Good morning, Eagles fans! The grind continues ahead of this weekend's trip out west. The Eagles will practice today at 1 p.m. and we will carry the beginning of it live. Here's what you need to know in today's Morning Roundup presented by Microsoft leading off with the status of the quarterback position.
1. Wait And See
With reports circulating, all that is officially known so far is that quarterback Carson Wentz missed practice Wednesday with what head coach Doug Pederson said was back soreness. While the Eagles practiced with Nick Foles under center, a decision has not been made about the starter for Sunday's game in Los Angeles.
If the Eagles do have to turn to Foles, the rest of the team will be ready. Foles stepping in late in the season (even in Los Angeles) is not new for the Eagles and Foles played with the starters to start the season. Eagles Insider Dave Spadaro has more on what a potential sidelining of Wentz would mean for the team in the rest of this season and for the quarterback himself going forward:
"We're just trying to get on the same page," said tight end Zach Ertz. "The good news is that Nick is not new here. Everyone has played with him that's on this team now besides probably Golden (Tate) and Dallas (Goedert). We had a lot of reps with him in Training Camp, Dallas did and so we have a lot of confidence in Nick. The game plan may change a little bit if he's out there but not too much because we're confident in his abilities."
2. Good News, Avonte Maddox Returns To Practice
Wentz's injury was one of a few that kept players sidelined in Wednesday's practice. Defensive end Michael Bennett, linebacker Jordan Hicks, defensive tackle Tim Jernigan, cornerback Sidney Jones, and guard Isaac Seumalo all did not participate in practice yesterday. Tackle Lane Johnson missed for a personal reason and, in better news, safety Avonte Maddox was limited in practice after missing the last three games. More information is available in yesterday's injury update.
3. Last Chance To Vote
Pro Football Focus released its early picks for the 2019 NFL Pro Bowl yesterday based on its grading system for the season.
Four Eagles made PFF's list: offensive guard Brandon Brooks, defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, defensive end Brandon Graham, and center Jason Kelce. Brooks has a 74.7 rating, Cox has 92.2, Graham 89.8, and Kelce 82.3. Fans who agree (or don't agree) can have their voices heard by voting online. Here is some of what PFF said about the highlighted Eagles:
Cox: We've run out of superlatives for (Aaron) Donald and Cox at this point.
Graham: (Cameron) Jordan and Graham, on the other hand, are both likely to end the year with their third straight season with 90.0-plus grades.
Kelce: Kelce is once again the highest-graded center in the NFL and makes absurdly athletic blocks on a weekly basis.
Take a look at the best photos featuring the Eagles defense from Week 14.
4. A Year To Remember
The Ringer released a list of its 45 favorite sports moments of 2018. Unsurprisingly, the Eagles are featured quite a bit. In fact, there is a whole section, numbers 23-29, dedicated to the incredible sports moments that came out of Philadelphia in 2018. No. 23 is the Philly Special and No. 24 is the Eagles' Super Bowl victory:
It's not just that they won, or even that they won as an underdog. It's that they won not by playing a cagey tactical game, but by stomping and swashbuckling down the field. They went toe-to-toe with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady and were a little smarter, a little braver, and a little cleaner. Not only could good things happen, but they could happen through positive action, outlasting potential disappointment. The sting of each individual NFC title game or Super Bowl loss would fade within hours; I woke up a genuinely happier, more optimistic person the day after the Super Bowl. Ten months later, the glow still hasn't faded.
5. Home Sweet Home
The men's fashion magazine GQ recently announced that Philadelphia is the City of the Year in 2018.
The magazine devoted two pages in its magazine, and a lengthy online article, to what has made Philadelphia so great, especially this year. The article includes an interview with Eagles' safety Malcolm Jenkins as well as bits of an article from February highlighting the Eagles' Super Bowl win and what it meant to the city. While Philadelphia has always been amazing, the Eagles were credited with shedding light to its greatness for the world to see.