The Philadelphia Eagles are still the defending champions, but they might not be the team to beat in the NFC anymore. As such, they need as much help as they can get in their pursuit of consecutive Super Bowl wins.
And even though injuries are never good news, it seems that head coach Nick Sirianni's team may have caught a lucky break ahead of their Wild Card matchup with the San Francisco 49ers. According to Niners insider Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area, linebacker Tatum Bethune won't be on the field on Sunday.
"Tatum Bethune sustained a significant groin injury and will be out for the postseason, coach Kyle Shanahan said. Eric Kendricks steps into the starting role," Maiocco wrote on Monday afternoon.
Eagles Catch a Break with Tatum Bethune Injury
Bethune had stepped up to replace Fred Warner. He started the past eight games in place of the All-Pro linebacker. He logged 94 tackles this season, and having the Niners turn to a third-stringer in his place should certainly work wonders for offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo's ever-struggling unit.
While not the most prominent name in Robert Saleh's defense, Bethune was trending up at the right time. He had seven tackles (two solo), one pass defensed, and a sack in the loss to the Seahawks before being forced to leave the field in the fourth quarter.
Of course, as an 11-year veteran, LB Eric Kendricks is also a proven contributor with vast experience. The Niners signed the 33-year-old to their practice squad, and he's already made three appearances for head coach Kyle Shanahan, including one start. He registered four tackles in the loss to the Seahawks. Still, he won't perfectly replace Bethune's production.
The 49ers might also be without Dee Winters, who was also forced to leave the game in the second quarter with an ankle injury. And with Warner plus pass rushers Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams on injured reserve, San Francisco's defense will be severely short-handed when it matters the most. Besides Kendricks, Curtis Robinson and Garrett Wallow will also most likely have to pick up some of the slack to make up for Bethune's absence.
Establishing the run has been an issue for the Eagles all season long. They rank 16th in the league with just 116.9 rushing yards. But with the Niners' run defense leaking due to injuries and Saquon Barkley out there, Patullo will be wise to get his All-Pro running back involved early and often.