The Philadelphia Eagles’ backfield nightmare just got a whole lot worse. Running back Will Shipley is reportedly out for multiple weeks with a partial tear of his plantar fascia, a massive blow for a team already reeling from a laundry list of injuries, especially at the running back position. This team is already struggling, and now they’re down to just two healthy backs on their active roster, creating an absolutely dire situation for an offense that desperately needs a spark.
The Injury Avalanche Hits the Backfield Hard
Shipley, who was making just his second career start, was stepping in because both Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby were already sidelined. Barkley has been battling a hamstring issue since Week 4 against the Rams, a “week-to-week” deal that has kept him out of Week 5. Bigsby’s situation is even worse, as he underwent surgery for a core muscle injury suffered in that same Week 4 game and is now on injured reserve, meaning he’s out for at least three more matchups. With Shipley now joining them on the sidelines, the Eagles are literally scraping the bottom of the barrel.
They’re down to Dameon Pierce and Carson Steele as their only healthy running backs on the active roster. Get this: both Pierce and Steele were signed from the practice squad just last week! Talk about being thrown into the deep end. Former Cowboys fifth-round pick Jaydon Blue is currently on the practice squad, but you know these guys are about to be thrust into major roles. Shipley himself only managed 5 carries for 6 yards and a touchdown before he had to exit that 19-16 loss to the Jaguars in London. Pierce didn’t exactly light it up either, running 11 times for just 14 yards, and Jalen Hurts only added 2 yards on 2 carries. The total team rushing? A brutal 18 rushes for a paltry 22 yards. That 1.2 yards per carry average is their second-worst of the entire 21st century! Ouch.
On-Field Struggles and the Coach’s Costly Blunder
The running back crisis is just one piece of the puzzle for a team that looks completely out of sorts. That London game against the Jaguars was a disaster, and not just because of the injuries. This entire week has been tumultuous for the Eagles. Offensive lineman Lane Johnson retired, and then they traded Cam Jurgens to the Ravens. By Sunday, the only Week 1 starter left on the offensive line was left tackle Jordan Mailata. Think about that for a second.
To top it all off, coach Nick Sirianni made a terrible decision that absolutely blew the game. After Jake Elliott kicked a field goal to give Philadelphia the lead in the final seconds, Sirianni opted for a returnable kick. Ameer Abdullah promptly returned it 53 yards, setting up Cam Little for a 57-yard field goal with one second left, which he drilled. Just like that, game over. Sirianni owned up to it, saying, “I didn’t make the right decision, and I lost us that game, and that’s what I said to our guys, and what hurts there is that the guys fought so hard and then I don’t make the decision that I should make at the end of the game and I cost us that game. I put that fully on me.”
The Eagles are now sitting at a disappointing 2-3, ranking 30th in yards per play this year and sporting the highest three-and-out rate in the entire league. Injuries are definitely playing a huge role, not just at running back. DeVonta Smith (hamstring) missed Weeks 4-5, Landon Dickerson (knee) went on IR after Week 1, Drew Kendall (knee) missed Week 5, Dallas Goedert (knee) missed Weeks 3-4, and Marquise Brown (ankle) missed Weeks 3-5. It’s a full-blown crisis.
With their backfield depth obliterated and the offensive line looking like a MASH unit, the Eagles are in a dire spot. If Saquon Barkley’s hamstring continues to be an issue,and hamstrings can be super fickle,Dameon Pierce is going to be the guy. Can he or Carson Steele carry the load? This team needs an answer fast, or things are going to get ugly, real quick.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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