September 20, 2016
Nam Y. Huh/AP
Philadelphia Eagles nose tackle Beau Allen (94) lifts up kicker Caleb Sturgis after a successful field goal in the first half.
Knock on wood, but the Philadelphia Eagles have been able to remain relatively healthy so far this season. And the two most worrisome injuries -- Zach Ertz's displaced rib and Leodis McKelvin's sore hammy -- ultimately didn't wind up costing the team on Monday night against the Bears.
According to head coach Doug Pederson, however, both players remain game-time decisions for Sunday's matchup against the 2-0 Steelers.
"Right now, [I don't know if they'll be ready]," Pederson said during his day-after news conference on Tuesday. "Again, day-to-day. Both of those guys are healing fine but we'll still monitor it and see where we're at game time."
In their win over the Bears, both Trey Burton, who caught his first NFL touchdown, and Jalen Mills, who led the team with six tackles, filled in for the two injured Birds.
• Linebacker Mychal Kendricks suffered a fractured nose and a quad strain against the Bears, but he is expected to play in Week 3. Exactly how and when Kendricks broke his nose remains a mystery.
"We're not really sure," Pederson said when asked how the injury occurred. "He took a shot to the forehead, helmet, hand type combination. That's what I was told."
• Good new for kicker Caleb Sturgis, who missed an extra point and didn't look right against the Bears but was 3-for-3 on field goals (including a 53-yarder). Many thought an injury to Sturgis ultimately led Pederson to go for it on 4th and goal from inside the three. As it turns out, the Eagles kicker was just cramping and that the decision to go for it was all Pederson's.
"It had nothing to do with [Sturgis'] status. He was cramping during the game," the coach said Tuesday. "My thought there, fourth and goal from the one, if we don't get it, they're at the one yard line and have to go 99 yards. And if we score, we separate ourselves even further [on the scoreboard]."
• And what about Lane Johnson? It was reported earlier on Tuesday that Johnson will indeed be suspended pending an appeal. Pederson, as he has maintained throughout the process, reiterated that Johnson is his starting right tackle until he is told otherwise by the NFL.
"Listen, until I hear from the league office, Lane's my starting right tackle," he said. "If that's the case [and he is suspended], then we go back to what we did at training camp. But until that time, we're full-go until then."
Follow Matt on Twitter: @matt_mullin
