The Philadelphia Eagles need a spark. The team is coming off an ugly loss to the Detroit Lions and need something to get the team going. With injuries and inconsistencies plaguing the team, the Eagles are now having to answer unwanted questions about coaching job security and which players return in a rebuild. The Eagles can quiet plenty of critics in Week 13 when they play the New England Patriots, but the question is who will be on the field when they face on another?
Sam Bradford was inactive for the Thanksgiving matchup although it is unclear if he would have been an upgrade over Mark Sanchez or not. The quarterback has been dealing with a shoulder injury and concussion for the past two weeks. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Bradford could be back for Week 13 after passing the concussion protocol and showing that he is healing from the shoulder injury. The quarterback has been back at practice in a limited fashion as the Eagles remain hopeful he is good to go against the Patriots.
"We'll see what happens when he goes out on the field," head coach Chip Kelly said, via ESPN.com. "I'm done with the updates. You guys will see him on the field; you guys can get it then. I gave you an update last week and I was wrong, so I don't want to be wrong again."
Getting Bradford back on the field may or may not help the Eagles. The quarterback has simply not been consistent enough to really know if he is an upgrade at this point or not. Tight end Zach Ertz is hopeful to get on the field against the Patriots. Ertz suffered a concussion in Week 12 and missed the Thanksgiving game. The tight end has developed into the Eagles most reliable offensive target and his absence showed on Thursday as players like Jordan Matthews and Josh Huff struggled. The same can be said about Ryan Mathews. The running back is also under concussion protocol. DeMarco Murray did not impress in week 12 and the Eagles could have used Mathews to help boost the run game. If both Mathews and Ertz are out again in Week 13, it might not matter who is under center for the Eagles.
Sanchez was considered the player that could end Bradford's time in Philadelphia. If the quarterback managed to play well as the starter, the Eagles could consider their quarterback options. However, Sanchez looked like his typical self and now Philadelphia is back at square one.