It appears the Philadelphia Eagles are going to opt to be cautious with injured tackle Lane Johnson, as the veteran is expected to be held out of a pivotal Week 15 matchup. Philadelphia cannot afford to drop another game with the Dallas Cowboys lingering in the division race. If the Cowboys win out, all the Eagles need to do is go 3-1 to control their own fate. This is made easier by a schedule that offers a Week 15 game against the Las Vegas Raiders, followed by two games against the Washington Commanders.
With this being the case, it makes sense to hold Johnson out, preparing the tackle to play against the Commanders and the lone daunting matchup left on the schedule in the Buffalo Bills. The report of Johnson missing another week came via Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane, noting that: "Sounding like Lane Johnson (foot) will need another week before returning to the lineup. Sunday’s opponent also doesn’t make his return imperative."
McLane followed this up by noting that the Eagles are 14-27 without the tackle in the lineup and have lost three straight. While this might seem a bit contradictory, McLane's point is correct, as the fact is that the Raiders should be an easy win even without such a high-impact player in the lineup. Johnson is badly needed for the team's stretch run more than this single game.
Eagles OT Lane Johnson Expected to Miss Week 15 After Latest Injury Update
It makes sense for the Eagles to keep their focus on the weeks ahead, with the Commanders being a division rival and the Bills presenting an obvious challenge. Having Johnson in the lineup for these games, and as healthy as possible, is far more impactful than pushing the tackle back too soon for a game that your offense should be able to win without him.
The one interesting note here is that swing tackle Fred Johnson is dealing with an injury as well, per NBC Sports Philadelphia's Dave Zangaro. The lack of clarity on the situation, as well as the expectation that Johnson will miss the game, creates a level of concern as to how the Eagles will fill out the starting lineup.
Still, there is no denying that Philadelphia is making the right choice by holding Johnson out. Without the tackle in the starting lineup, the hopes of finishing the season strong and going into the playoffs hot are obviously bleak. Johnson's health should come above a game that the Eagles are capable of winning without him against a team that appears to have already let go of the rope.
Philadelphia is looking at the big picture and understanding that for the season to turn around, it will require a healthier roster. Something that will continue to take time and demands the Eagles continue to ease their star tackle back into the lineup.