CBS Sports: Eagles star and fans favorite player ruled out for the season after suffering a second injury.
In the Philadelphia Eagles’ Week 12 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, top cornerback Darius Slay sustained his second injury and went to the locker room. Several reports have already reported that the CB will miss the rest of the game due to a concussion following a collision to his helmet.
The Eagles lost two defensive backs to injuries on the same play, cornerback Slay and safety Reed Blankenship, barely two minutes into the first quarter. Slay’s health was not officially updated, while Blankenship was initially labeled as questionable to return due to a shoulder injury. Early in the first quarter, Blankenship was running 27 yards when he collided with Slay, perhaps injuring his arm.
Slay was replaced by Saiah Rodgers, while Blankenship was swapped out for Tristin McCollum. Rodgers caused Williams to fumble on the very next play, and Nakobe Dean recovered it at the Eagles’ 17-yard line. Both Blankenship and Slay returned for the Rams’ subsequent possession in spite of their injuries. Slay, however, sustained another injury halfway through the third quarter and will miss the rest of the match. According to reports, Rodgers will fill in for him for the remainder of the game. The hit’s footage is shown here.
After being selected by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, Slay rose to prominence as one of the league’s best cornerbacks, winning two selections to the Pro Bowl and being named to the First Team All-Pro in 2017. He was moved to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020 after spending seven seasons in Detroit, and since then, he has grown to be a more important member of the defense.
The Eagles may be severely impacted by Slay’s absence, depending on the extent of his injury. With just 173.2 passing yards allowed per game, the club presently leads the NFL in overall defense and is ranked second in passing defense. They have only allowed two passing touchdowns since Week 6, which is the fewest in the league, and they have limited opponents to less than 200 passing yards in five of their previous six games. With an 8-2 record and a six-game winning run, the Eagles have risen to the top of the NFC East.
It’s not easy to keep up that record, though, and losing a veteran like Slay as a vital member of their defense might have a significant impact on the remainder of the season.
