The Eagles' season has gone dangerously off course, with Philadelphia entering the playoffs having lost five of its last six games.
After starting the year with championship expectations, the Eagles will likely have to win three games on the road just to get to Las Vegas for Super Bowl 58. An injury to QB Jalen Hurts is just one more obstacle along that journey.
Hurts suffered a finger injury in the Eagles' messy Week 18 loss to the Giants, during which coach Nick Sirianni decided to simply pull his key players and look ahead to the playoffs.
Philadelphia benefits from the NFL's playoff schedule, which puts the team's wild-card game against the Buccaneers on Monday night and gives both teams an extra day of rest, but the injury remains a factor as the Eagles prepare.
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Here's what you need to know about Hurts' status for Monday night's game.
Jalen Hurts injury update
Hurts suffered a dislocated middle finger on his throwing hand in Week 18, but X-rays revealed no break. He practiced Thursday and is expected to play Monday.
While Hurts appears likely to play, his effectiveness will be worth monitoring. The Eagles' franchise signal-caller didn't shy away from the idea he might have to battle some discomfort, telling reporters he hasn't thrown a ball yet this week.
Hurts revealed that the injury caused him more pain the day after the loss to the Giants, and he said everything was difficult when he tried to return to the game after the finger was popped back into place.
Hurts has not thrown a ball yet this week. When asked what was more of a challenge on Sunday between throwing and handling the ball, he laughed.
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) January 11, 2024
"I think every thing is a challenge when you have a finger out of place," Hurts said.
He said it hurt him more the next day.
Still, Hurts said the injury is "progressing the right way" ahead of Monday night, with the extra day of rest undoubtedly a major boost to his recovery. Later Thursday, he was seen wearing a glove on his injured hand as he returned to the practice field.
Hurts is wearing a glove on his right hand: pic.twitter.com/jITqcri9Zq
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) January 11, 2024
The Eagles are dealing with injury concerns elsewhere, as WR A.J. Brown wasn't seen at practice Thursday after suffering a knee injury against the Giants. While the team received good news about what initially looked like a serious injury for Brown, his status for Monday remains up in the air.
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Likely playing at less than 100 percent, Hurts can ill afford to lose one of the NFL's best pass-catchers in a game that looks much more evenly matched than it might have a few weeks ago.
Hurts has entered the playoffs battling an injury in each of his three full seasons as a starter. He played through an ankle injury when the Eagles snuck into the playoffs in 2021 and had to overcome a shoulder injury to get ready for the playoffs last season before taking Philadelphia to Super Bowl 57. Now, Hurts is set to play through some discomfort again with the deck stacked against the Eagles.
