The Philadelphia Eagles’ backfield took another brutal hit in their Week 5 NFL matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London when rookie Will Shipley suffered a foot injury in the second quarter. With injuries already tearing through their running back options, Philly was banking on Shipley to step up in his first start of the season. Instead, his afternoon ended way too early, leaving the Eagles with even bigger headaches.
Shipley’s First Start Cut Short
Shipley was supposed to be the guy they needed, starting because Saquon Barkley was out with a hamstring injury and Tank Bigsby was already on injured reserve after surgery for a core muscle injury. Talk about stepping into a tough spot, right? Well, Shipley went down with that foot injury during the second quarter, and after being questionable for a bit, the team officially ruled him out for the rest of the game. Before he left, he did manage to punch in Philadelphia’s first touchdown, getting five carries for six yards and catching one pass for seven yards on two targets. But honestly, his limited production really highlighted just how much the Eagles’ rushing attack was struggling to get anything going against Jacksonville. They lost that game too, 19-17, after the Jags nailed a late field goal.
Running Back Depth? What Running Back Depth?
This injury came at the absolute worst time for Philly, piling on to an already serious problem. With Barkley sidelined and Bigsby out for multiple weeks, Shipley was thrust into a much larger role than anyone expected. It’s a huge blow. The Eagles were already trying to patch things up, even promoting Dameon Pierce and Carson Steele from the practice squad just to have some warm bodies back there before the London game. Shipley’s exit created yet another major concern for an offense that’s desperately searching for any kind of consistency on the ground. It’s leaving the team with some serious questions about their running back depth, or lack thereof, as they head into Week 6.
Now, Philly has to figure out how to get reliable production from whoever’s left standing. Barkley’s hamstring recovery is super important, but Bigsby is still looking at multiple weeks on the sideline. The Eagles are turning their attention to a Week 6 matchup against the Carolina Panthers, and they’ve got to assess Shipley’s foot before they can even think about his availability. This latest injury just adds another massive problem to a team that can’t seem to get its ground game in gear. The loss to Jacksonville made it clear: Jalen Hurts and the passing game are going to have to carry a massive load while the team navigates all these injuries. Philly needs a healthier backfield and some dependable rushing production, and fast, if they want to steady their offense against Carolina. It’s gonna be a tough week of practice.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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