Jason Peters Injury Will Force Line Shuffling For Eagles
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Eagles were hoping their bye week would give their injured players a chance to get healthy, but one of their key contributors may be sidelined on Sunday.
Jason Peters missed practice for the second straight day, and it looks more and more likely the left tackle will be out for Sunday's showdown with the Cowboys. Chip Kelly indicated Right Tackle Lane Johnson might move to the left side to take Peters' place if Peters can't go on Sunday. Johnson confirmed he would move to left tackle if Peters is out, and says he's had to take a crash course on the position throughout the week.
"The challenge is going out there and not getting a whole lot of time to practice it," said Johnson. "It's one week. I haven't done it in a long time, but I'm going to go out there and give it my best, and I think I'll do well."
If Johnson is forced to move to the left side, Dennis Kelly would take Johnson's place at right tackle. Kelly has spent most of his time in his reserve role as a guard, and says he is quickly getting up to speed at the right tackle position in case he is pressed into duty on Sunday.
"We're getting there," Kelly said. "Obviously, it's not going to be a perfect fit right away, but we've had a really good week of training so far and we have a couple more days before the game. We're just going to use that time to get better."
The injury to Peters comes at a time when the Eagles have made improvements in their running game. In their first meeting with the Cowboys in week two, the Eagles were held to seven yards rushing, but Running Back DeMarco Murray says the rushing attack has made great strides since the Dallas disaster.
"I think we're executing better," said Murray. "The running backs are running well and I think the receivers are blocking well. Obviously, the offensive line is playing good for us. I think we've all just got to continue to stay on the same page and go from there."
How successful the running attack as well as the passing attack will be without Peters is something the Eagles are hoping they won't have to find out about this weekend. Chip Kelly hasn't ruled out the possibility of Peters playing, and said a final decision will be made the day before the game.
"We'll determine that after we get through the week of training just like we always talk about," Kelly said. "None of the decisions on where we're playing will happen until after Saturday's training."
