Eagles Star CB Darius Slay suffers second injury, ends game

Philadelphia Eagles star cornerback Darius Slay has been injured for the second time in the team’s Week 12 faceoff against the Los Angeles Rams and is headed to the locker room. It has now been confirmed by multiple sources that CB will be out for the rest of the game with a concussion after taking a hit to the helmet.

More news: Cowboys’ Trey Lance hit with steep fine for unnecessary roughness vs Eagles

Barely two minutes into the game’s first quarter, the Eagles lost two defensive backs to injury on the same play when cornerback Slay and safety Reed Blankenship were both injured.

Blankenship was diagnosed with a shoulder injury and was initially listed as questionable to return, while no official update was given on Slay’s condition. Blankenship appeared to injure his arm after colliding with Slay during Kyren Williams’ 27-yard run early in the first quarter.

Isaiah Rodgers stepped in for Slay while Tristin McCollum replaced Blankenship. On the very next play, Rodgers forced a Williams fumble, which was recovered by Nakobe Dean at the Eagles’ 17-yard line. Despite the injuries, both Slay and Blankenship returned for the Rams’ next possession.

Midway through the third quarter, however, Slay suffered another injury and is out for the rest of the game. Rodgers will reportedly play the rest of the game in his place. Footage of the hit can be seen below.

Slay was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft and quickly became one of the league’s top cornerbacks, earning two Pro Bowl selections and a First-Team All-Pro honor in 2017. After seven seasons in Detroit , was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020, where he has increasingly become a crucial part of the team’s defense.

More news: Former Eagles HC Doug Pederson offers surprising advice to Nick Sirianni

Depending on the severity of his injury, the loss of Slay could hit the Eagles hard. The team currently leads the NFL in total defense and ranks second in pass defense, allowing just 173.2 passing yards per game. match.

Since Week 6, they’ve surrendered just two passes — the fewest in the league — and have held opponents to under 200 passing yards in five of their last six games. With a six-game winning streak, the Eagles have risen to the top of the NFC East with an 8-2 record.

Maintaining a record like that is no easy task, however, and losing a key element of their defense in a veteran like Slay could potentially have massive ramifications for the rest of the season.

For more on NFL, go to Newsweek Sports.