Cam Jurgens injury update: Latest on Eagles center's status for NFC championship game vs Commanders
On Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles will host the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field in the NFC Championship Game, a duel that not many expected would decide who represents the conference in the Super Bowl.
While most backed the Eagles to be among the final four teams battling for the conference title, few backed the Commanders to make it this far. They were expected to be trounced by the Detroit Lions in the divisional round, but instead, they left Ford Field with a shock 45-31 win.
The Eagles will be wary of the threat the Commanders pose and know they'll have to play to their strengths and run the ball well to book their spot in the season finale. However, their plans may have suffered a massive blow as they got bad news about center Cam Jurgens' health.
Will the Cam Jurgens play in the NFC Championship Game vs. Commanders?
On Friday, the Eagles announced that the third-year star, who has been nursing a back injury, is questionable for the game against the Commanders on Sunday. The 25-year-old sat out of practice on Wednesday and Thursday and was a limited participant on Friday.
Jurgens' absence could severely affect the Eagles' ability to run the ball, which has been their go-to tactic on offense. Philadelphia boasts the most dominant offensive line in the league, which is anchored by their center.
If he doesn't recover in time, former Commanders' lineman Nick Gates will fill in against his former team. However, the 29-year-old hasn't played center in a game with quarterback Jalen Hurts and may not be familiar with his cadence, which could prove to be a major issue.
The other lineman will also help Gates double-team, leaving space for Washington's defensive lineman to attack, which could limit Hurts and Saquon Barkley as rushers and affect the passing game.
They'll wait until Sunday when Jurgens undergoes a fitness test to determine whether he's good to go. If not, the Commanders will try to exploit the weakness, forcing Philadelphia to use valuable resources to plug the hole.