The Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles’ updated health reports from Thursday revealed several crucial things ahead of Sunday’s NFC Wild Card Round matchup.
For starters, both quarterbacks are recovering. Jordan Love (elbow) and Jalen Hurts (concussion/finger) practiced fully on Sunday. Love threw during Wednesday and Thursday’s practices and is expected to be OK after injuring his throwing elbow in the season finale, but Hurts now lacks approval from an independent neurologist to pass the concussion protocol and play on Sunday. It’s sheltered to assume that Love and Hurts will be the starting quarterbacks on Sunday.
The Eagles may be dealing with fresh or worsening injury problems. Receiver AJ Brown did not practice Thursday due to a knee injury. A decline in physical activity throughout the week is never a good sign of an injury, so even if Brown plays Sunday with a knee problem, he could have physical limitations. For Tim McManus of ESPNThe Eagles are sitting Brown, who had 119 yards rushing against the Packers in Week 1, in practice this week as part of a “maintenance” plan following a knee injury and is expected to play on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Packers returned defensive lineman TJ Slaton to the field after he missed Wednesday’s practice with an ankle injury. He expects to play on Sunday, so the Packers should have one of their best players in the lineup against Saquon Barkley. Additionally, backup point guard Malik Willis went from being constrained on Wednesday to fully participating in the game on Thursday. He’s working through a right thumb injury he suffered in the season finale, but should now be on track to be Love’s backup on Sunday.
The only other update from the injury report was that Eagles reserve offensive lineman Jack Driscoll was added to the constrained lineup on Thursday due to a fresh ankle injury.
The Packers and Eagles will provide their final injury report with game status designations (out, questionable, questionable) on Friday afternoon.
