Losing Ertz for Week 14 against Rams would be tough on Eagles

With Zach Ertz in concussion protocol, the Philadelphia Eagles may need other players to step up on offense against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 14.

As if suffering a tough loss on the road wasn’t already frustrating enough for the Philadelphia Eagles to deal with, the team also has to worry about the status surrounding Zach Ertz since the tight end is currently in concussion protocol after leaving Sunday’s game in the third quarter. Dating back to last season, Ertz wasted no time becoming a favorite target to Carson Wentz on offense, so it’s easy to understand why there’s a little concern heading into the team’s Week 14 showdown against the Los Angeles Rams.

Normally, it’s tough to make a big deal over a team suffering their second loss this late in the season, but when seeing how losing to the Seahawks dropped the Eagles from the top seed in the NFC to No. 2 behind the Minnesota Vikings, it’s kind of frustrating. All of a sudden, Philadelphia is no longer in the driver’s seat when it comes to earning home-field advantage, and when seeing how well Los Angeles has been playing this year under Sean McVay, Week 14 may be just as tough as Seattle.

At least for Wentz and the Eagles, the offense is still loaded with plenty of talent for the quarterback to work with if Ertz is unable to go against the Rams, ranging from Alshon Jeffery to Nelson Agholor. Still, when looking at how much of a difference Philadelphia’s offense can be when Ertz is on top of his game, the last thing Doug Pederson‘s squad can afford this late in the season is the unit missing one of their top weapons in the passing game.

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Then again, when looking at some of the other injuries the Eagles have been dealing with this year at numerous positions, the good news is this team has done a phenomenal job with their “next man up” approach thanks to all of the depth on the roster. So as much as not having Ertz in the lineup would be if he’s unable to go against Los Angeles, at least Philadelphia would feel confident enough in someone like Trey Burton stepping up on offense to help the team get back on the winning track in Week 14.