Jalen Hurts ruled out vs Panthers with calf blood clot; Tanner McKee in line to start
Hurts will miss the Eagles' 18 October home game against Carolina after a superficial blood clot was found in his calf, with McKee in line to start, per ESPN.
Jalen Hurts will miss the Eagles' home game against the Carolina Panthers on 18 October after an ultrasound found a superficial blood clot in his calf, ESPN reports. Tanner McKee is in line to start, and the team says it is still deciding on treatment, per ESPN.
A small clot, and a second scan that showed movement
ESPN reports that the clot was found by ultrasound on the previous Saturday, and that a follow-up ultrasound on Wednesday night showed movement in the small clot. Doctors had recommended a follow-up ultrasound within 72 hours of the game and of the return flight to Philadelphia, per ESPN. Beyond those scans, the reporting gives no further clinical detail and no return timeline.
How the calf issue built up
Hurts first reported a calf issue after the Eagles’ 4 October game against the Rams, when he was cleated, according to the team, ESPN reports.
Hurts’ season line is 933 passing yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions, ESPN reports.
McKee is next in line
Hurts gave McKee the news at his locker, and ESPN quotes the message he delivered:
“It looks like you’re going to be the guy this week.”
The reporting describes McKee as the likely choice rather than a confirmed starter. On the other side, Panthers linebacker Jaelan Phillips said, per ESPN, that the quarterback change won’t affect how Carolina prepares.
What the Eagles have said
The team’s statement, as ESPN quotes it, reads in part:
“Jalen will be out for Sunday's game vs. the Panthers as we determine the appropriate course of treatment.”
The statement also says, per ESPN, that “His health and safety are our highest priority.”
The form around the change
Pacy's data shows the Eagles have lost their last three games: 7-27 at the Chicago Bears on 29 September, 20-24 at home to the Rams on 4 October and 17-19 to the Jaguars on 11 October, a game ESPN reports was played in London. Carolina's two most recent results in Pacy's data are an 18-21 defeat at the Cleveland Browns on 27 September and a 32-26 home win over the Detroit Lions on 5 October. Pacy's team stats set the two sides apart:
| Per game (Pacy's team stats) | Philadelphia Eagles | Carolina Panthers |
|---|---|---|
| Points scored | 18.4 | 30.3 |
| Points allowed | 22.4 | 27.3 |
| Total yards | 278.2 | 421.5 |
| Yards allowed | 366.4 | 399.0 |
Beyond Hurts' 933 yards, Pacy's season leaders for the Eagles include Dontayvion Wicks with 260 yards, Saquon Barkley with 182, Jalen Carter with three sacks and Jihaad Campbell with 42 total tackles. Carolina's listed leader is Bryce Young with 1,268 yards, and Pacy's standings have the Panthers at 2-2.
Carolina average 11.9 more points per game than Philadelphia in Pacy's figures, but also concede 4.9 more.
Where the teams stand
Pacy's standings have the Eagles at 2-3, level with Dallas and behind New York at 3-1-1, while the Panthers are 2-2. Pacy's figures also show the Eagles gaining 186.6 passing and 91.6 rushing yards per game, and allowing 248.4 through the air and 118.0 on the ground. Carolina, by the same figures, pass for 317.0 yards and run for 104.5 per game.