Eagles vs Raiders Week 15 Injury Report: Eagles Offensive Line Issues vs Crosby?
It is getting to that point in the season where the injury report starts to look less like a roster update and more like a CVS receipt. We are deep into December, folks. Bodies are aching, the training room is overflowing, and the Philadelphia Eagles are trying to keep the wheels on the bus as they push toward the postseason. Week 15 brings the Las Vegas Raiders to town, and while a 2-11 opponent usually screams “easy win,” nothing comes easy when your depth chart is being tested this severely. The final injury report is out, and it is a mixed bag of relief and anxiety for the Birds.
Eagles Offensive Line Faces a Crosby-Sized Problem
Let’s start with the news that makes every Philadelphia fan reach for an antacid. Lane Johnson is out. Again. This will be the fourth straight game the All-Pro right tackle misses with that lingering foot injury, and let’s be honest, the offense looks different without No. 65 paving the road. He hasn’t practiced since mid-November, and you have to wonder how close he truly is to returning.
That leaves Fred Johnson in the spotlight once more. Now, Fred has been serviceable, but his assignment this Sunday is the stuff of nightmares. He gets to spend his afternoon dancing with Maxx Crosby. You know, the guy with the relentless motor who has already racked up nine sacks and 25 tackles for loss this season. Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni called Crosby “relentless,” which is coach-speak for “he is going to be a massive problem if we don’t chip him on every play.”
Johnson was dealing with an ankle issue himself earlier in the week, causing a brief panic on Thursday, but he was a full participant on Friday. He says the ankle feels great. He’d better hope so, because Crosby lines up over the right tackle about 87% of the time. If Fred isn’t 100%, Jalen Hurts might spend a lot of time scrambling for his life.
On the brighter side, Landon Dickerson is good to go. The Pro Bowl guard gave everyone a scare with a calf issue and a rest day, but he was back to full participation to end the week. Having him next to Fred Johnson provides at least a little stability on that right side.
Defensive Front Thin for the Eagles
The news on the other side of the trenches is not much better. Jalen Carter is officially out for the second week in a row. Those shoulder injuries are clearly bothering the big man, and the team is rightfully playing it safe. Carter is a disruptive force when healthy, and his absence leaves a gaping hole in the middle of the defensive line.
Expect to see a heavy rotation again. Eagles Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio has been getting creative, even sliding Brandon Graham inside to tackle spots. It is a testament to Graham’s longevity that he can just pop inside and take snaps at defensive tackle at this stage of his career, but you would ideally prefer not to rely on that for 60 minutes. Byron Young and the rest of the interior rotation are going to have to eat up blocks to keep the linebackers clean.
A Familiar Face Under Center for Las Vegas
Here is where the script gets a little too Hollywood. With Geno Smith ruled out for the Raiders due to shoulder and back injuries, the Eagles get to welcome back Kenny Pickett. You remember him, right? The guy Philadelphia traded for, who grew up an Eagles fan, and then got shipped off to the Raiders before the season started.
Pickett will make his first start for Las Vegas against his former team. It is the classic “revenge game” narrative that broadcasters love to hammer home. Pickett knows some of these guys, sure, but Vic Fangio shut down the idea that Pickett has any real advantage. Fangio pointed out that Pickett is in a totally different offensive scheme now. Still, you know Pickett wants nothing more than to come into Lincoln Financial Field and play spoiler. He looked decent in relief last week against Denver, leading two scoring drives, so the defense cannot just sleepwalk through this one.
Roster Shuffle and Special Teams Updates
In the department of “news only diehards care about but actually matters,” long snapper Charley Hughlett is back. He has been activated from Injured Reserve after missing nine games. It is one of those positions you never think about until the snap sails over the punter’s head, so getting a veteran like Hughlett back is a quiet win for the special teams unit.
Linebacker Zack Baun, who has been a revelation this year, is also fully cleared despite a hand injury. Considering the state of the linebacker corps at times this season, having Baun active and flying around is massive.
This is a game the Eagles absolutely should win. They are 8-5. The Raiders are 2-11. But with Lane Johnson and Jalen Carter watching from the sidelines, and a former quarterback looking for redemption, Philadelphia needs to be careful. This is exactly the kind of trap game that ruins a Sunday.
