PHILADELPHIA >> Doug Pederson’s biggest headache these days isn’t the injury report.
The Eagles’ head coach had good news to report on that front at his Wednesday news conference.
No, Pederson is worried about a letdown after the Eagles blew a big lead Sunday and bounced back to beat the Giants on a walk-off 61-yard field goal by Jake Elliott.
Pederson doesn’t want the Eagles (2-1) doing the win-loss math while they get ready to play their cross country game with the winless Los Angeles Chargers. The Eagles are one-point underdogs versus the Chargers (0-3). The Giants, you may recall, also are 0-3.
“Any time you win and you win in the fashion that we did, it is emotional,” Pederson said. “It was a physical football game, No. 1. It was an emotional football game, No. 2. And then to win it, No. 3, you’ve got to keep the guys grounded a little bit. I think sometime wins can mask a little bit of the, we need to get better mentality. We’ve got to continue to get better and show improvement. And so that’s the challenge this week.
“I don’t want them to read a lot of their press clippings because there can be a lot of praise. But at the same time we understand that we have to get better.”
The good injury news is defensive tackle Fletcher Cox (calf) and linebacker Jordan Hicks (ankle) won’t practice but are day-to-day. They exited in the first half of the Giants game.
“Both optimistic,” Pederson said. “They’re both doing exceedingly above expectations and just another day of rest won’t hurt those two guys.”
Safety Rodney McLeod (hamstring), who sat out last week, is a full-go for practice. Defensive backs Jaylen Watkins and Corey Graham, scratched Sunday with ailing hamstrings are “doing well” and are day-to-day per Pederson. Additionally cornerback Ronald Darby (dislocated ankle) is “progressing well and right on schedule” for a return in 4-to-6 weeks.
Pederson planned to rest center Jason Kelce Wednesday and practice Stefen Wisniewski at the pivot. Chance Warmack will work at left guard. Wisniewski will work in at left guard during the week and the Birds will decide on a starter Friday, per Pederson, who said Kelce is healthy.
“I just feel where he’s at, he’s played good in these first three games, just give him one extra day going into this weekend,” Pederson said.
Newly signed running back Kenjon Barner will return punts per Pederson. That skills-set appealed to the Eagles, who also had the option of promoting running back Byron Marshall from the practice squad.
“He’s done it in real games and it will be a great opportunity for him,” Pederson said of Barner. “There’s confidence there that he’s done that.”
