As the Eagles prepare to clinch a playoff berth in their final two games of the season, they may have to do it without their top two running backs, Miles Sanders and Jordan Howard.
Sanders reportedly broke a bone in his hand during the Eagles’ Week 16 contest against New York. He’ll undergo an MRI this week to determine if any further damage was done and if he’ll be able to play through the injury, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Howard also left Sunday’s game with a stinger. While on the surface that doesn’t seem to be a major concern, Howard did miss several games in 2019 with the same designation.
It goes without saying that losing both of these guys for any period of time would be tough to overcome.
The Eagles were able to withstand the absence of Sanders earlier in the year, but it’s clear that he adds a different element to the Eagles prolific rushing attack. Even when teams stack the box, Sanders has the ability to make something out of nothing. Like the broadcast during Sunday’s game stated numerous times, he has a little LeSean McCoy in his game.
His loss will be especially difficult to overcome if Howard is also out. The team will likely look to add a player from their practice squad or around the league to provide depth behind Boston Scott and Kenny Gainwell if both Sanders and Howard miss time.
Luckily, there are some nice options available. They could call up Jason Huntley, who was a camp standout this past summer. Or, they could look to bring back a familiar face from another team’s practice squad, like Wendell Smallwood from Washington or maybe even Josh Adams from New Orleans.
Hopefully, both Sanders and Howard are healthy enough to play and adding depth isn’t warranted. We’ll learn more as the week progresses.