for all to see, one major talking point that emerged from the game was Jalen Hurts, who had to exit the game in the first quarter with a concussion.
Backup quarterback Kenny Pickett took his place under center but just didn't have the juice to pull the Eagles to a win. Without the threat of Hurts rushing all the way to the end zone, the Commanders shut Saquon Barkley down, who barely featured in the second half but still ended the night with 150 yards after racking up over 100 yards in the first quarter.
Hurts' concussion threw the Eagles' shot at taking the top seed in the NFC out the window and their latest roster move has also sent fans into a little bit of a panic. Philly signed QB Ian Book to the practice squad after a visit with the team on Wednesday. Given Kenny Pickett was limited in practice with an injury to the ribs and Hurts did not practice at all, the Eagles' QB situation remains a dire one for Week 17 against the Dallas Cowboys.
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Eagles fans immediately braced themselves for the worst after news of Book's signing emerged.
"Gotta imagine Hurts or Pickett will be out," one fan wrote on social media platform X.
"Hurts is cooked this week," another fan wrote.
"This can't possibly be a good thing, a third fan added.
Where the Philadelphia Eagles stand in the NFL Playoff Picture
The Eagles have essentially locked up the No. 1 seed in the NFC, which means that if things continue at this pace, they will get a first-round bye. The Eagles figure to be the second seed with matchups against the Cowboys and Giants left in their schedule. Interestingly, Saquon Barkley has the opportunity to break Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing yards total against his former team in Week 18.
All in all, the Eagles don't really have much to worry about for the next two weeks. Their spot in the playoffs is secure, which means they can now focus on affording a few starters some rest in Week 18 and start game planning for January.
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