Alright, you still buzzing from that 13-10 W over the Pats? Yeah, me too. But while we ride that high, let’s zoom out for a second and check on what’s cooking elsewhere in the league, because Week 1 always drops some bombs. And the Philadelphia Eagles delivered a big one: Jonathan Greenard is OUT for their opener against the Washington Commanders.
Greenard’s Week 1 Sideline Story
Greenard, an edge rusher who’s a huge piece for Philly, has been battling a pec strain since he got hit doing some weight training. Dude missed all of training camp, then only got limited practice in this week. He even admitted after Thursday’s practice that he’s not hitting 100 percent. So, yeah, it makes total sense the Eagles aren’t rushing him back for Sunday. You don’t want to risk a re-injury, especially this early in the season. The good news for them? The Eagles’ depth at edge rusher should be enough to cover for him, especially when you look at who they’re playing.
Washington’s “Exploitable” Problem
That “who they’re playing” part is key. The Commanders’ offensive line? Straight up exploitable, according to the word from Philly. And check this out: Washington’s active roster has no injury status listed, which feels like some serious subterfuge. We know their starting edge rushers, Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson, and their top running back, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, were all limited in practice all week! That’s a triple dose of ‘uh-oh’ for Washington. Talk about playing coy. Plus, the Commanders already have some massive holes on their injured reserve list, missing starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil and starting cornerback Trey Amos. They’re also thinner than usual on the edge with Deatrich Wise Jr. on the reserve/PUP list and Dorance Armstrong suspended for Week 1. This team is banged up, even if they’re not admitting it.
Eagles: Mostly Healthy, Ready to Pounce
Beyond Greenard, the Eagles have Eli Stowers listed as questionable with a hamstring issue. Stowers told reporters he’d play, but being limited all week ain’t a great sign. Plus, he’s their fourth tight end, so he might even be a healthy scratch anyway. The rest of the active Eagles roster is healthy and ready to play, which is always what you wanna see at Week 1. You want your guys full strength from the jump. They also have some guys on IR like Jakorian Bennett and Grant Calcaterra who could be back after Week 4, but Sam and Wilson are done for the season. Look, early season health is everything, and while the Eagles are missing a big piece in Greenard, they’re stepping into this game against a Commanders team that seems to be patching holes everywhere.
So, even without Greenard, the Eagles are probably feeling pretty good about Sunday, especially with how vulnerable the Commanders look. Greenard himself might even be back for Week 2, which would be huge. Week 1 always sets the tone, right? And seeing how these teams navigate their early injury woes? That tells you a lot about their grit. Let’s hope our guys stay healthy and keep stacking those Ws like they did against the Patriots!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleeding Green Nation.
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