The Philadelphia Eagles are preparing to face off against the Dallas Cowboys in an NFC East division match-up, with star quarterback Jalen Hurts set to take the field despite briefly being in doubt. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni initially mentioned that Hurts had sat out of practice due to an ankle issue, but later clarified that it was a “rest day” and there was no injury involved. Hurts was listed as a limited participant in practice on Wednesday but was a full participant on Thursday and Friday. He had a slight scare during the Eagles’ Week 9 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars but did not exit the game.
Hurts’ top wide receivers, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, will also be available for the game against the Cowboys. Brown has been dealing with a knee injury, while Smith has a hamstring issue. On the other side, the Cowboys will be without star quarterback Dak Prescott, who has been ruled out of the game after suffering a hamstring injury in the previous week. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones confirmed that Prescott will be placed on injured reserve, with backup QB Cooper Rush stepping in to handle the starting duties on Sunday. The timetable for Prescott’s return is uncertain, but the team will keep a close eye on his recovery.
Hurts was seen taking a few extra moments to get off the field during the Week 9 game against the Jaguars after being sacked following a scramble. Despite this, he did not enter the medical tent and continued to play without issue. Hurts did not participate in individual drills with fellow quarterbacks during the week’s practice session that was open to reporters, but he is expected to be ready to play on Sunday. Rams coach Sirianni emphasized the need to be cautious with Hurts due to the ankle issue, even though he was listed as only receiving a rest day on Wednesday.
While the focus will be on the quarterback match-up between Hurts and Rush, both teams are dealing with injury concerns among key players. The availability of star players like Brown and Smith for the Eagles, as well as the absence of Prescott for the Cowboys, will have a significant impact on the outcome of the game. Both teams will have to adjust their game plans accordingly, with backup quarterbacks taking the spotlight in what promises to be an intense division rivalry game. Fans and analysts will be watching closely to see how the teams handle the challenges presented by injuries and how their star players perform in the spotlight.
