Eagles Get Good News on Key Starter Ahead of Cowboys Game
Ahead of a big-time NFC East showdown, the Philadelphia Eagles got some positive injury news. Starting C Cam Jurgens, who left last week’s game against the Lions with a concussion, is cleared to play on Sunday against the Cowboys after being a full participant in practice on Friday. He carries no injury designation heading into the game.
Prior to the Lions game, Jurgens had missed the previous two games against the Giants and Packers with a knee injury. He did not practice and Wednesday and was limited on Thursday, but cleared concussion protocol in time to be a full participant in Friday’s practice. Jurgens was initially listed as questionable for the Cowboys game when Friday’s practice report was released, but was upgraded to no designation on Saturday.
In other injury news, RT Lane Johnson is out with a foot injury, as expected. Meanwhile, ED Jaelan Phillips also has no injury designation for the game, while C Willie Lampkin IV and OT Myles Hinton are questionable. WR DeVonta Smith is traveling separately from the team for personal reasons and carries no game designation. He will play.
The Philadelphia Eagles are Jockeying for Position in a Crowded NFC Playoff Race
Mitchell Leff/GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – NOVEMBER 16: Cam Jurgens #51 of the Philadelphia Eagles participates in warmups prior to a game against the Detroit Lions at Lincoln Financial Field on November 16, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
At 8-2, the Eagles have a comfortable lead in the NFC East over the second-place Cowboys at 4-5-1. Even if Philly loses the second head-to-head matchup of the season on Sunday, they would still have a three-game lead on Dallas for the division.
But the overall NFC playoff picture is much more crowded. The Rams are tied with Philadelphia atop the conference at 8-2, with the 7-3 Seahawks, 7-3 Bears, and 6-3-1 Packers right on their heels. Even the 6-4 Buccaneers, 7-4 49ers, and 6-4 Lions will play a factor down the stretch of the season.
If the Eagles want to earn the NFC’s No. 1 seed, they’ll have to win it the hard way. It’s going to be a hotly contested final seven weeks of the season and any slip-up could prove costly. Philadelphia does have the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Rams, but Los Angeles is playing like the best team in the league right now. The Eagles probably can’t count on any more losses from that group.
If there’s a silver lining here for Philadelphia, it’s that they have a manageable remaining schedule. To close the season, the Eagles play the Cowboys, Bears, Chargers, Raiders, Commanders, Bills, and Commanders. As far as closing slates go, that’s one of the easier ones in the league. Philadelphia should be able to stack wins down the stretch.
The Philadelphia Eagles Offense is Still Stuck in a Rut
Despite all their team success, Philly’s offense has struggled this year. They rank just 25th in total offense and 16th in points per game.
It should be encouraging to Eagles fans that the team is winning in spite of their lackluster offensive production. And there’s reason to believe the offense could improve down the stretch. Last season, the Eagles were a middle-of-the-pack offense until the playoffs, when they ran through the league en route to a Super Bowl victory.
Why Cam Newton Believes Buccaneers Can Compete for the Super Bowl
After a red-hot 5–1 start to the season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have cooled down quite a bit, dropping three of their last four games. Despite the recent struggles, the Buccaneers still hold first place in the NFC South at 6–4.
While some are beginning to write the Buccaneers off as a legitimate Super Bowl contender, former NFL quarterback Cam Newton still believes this team has the potential to go all the way.
ESPN’s Newton is a believer in Baker Mayfield. Newton said,
Newton expanded on his point, saying, “He’s still performing at a high level with the opportunity he’s been given. Now, when you say ‘Super Bowl contenders,’ I’m putting Baker Mayfield in the position to say: can he compete with Philly, can he compete with Detroit, can he compete with the Los Angeles Rams, can he compete with Seattle? Yes — because of Baker Mayfield and what I’ve seen more times than not this year.”
GettyBaker Mayfield runs for the touchdown in last week’s loss at Buffalo.
Baker Mayfield’s MVP Hopes Still Alive
In the beginning of the season, Mayfield was one of the top candidates for the MVP award. Since the Buccaneers recent losses, the Mayfield MVP buzz has died down. It is important to note Tampa Bay has been without several key offensive players due to injuries: running back Bucky Irving has been out since Week 4, wide receiver Chris Godwin since Week 5, and Mike Evans since Week 7.
Despite those key injuries Mayfield has still been able to throw for 2,365 passing yards and 17 touchdowns through ten games heading into Week 12 of the NFL season.
Nick Shook of NFL.com has Mayfield placed at 4th overall in his QB rankings heading into Week 12 of the NFL season. Only behind Matthew Stafford, Drake Maye, and Josh Allen.
“Baker Mayfield has proven he’s a streaky quarterback. That isn’t criticism — it’s simply an acknowledgement of reality. And in fairness to Baker, this season has been especially challenging for the signal-caller after losing his top weapons to injury. It would be nice if he could get Bucky Irving or Chris Godwin back soon”, wrote Shook.
With the Buccaneers taking on the 8–2 Los Angeles Rams this Sunday, if Mayfield can carry the team to an impressive victory, there’s still an outside chance he could make a run for MVP, with plenty of regular-season football left to play.
GettyIt is still possible for Baker Mayfield to make a run for MVP.
Why This Sunday Matters
The Buccaneers enter this week desperate for a win. At 6–4, a victory on Sunday night is crucial for both confidence and playoff positioning. First off, a win against a top team in the league would be a great confidence booster for Tampa Bay, but the division lead is also on the line, with the Carolina Panthers going into Week 12 at 6-5. With a Carolina win and Tampa Bay loss this Sunday, the Buccaneers would all the sudden be on the outside looking in for the NFC South division title.
If the Buccaneers leave Los Angeles with a win, that could be the victory this team has been searching for these past few weeks to turn this season back around in their favor.
