Eagles’ sack leader Josh Sweat out vs. Brady, Buccaneers


TAMPA – The Eagles were looking to unseat the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

And there were several things working in the Eagles’ factor before the game.

That included the weather as the game is being played with wind gusts over 20 mph, which could affect the Bucs’ passing attack, led by certain Hall of Famer Tom Brady.

But Brady won’t have four of his top six playmakers. Chris Godwin, the Delaware native, tore his ACL four weeks ago, and Antonio Brown walked off the field during a Jan. 2 game against the Jets and was released the next day.

In addition, the Bucs won’t have their top two running backs in Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones. Fournette was not activated off injured reserve, while Jones has an ankle injury.

A strong running game, of course, is paramount.

To that end, all four of the Eagles running backs, led by Miles Sanders, are eligible to play. The Eagles led the NFL in rushing, averaging 159.7 yards per game. Over the final 10 games, they averaged 189 yards per game.

Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat (94) sacks New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (2) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Eagles’ sack leader out with illness

The Eagles announced Sunday before the game that defensive end Josh Sweat, tied for the team lead with 7.5 sacks, isn’t playing after having “a life-threatening situation” on Tuesday.

He was admitted to the hospital that night for what the team called “an emergency procedure.”

On Friday, Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said Sweat had some “abdominal pain” earlier in the week, but was feeling better, and was listed as questionable for the game.



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